What book are you reading? (or just finished)
- Thread starter jbg
- Start date
The Trial of the Century by Gregg Jarrett
"The human mind is an open canvas of possibilities. We should be free to paint it with our own brushstrokes." This would have been a good epitaph for my High School Yearbook picture, but it is a quote from the end of a book I just finished, The Trial of the Century by Gregg Jarrett. The quote well expresses the author's philosophy as well as that of the subject of the book, Clarence Darrow. Ostensibly the book was about the so-called "Monkey Trial" conducted amid both the stifling heat and stifling bigotry of Dayton, Tennessee, a small town in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. I say "ostensibly" since the book bordered on a hagiography of Clarence Darrow, the great trial lawyer.
The book proved one thing: that Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century byJerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, a fictionalized dramatization of the Scopes Trial, was remarkably faithful to the trial scene. I read Inherit the Wind in eighth, ninth or tenth grade.
I heartily recommend it for reading, though I do not give it a Goodreads "Five." My quibbles were its borderline fawning over Clarence Darrow and a politically driven and not well written Epilogue. Those are quibbles, and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
"The human mind is an open canvas of possibilities. We should be free to paint it with our own brushstrokes." This would have been a good epitaph for my High School Yearbook picture, but it is a quote from the end of a book I just finished, The Trial of the Century by Gregg Jarrett. The quote well expresses the author's philosophy as well as that of the subject of the book, Clarence Darrow. Ostensibly the book was about the so-called "Monkey Trial" conducted amid both the stifling heat and stifling bigotry of Dayton, Tennessee, a small town in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. I say "ostensibly" since the book bordered on a hagiography of Clarence Darrow, the great trial lawyer.
The book proved one thing: that Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century byJerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, a fictionalized dramatization of the Scopes Trial, was remarkably faithful to the trial scene. I read Inherit the Wind in eighth, ninth or tenth grade.
I heartily recommend it for reading, though I do not give it a Goodreads "Five." My quibbles were its borderline fawning over Clarence Darrow and a politically driven and not well written Epilogue. Those are quibbles, and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
Lumpy Von Talbot
Member
Good idea for a thread, JPG. Been reading lots of SF schlock lately as light relief from heavy reading for work. But I recommend Peter Frankopan's 'The Silk Roads' and in particular the early chapters concerning the europecentric view of the world. Bit of a mindbender to anyone of European sensibilities where we think Europe is the centre of all civilisation quite naturally.
Frankopan explores the notion of the European 'omphalos' very well and how it arose. They say reading broadens the mind. In that case Frankopan is certainly someone who promotes a broader view of the world from further back.
en.wikipedia.org
Frankopan explores the notion of the European 'omphalos' very well and how it arose. They say reading broadens the mind. In that case Frankopan is certainly someone who promotes a broader view of the world from further back.
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World: Amazon.co.uk: Frankopan, Professor Peter: 9781408839973: Books
Buy The Silk Roads: A New History of the World Reprint by Frankopan, Professor Peter (ISBN: 9781408839973) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
Peter Frankopan - Wikipedia
odanny
Member
Just finished rereading "My Hitch in Hell" by Lester Tenney. He was a POW who survived the Bataan Death March, and a fellow down the street, who passed around 20 years ago, was also a member of the same unit. His name was Art, and he could not talk about his experiences, as they gave him flashbacks, but I gave him another book to read on the subject, it was about the liberation of his POW camp in the Philippines, and he read it and we discussed a few members of his unit that were in the book.
Also finished this one before rereading Tenney:
This one gives a lot of great information on various tribes around the world who don't get certain diseases we Westerners are afflicted with, as their daily lives involve a lot of activity and almost no processed foods. It's fascinating to me how we are genetically programmed to survive and just in the last 4-5 generations have we gotten away from what has worked for millions of years. While the book is far from scholarly, it is well written. He goes on an extreme hunting trip in Alaska and spends a little too much time on that segment but even it is interesting. Other parts of the book are interviews with experts and fitness fanatics, as well as an examination of different peoples, their lifestyles, and I believe it is the Masai tribe in Africa who literally run down their prey by chasing it until it gets tired and they then can shoot it with an arrow. He looks at their health and lack of disease, as but one example.
