Nonfiction Books You Are Reading
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| Author | Topic: Nonfiction Books You Are Reading |
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Agent
Member # 2210
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 05:49
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Right now, I am reading Michio Kaku- Parallel Worlds. Anybody out there reading other good nonfiction. NO NOVELS OR FANTASY BOOKS PLEASE. -------------------- Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh. Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight. Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 06:09
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"Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman". Oh, and a book about PHP programming, but I don't think that counts. I've also been planning to acquire a good book about modern history recently, but so far I haven't. -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperment, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4592
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 06:39
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Not now, now, but these are a few I've read over the last few years that might appeal to some: Fury on Earth by Myron Sharaf (biography of Wilhem Reich) The Mapmakers by John Noble Wilford. A very cool book about, well, maps and carthographers throughout the ages. As a fan of maps, I liked it. Codes Ciphers by Fred B. Wrixon. A very cool book about all kinds of codes and ciphers. Very informative. The Chomsky Reader edited by James Peck. A very nice collection of essays. Might be a good introduction for those unfamiliar with Chomsky, and it's a nice anthology for those who know him. Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh. A very enjoyable account of one of those simple math formulas (X(n) + y(n) = Z (n) (n is a power representing integer numbers ad nauseam)) Theories of Everything by John D. Barrow. An old book (1991), a little too dense at points and a little vague, but a nice "tour" nevertheless. Prisoner's Dilemma by William Poundstone. A very cool book about Game Theory without math, so laymen like me can understand it. Road to Middle Earth/J.R.R. Tolkien Author of the Century by Tom Shippey. Excellent. Truly excellent. Traces the origin of Tolkien's Middle Earth through poems and epics as well as language. Very good stuff. Glad to see they made new editions and are available to a wider audience than the older version of Road. [ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 06:44: Message edited by: behind stingy cactus ] -------------------- quote:Random Jack Vance Quote Manual Generator Apparatus (Cugel's Saga) Posts: 604 | Registered: Sunday, June 20 2004 07:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 06:56
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I just finished reading "Fair Not Flat," by Ed McCaffery. It's about his proposal to move the U.S. entirely to a progressive consumption-based tax as opposed to the current income tax. I found his arguments to be very compelling, and recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the U.S. tax system. [ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 06:57: Message edited by: andrew miller ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5437
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 08:32
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umm I could give you my reading list for school if you count that. Sorry I can't give any nonscool books, but between this board and school it's all I do. Well here are a couple I like, there are many more... The Ciba Collection #4 Endocrine Stystem - Frank Netter Emotional Anatomy - Stanley Kelman Collor Atlas of Anatomy - Johannes W. Rohen (Warning: these are acutal photos it may be graphic for some people.) [ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 08:33: Message edited by: Dolphin ] -------------------- Nena Posts: 2032 | Registered: Wednesday, January 26 2005 08:00 |
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FAQSELF
Member # 3
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 09:09
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There's a general theme to my books... The Origin of Life By A. Oparin (1938). Mainly for historic purposes. Still, aided research to some extent. Rare Earth By Ward and Brownlee (2003). Good analysis of why life may be common but animal life might not. Some errors. Denying Evolution By M. Pigliucci (2002). Discusses the philosophy of science, history of creationism, and how to address the problem. From Genesis to Genetics By J. A. Moore (2001). Similar to the above, only with more science and less philosophy. Rocks of Ages By S. J. Gould (2002). Good Gould text, with a good and open-minded discussion on the place of religion and science in life. -------------------- A few cats short of a kitten pot pie... Radioactive cats have 18 half-lives. Check out a great source for information on Avernum 2, Nethergate, and Subterra: Zeviz's page. Finally, there's my Geneforge FAQ, Geneforge 2 FAQ, and Geneforge 3 FAQ. Posts: 2831 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4784
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 10:49
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Well, since you asked. The Purpose Driven Life - by Rick Warren. Answers the question 'What on Earth am I here for?' Shepherding a Child's Heart - by Tedd Tripp. Steps to take to build your child's character instead of just improve their behavior. [ Wednesday, March 16, 2005 06:55: Message edited by: MY Name is not imporTant ] -------------------- Forever Always on Past the End tracihedlund@charter.net[/url] TrueSite for Blades - Blades Walkthroughs Pixle Profusion - BoE Graphics Archive Posts: 563 | Registered: Tuesday, July 27 2004 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 5578
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 11:51
