What are you reading right now?

Paedantic Basterd · 11-19-2012, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

That actually sounds kinda awesome to me.

Even the research wasn't that bad, but I didn't enjoy the writing on the topic. I get more satisfaction out of assignments when they ask me to think for myself rather than draw on what many other critics have suggested.

As an asides, nearly through the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Newkie · 11-21-2012, 05:41 AM

The Count of Monte Cristo, for about the third time.

The Batlord · 11-21-2012, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newkie

The Count of Monte Cristo, for about the third time.

He totally should have teamed up with the Earl of Sandwich.

Newkie · 11-30-2012, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

He totally should have teamed up with the Earl of Sandwich.

Eh, to make viciously charming yet retribution-seeking sarnie delicacies? Also, how is it any topic I've seen you discuss leads to sandwiches....

anticipation · 11-30-2012, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes. For a class. Just finished Machiavelli's "The Prince", and now discovering that Hobbes is refuting basically everything that we've read so far (Plato's "Republic", Aristotle's "Politics" and the Machiavelli). Have to basically forget about everything those guys said in order to understand the Hobbes properly. Yikes.

fuck hobbes, locke forever.

Blarobbarg · 11-30-2012, 09:53 AM

Sudhir Venkatesh is a professor of sociology at Columbia University and a lead writer of urban life and underground economies. Once upon a time, he was a lowly grad student looking for something more meaningful than just writing numbers. He ended up making his way to one of the poorest areas of Chicago, and long story short, became best friends with a high level leader in the Black Kings, a large gang. This book basically documents his life with his new friend and talks in detail about gang life, relationships with non-gang members in gang territory, life in large urban housing apartment complexes, etc etc etc. Basically, it's awesome. Check it out if you're interested at all in any of those topics.

PS- I picked it up for $1! Gotta love used book stores.

The Batlord · 11-30-2012, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newkie

Eh, to make viciously charming yet retribution-seeking sarnie delicacies? Also, how is it any topic I've seen you discuss leads to sandwiches....

When have I ever talked about sandwiches before? If I did, well...sandwiches are the perfect food. Quick and easy to make, but they are still legitimate food that can be as simple or as high class as you want them to be. Mmmm...sandwiches.

FRED HALE SR. · 11-30-2012, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blarobbarg

Sudhir Venkatesh is a professor of sociology at Columbia University and a lead writer of urban life and underground economies. Once upon a time, he was a lowly grad student looking for something more meaningful than just writing numbers. He ended up making his way to one of the poorest areas of Chicago, and long story short, became best friends with a high level leader in the Black Kings, a large gang. This book basically documents his life with his new friend and talks in detail about gang life, relationships with non-gang members in gang territory, life in large urban housing apartment complexes, etc etc etc. Basically, it's awesome. Check it out if you're interested at all in any of those topics.

PS- I picked it up for $1! Gotta love used book stores.

I always find those type of books interesting. The best i've read would have to be Monster about Kody Scott one of La's hardest gang members ever. Dude did a drive by on a bike once. You gotta have balls to do drive bys on a ten speed.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...-g-xqweCe6QI3w

LoathsomePete · 11-30-2012, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blarobbarg

Sudhir Venkatesh is a professor of sociology at Columbia University and a lead writer of urban life and underground economies. Once upon a time, he was a lowly grad student looking for something more meaningful than just writing numbers. He ended up making his way to one of the poorest areas of Chicago, and long story short, became best friends with a high level leader in the Black Kings, a large gang. This book basically documents his life with his new friend and talks in detail about gang life, relationships with non-gang members in gang territory, life in large urban housing apartment complexes, etc etc etc. Basically, it's awesome. Check it out if you're interested at all in any of those topics.

PS- I picked it up for $1! Gotta love used book stores.

Fucking brilliant book, especially if you like shows like The Wire for their socio-economic commentary. His other book Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor is another one that's well worth reading if you enjoyed Gang Leader for a Day. I really liked how it flowed like I expected a story might, yet still retained its biographical origins, which actually segues quite nicely into what I'm reading.

Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa

Basically it's a biographical book with the structure of a fictional story. According to the opening forward, the book is a really good counter-point to the more popular Shogun novel by Australian author James Clavell, who was willing to distort history in order to give the story more appeal. Apparently all Yoshikawa really did was change a few names out of respect for the real people they were based on, and then added in the dialogue. In either case, I've heard Shogun is fantastic and look forward to reading it at some point, but for right now I can't wait to delve into the history of one of Japan's greatest Samurai's.

The Batlord · 12-01-2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Basically it's a biographical book with the structure of a fictional story. According to the opening forward, the book is a really good counter-point to the more popular Shogun novel by Australian author James Clavell, who was willing to distort history in order to give the story more appeal. Apparently all Yoshikawa really did was change a few names out of respect for the real people they were based on, and then added in the dialogue. In either case, I've heard Shogun is fantastic and look forward to reading it at some point, but for right now I can't wait to delve into the history of one of Japan's greatest Samurai's.

Shogun is definitely worth your time. I'm not a huge buff on feudal Japanese history, at least not more than the passing interest of a Japanophile, but it definitely isn't particularly accurate, and the portrayal of Japanese and samurai culture is more based on Japanese nationalist WW II propaganda than actual history from what I've heard. Still, it's fantastic stuff.

11-30-2012, 09:53 AM	#4496 (permalink)
Blarobbarg Do good. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Posts: 2,065	Sudhir Venkatesh is a professor of sociology at Columbia University and a lead writer of urban life and underground economies. Once upon a time, he was a lowly grad student looking for something more meaningful than just writing numbers. He ended up making his way to one of the poorest areas of Chicago, and long story short, became best friends with a high level leader in the Black Kings, a large gang. This book basically documents his life with his new friend and talks in detail about gang life, relationships with non-gang members in gang territory, life in large urban housing apartment complexes, etc etc etc. Basically, it's awesome. Check it out if you're interested at all in any of those topics. PS- I picked it up for $1! Gotta love used book stores. __________________ https://rateyourmusic.com/~Blarobbarg ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　^my RYM^　｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆ (◠‿◠✿)