Also finished this one before rereading Tenney:
The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self
This one gives a lot of great information on various tribes around the world who don't get certain diseases we Westerners are afflicted with, as their daily lives involve a lot of activity and almost no processed foods. It's fascinating to me how we are genetically programmed to survive and just in the last 4-5 generations have we gotten away from what has worked for millions of years. While the book is far from scholarly, it is well written. He goes on an extreme hunting trip in Alaska and spends a little too much time on that segment but even it is interesting. Other parts of the book are interviews with experts and fitness fanatics, as well as an examination of different peoples, their lifestyles, and I believe it is the Masai tribe in Africa who literally run down their prey by chasing it until it gets tired and they then can shoot it with an arrow. He looks at their health and lack of disease, as but one example.
Mowl
Member
Stephen Collins: 'The Power Game' - Fianna Fail since Lemass.
A thorough look at the party in all its limping glory, Collins sticks to the facts and only the facts and gives us an accurate insight to the machinations of the party across several decades of swagger and outright lies. Bought it in Dublin Airport on my way home to Finland a few years back. Always going back to it for tidbits, it's up there with Gene Kerrigan's 'This Great Little Nation' - another insightful and cutting bunch of tales centered around dozens and dozens of Irish scams and rip-offs by state ministers.
Ken Foxe's 'Snouts In The Trough' is another collection of Irish-style political heists and features a lot around the monies spent and embezzled by the ex-ceann comhairle John O'Donoghue over a period of decades until he was finally rumbled and toppled. Even then he was indignant as fuck about even being questioned on his lavish spending, and his ultimate downfall and public embarrassment in his final speech where he mentioned to the assembled culchie factions of Cork and Kerry - who adored him - that 'here in this sports hall that I built for you, my people, with my very own hands, and now I stand here today shamed by the nation for doing what was called of me'.
Or words to that effect regarding the millions he spent on himself and his jet-setting around the world and staying in five star hotels and eating at Michelin starred restaurants. Big fat greedy piggy was dragged through the bush, but no criminal charges were ever brought, and he never had to appear in court for embezzlement.
Mainly because most Irish people live in a state of stupor - they're so used to this shit doesn't really register with them anymore.
A thorough look at the party in all its limping glory, Collins sticks to the facts and only the facts and gives us an accurate insight to the machinations of the party across several decades of swagger and outright lies. Bought it in Dublin Airport on my way home to Finland a few years back. Always going back to it for tidbits, it's up there with Gene Kerrigan's 'This Great Little Nation' - another insightful and cutting bunch of tales centered around dozens and dozens of Irish scams and rip-offs by state ministers.
Ken Foxe's 'Snouts In The Trough' is another collection of Irish-style political heists and features a lot around the monies spent and embezzled by the ex-ceann comhairle John O'Donoghue over a period of decades until he was finally rumbled and toppled. Even then he was indignant as fuck about even being questioned on his lavish spending, and his ultimate downfall and public embarrassment in his final speech where he mentioned to the assembled culchie factions of Cork and Kerry - who adored him - that 'here in this sports hall that I built for you, my people, with my very own hands, and now I stand here today shamed by the nation for doing what was called of me'.
Or words to that effect regarding the millions he spent on himself and his jet-setting around the world and staying in five star hotels and eating at Michelin starred restaurants. Big fat greedy piggy was dragged through the bush, but no criminal charges were ever brought, and he never had to appear in court for embezzlement.
Mainly because most Irish people live in a state of stupor - they're so used to this shit doesn't really register with them anymore.
Lumpy Von Talbot
Member
Here, Mowl, the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Association had ructions recently with two directors resigning because the CEO is doing the usual thing of running a personal fiefdom- was supposed to stand down last year and is still there like a hen hatching an egg. Refuses to let anyone know what his salary is.
Of course the outfit receives public money as well. But one of the directors made a statement a few months back which said 'things still haven't changed even after the recent introduction of corporate governance'.
They don't even know what 'corporate governance' is and think it can be bought or hired in from abroad somewhere like a new piece of software.
The recent introduction of corporate governance like they've suddenly realised they can import rules. There is a lack of understanding in Ireland, probably deliberate in many cases, of basic principles such as 'confict of interest', 'governance' and 'transparency'. They are like foreign inventions that they have to sniff at suspiciously for a while.
You can easily imagine some becapped bollocks at their AGM putting the hand up and demanding to know what 'this here EU corporate governance caper' is all about and will it threaten his backhander system with the local planning officers.
Of course the outfit receives public money as well. But one of the directors made a statement a few months back which said 'things still haven't changed even after the recent introduction of corporate governance'.
They don't even know what 'corporate governance' is and think it can be bought or hired in from abroad somewhere like a new piece of software.