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China Men by Maxine Hong Kingston. Gives an idea of things that have happened to the Chinese through a long period of time, told through stories about her family members. I'm not reading it right now, but I'd like to say that Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine is my favorite non-fiction book ever. Told in the inimitable Douglas Adams style, it tells the stories of his journeys to try to see many different endangered species in a program sponsored by the BBC. It's funny (the BBC has a very... unique way of waterproofing microphones) and deep at the same time! It made me want to save those poor Kakapo Parrots in a way no dry essay or inflammatory rant could. I would recommend it to all Douglas Adams fans, and anyone really. *ahem* Right. Sorry about that. ;) -------------------- What kind of idiot quotes himself? My kind of idiot! "As to newbie questions, they will always exist. They always have existed. They will never stop existing, failing total destruction of the Universe. No, not just the world. If any newbies survived the destruction of the world, they would be asking "wy cant i breeth in teh space??!/1/!?!/!!" Only destruction of the Universe will totally get rid of Newbie Questions. So deal with it." It's the Axial Tilt, Stupid! -Douglas Adams Posts: 24 | Registered: Monday, March 7 2005 08:00 |
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BANNED
Member # 3477
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 17:23
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has anyone ever read or at least bought jeff's book? -------------------- Avernum is as addictive as skribbane!!! Withdrawal symptoms are harsh so I just keep playing. Free skribbane at Wal-mart Posts: 296 | Registered: Monday, September 22 2003 07:00 |
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BANNED
Member # 4
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 18:44
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No. It's not out yet. -------------------- 私のバラドですそしてころしたいいらればころす Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 247
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written Tuesday, March 15 2005 19:42
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Well nothing for fun. I get enough painful boring reading already. Any Way; 1. Psycology Frontiers and Applications, Passer, Smith, Atkinson, Muir. 2. Another World is Possible, David McNally, (Socialist Unite :) ) 3. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, Ball & Dagger 4. Chemistry The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, Silbeberg (don't regularly read this one) 5. The Basic Practice of Statistics, David S. Moore 6. What Uncle Sam Really Wants, Noam Chomsky. 7. Why We Cant Wait, M. L. King 8. Something actually enjoyable: Da Gospel According to Ali G, Ali G. :cool: [ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 19:43: Message edited by: VCH ] -------------------- I stop rubber at 160km/h, five times a week. CANUCKS RESPEK! My Style The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 565
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written Wednesday, March 16 2005 02:19
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'The Little Prisoner' one of the most horrifying books i have ever read, i wanted it so much to be fiction, only problem is its not. "Mayda, Daughter of Arabia" a real eyeopener to what goes on in other lands -------------------- If there is no light at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and turn the damm thing on yourself! people often tell me i've lost my mind, but i tell them i have to have one to lose it! lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Posts: 289 | Registered: Monday, January 28 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Wednesday, March 16 2005 02:40
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I'm looking forward to getting my copy of the now published blog by Riverbend. I've read it before, but it didn't qualify as a book before it became, well, a book! :) -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperment, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2210
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written Wednesday, March 16 2005 05:35
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I second "Last Chance to See" along with "The Meaning of Liff" by Douglas Adams. -------------------- Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh. Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight. Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00 |
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Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
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written Wednesday, March 16 2005 07:16
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quote:*mumble* I don't read a lot of nonfiction. I can name three I have off the top of my head: the Life historical compendium from 1900-1994 called 'Our Times', the Lincoln book on the twilight of Czarist Russia 'In War's Dark Shadow', and Zinn's incomparable 'A People's History Of The United States'. I recommend all three heartily. Oh, if you broaden nonfiction a little to include normative stuff, I've also got 'Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them' (which I recommend) and 'The O'Reilly Factor' (which I do not). There's also 'What If? 2', a collection of ruminations on historical points of divergence. Interesting, but dull as all hell, so don't look into it unless that's your sort of thing. I've been reading 'They Came Before Columbus', about West African trade, colonization, and conquest of the Americas in the pre-Columbian era, and 'Dawn to the West', a book on the evolution of Japanese literature and poetry from Meiji to Showa, in my school's library, and they're both pretty good so far. [ Wednesday, March 16, 2005 07:17: Message edited by: Bad-Ass Mother Custer ] -------------------- The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest. Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 5578
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written Friday, March 18 2005 18:34
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quote:I don't think The Meaning of Liff really counts... Even if dictionaries count, "The Meaning of Liff' is borderline-not-non-fiction. :P -------------------- What kind of idiot quotes himself? My kind of idiot! "As to newbie questions, they will always exist. They always have existed. They will never stop existing, failing total destruction of the Universe. No, not just the world. If any newbies survived the destruction of the world, they would be asking "wy cant i breeth in teh space??!/1/!?!/!!" Only destruction of the Universe will totally get rid of Newbie Questions. So deal with it." It's the Axial Tilt, Stupid! -Douglas Adams Posts: 24 | Registered: Monday, March 7 2005 08:00 |
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E Equals MC What!!!!