The recent introduction of corporate governance like they've suddenly realised they can import rules. There is a lack of understanding in Ireland, probably deliberate in many cases, of basic principles such as 'confict of interest', 'governance' and 'transparency'. They are like foreign inventions that they have to sniff at suspiciously for a while.
You can easily imagine some becapped bollocks at their AGM putting the hand up and demanding to know what 'this here EU corporate governance caper' is all about and will it threaten his backhander system with the local planning officers.
Mowl
Member
I'd imagine those guys in the IAVI are genius level scamsters.
I'd put very little value on most of the houses and blocks that shot up over the last few decades, mainly because when the kids become adults, they're going to have to clean that mess up too. Shitty estates, poor services, dirty waters, streams and rivers polluted by farmers, sink estates slowly but surely going under, affected by pyrite and jaze only knows what other 'sicknesses' concrete can catch.
Ireland's the only modern country I've ever heard of having 'sick buildings'.
Back somewhere in the late 80's/early 90's, civil service staff were moved out of their block because of a light defect. The building was on the corner of Earlsford Terrace and upper Hatch Street. The 'light defect' was in the overhead lights. The block had these tall thin windows that very little light passed through, so the staff were under those long tubular fluorescent bulbs all day, and loads of them were taking time off sick. So a specialist was hired and the conclusion was that the building was a health hazard to the workers and they were moved out and shifted elsewhere.
So the empty building was standing idle for a while until one minister, in the wake of the digital voting machines fiasco, decided that the building was a perfect site to store the e-voting machines for some astronomical rent until they could figure out what to do with them. Waste on top of waste, a very Irish trait. The e-voting machines were bought up as novelty items by some publican who would convert them into tables in his bar.
This building: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.333...rcaNONHiw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttue-voing
The man who brought the e-voting machinery to the government's attention, resigned along with most other senior Fianna Fail party members in the mass slaughter that came after the banking collapse. Moved to Florida: Martin Cullen. He was one of the two ministers who repeatedly denied that the IMF were in town to look at the state's books, and when the shit hit the fan, he resigned - on full pension plus severance and jaze only knows what else.
A three ringed circus has more political and sociological benefits.
I'd put very little value on most of the houses and blocks that shot up over the last few decades, mainly because when the kids become adults, they're going to have to clean that mess up too. Shitty estates, poor services, dirty waters, streams and rivers polluted by farmers, sink estates slowly but surely going under, affected by pyrite and jaze only knows what other 'sicknesses' concrete can catch.
Ireland's the only modern country I've ever heard of having 'sick buildings'.
Back somewhere in the late 80's/early 90's, civil service staff were moved out of their block because of a light defect. The building was on the corner of Earlsford Terrace and upper Hatch Street. The 'light defect' was in the overhead lights. The block had these tall thin windows that very little light passed through, so the staff were under those long tubular fluorescent bulbs all day, and loads of them were taking time off sick. So a specialist was hired and the conclusion was that the building was a health hazard to the workers and they were moved out and shifted elsewhere.
So the empty building was standing idle for a while until one minister, in the wake of the digital voting machines fiasco, decided that the building was a perfect site to store the e-voting machines for some astronomical rent until they could figure out what to do with them. Waste on top of waste, a very Irish trait. The e-voting machines were bought up as novelty items by some publican who would convert them into tables in his bar.
This building: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.333...rcaNONHiw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttue-voing
The man who brought the e-voting machinery to the government's attention, resigned along with most other senior Fianna Fail party members in the mass slaughter that came after the banking collapse. Moved to Florida: Martin Cullen. He was one of the two ministers who repeatedly denied that the IMF were in town to look at the state's books, and when the shit hit the fan, he resigned - on full pension plus severance and jaze only knows what else.
A three ringed circus has more political and sociological benefits.
Last edited:
I just got finished reading Day-O!!! The Autobiography of Irving Burgie by Irving Burgie, which I finished reading minutes ago. Day-O, best described by the author as "The Shout Heard 'Round the World" launched both Irving Burgie's (credited on album as Lord Burgess) and Harry Belafante's career. Quite a book, and quite hard to get. The book spends most of its ink on discussing growing up as a working-class black in Brooklyn, which is quite interesting. His writing career is quite impressive, including Day-O, Island in the Sun and Jamaica Farewell. If you can get it, I highly recommend it.
I always have quibbles. There is a bit of repetition here but that does not take if off "five stars."