Member # 5491
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written Friday, March 18 2005 18:41
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Making Radio, edited by Steve Ahern. quote:Now, I know a creation/evolution debate is not going to get anyone anywhere, so I'm not trying to start one of those. That said, as part of the "problem", I'm genuinely curious about that last bit. [ Friday, March 18, 2005 18:46: Message edited by: Ash Lael ] -------------------- Sex is easier than love. Posts: 1861 | Registered: Friday, February 11 2005 08:00 |
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Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
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written Friday, March 18 2005 20:12
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quote:They only mean it inasmuch as the Catholic Church was problematic to Gallileo. -------------------- The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest. Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4592
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written Friday, March 18 2005 22:54
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I like Stephen Gould, I haven't read Rock of Ages yet. This is a book I read ages ago, but I still remember it fondly: The Cheese and the Worms by Carlo Ginsburg. It's about a Miller in the 16th century with a very curious cosmological view. The inquisiton get their hands on him. -------------------- quote:Random Jack Vance Quote Manual Generator Apparatus (Cugel's Saga) Posts: 604 | Registered: Sunday, June 20 2004 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2210
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written Saturday, March 19 2005 07:01
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I have to recommend Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius. The sections on Nero and Caligula are quite amusing. [ Saturday, March 19, 2005 07:05: Message edited by: Lord Baron Von Toast ] -------------------- Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh. Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight. Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00 |
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E Equals MC What!!!!
Member # 5491
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written Sunday, March 20 2005 16:04
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quote:Oh, you misunderstand me. I'm not saying that we aren't a serious problem for science. We absolutely are. I myself take a few hours out of my busy schedule of stoning homosexuals every week to do my bit to return us to the glorious Dark Ages. I was just curious about what he proposed to do about it. :) [ Sunday, March 20, 2005 16:37: Message edited by: Ash Lael ] -------------------- Sex is easier than love. Posts: 1861 | Registered: Friday, February 11 2005 08:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Sunday, March 20 2005 17:19
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Well, I suppose I can't stay away forever. I'm currently reading... Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America by Merritt Lyndon Fernald and Alfred Charles Kinsey. What it's about should be obvious and it's rather fascinating. I plan on giving some of the plants in it a try this year. -------------------- "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Gay Christian Network The Polaris Board Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4784
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written Monday, March 21 2005 06:57
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Shiver me timbers, everyone is coming out of the woodwork aren't they? How's the memory doing, Sir? -------------------- Forever Always on Past the End tracihedlund@charter.net[/url] TrueSite for Blades - Blades Walkthroughs Pixle Profusion - BoE Graphics Archive Posts: 563 | Registered: Tuesday, July 27 2004 07:00 |
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FAQSELF
Member # 3
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written Monday, March 21 2005 09:53
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quote:The author argues against both scientism (science as religion) and creationism (religion as science). His main suggestion is to teach students What Science Is and How It Works at an early stage- not to lead them to false ideas that scientific theories are merely guesses. I remember being taught at an early age the hierachy of science: hypothesis, theory, fact, law, when that's a pretty useless way to go about doing science. Also, the scientific method taught to fourth graders should be updated for high school students (rather than reiterated), so that students don't think everything in science neatly falls into narrow categories. -------------------- A few cats short of a kitten pot pie... Radioactive cats have 18 half-lives. Check out a great source for information on Avernum 2, Nethergate, and Subterra: Zeviz's page. Finally, there's my Geneforge FAQ, Geneforge 2 FAQ, and Geneforge 3 FAQ. Posts: 2831 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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E Equals MC What!!!!
Member # 5491
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written Monday, March 21 2005 10:06
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Interesting. Do you think that's what the problem is? That we just don't understand what science really is? Or do you take a different view to the author? -------------------- Sex is easier than love. Posts: 1861 | Registered: Friday, February 11 2005 08:00 |