I always have quibbles. There is a bit of repetition here but that does not take if off "five stars."
No other readers here???
I just finished reading A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes by Eric Jay Dolin. I will give this book 3.5 stars.
A Furious Sky is a thrilling page-turner, and made me look forward to coming home from work early to read. I am quite the weather buff and history buff, having been in my high school's weather club. The book focused on something I didn't know much about, both the meteorological history of knowledge of hurricanes and their historical impact. On the latter, I was aware, through reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow and The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton by by Andrew Porwancher, of the indirect impact of a major hurricane, sending a Founding Father to these shores from the hurricane-devastated St. Croix. I wanted to, and did, learn more. A key quote, without spoiling the book, from Edward R. Murrow:
I just finished reading A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes by Eric Jay Dolin. I will give this book 3.5 stars.
A Furious Sky is a thrilling page-turner, and made me look forward to coming home from work early to read. I am quite the weather buff and history buff, having been in my high school's weather club. The book focused on something I didn't know much about, both the meteorological history of knowledge of hurricanes and their historical impact. On the latter, I was aware, through reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow and The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton by by Andrew Porwancher, of the indirect impact of a major hurricane, sending a Founding Father to these shores from the hurricane-devastated St. Croix. I wanted to, and did, learn more. A key quote, without spoiling the book, from Edward R. Murrow:
Now, as usual, the quibbles. Mr. Dolin, in his Epilogue, recites uncritically the mantras about global warming and climate change. Does every article or book that touches weather or climate history have to take this invitation? His political leanings were already clear; they didn't have to be pounded. And one unforced error; in his excellent discussion about Katrina he dates its first reference to 1992, not 2005.Edward R. Murrow said:
roc_abilly
Member
Dolin has a master's in environmental management and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning. Therefore he has a responsibility to communicate the facts of anthropogenic climate change to the public.
That is a hell of a lot different to how this forum has usually adopted the term "mantras" to refer to slogans like 'Anti-racist is a Code Word for “Anti-white”', You Will Not Replace Us,’ ‘Russia is Our Friend,’ 'White Lives Matter', 'Whites Under Attack', 'Invasion of Muzzie Hordes', and all the rest of the stupid stuff you find knuckledragging halfwits spreading online.
Extremely well summarised and compiled for you here say - Payton Gendron Manifesto. (A chap who decided he had to do something on the basis of all these slogans and claptrap in Buffalo in 2022). Another big reader apparently, of 4chan, echo chambers like sarsfields, politicalirish that are run by administrators and moderators who proscribe opposing views.
roc_abilly
Member
I'm guessing because Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was also a category 5 hurricane that took a similar track and devastated similar areas? Will you go back to the book and check if that is actually the case, rather than risk dragging down the reputation of this forum with an accusation based in a poster's own misapprehension? Thanks.
The climate change movement has reduced science to a religion. The concept of man-made climate change should and must be open to discussion, as must be the remedies. The "climate scientists" are clearly trying to guilt us out of the affluence that society has built over the years. Any solution such as nuclear power or natural gas is rejected. Of course, making mobility expensive will allow the privileged to go where they want to go, do what they want to do while the "peasants" are in a form of lockdown. There is no "responsibility" to make every article or book that touches weather or climate history a work of shrill alarmism.
Clearly it was a typo. The previous section of the book had been about Hurricane Andrew.
Electricity
Member
roc doesn't go against the grain, on anything, in the slightest, ever. And he wraps it all up in (nauseating) phony virtue and mealy-mouthedness.
If the government were to start executing "anti-vaxxers" (for the "common good") he would go along with it - guaranteed. Essentially he's on an endless, vicarious power trip. And his #1 priority is abolishing white people.
If the government were to start executing "anti-vaxxers" (for the "common good") he would go along with it - guaranteed. Essentially he's on an endless, vicarious power trip. And his #1 priority is abolishing white people.
roc_abilly
Member
You might note that I was very vocal against the vaccine after the studies showed it drastically lost its effectiveness against the variants that came after the original one, and it was clear that the policy of lifting precautions as a reward for vaccination while in the very midst of vaccination programmes, was going to lead to the impossibility of herd immunity. I also said it should be a choice, you cannot force something like that on people. And I said that it was incredibly dumb to throw all our eggs in one basket, and substitute faith in high technology (vaccination) for responsible intelligent proactive community based behaviour. I was heavily censored on p.ie for stating such.
Electricity
Member
I took note that you're an arch-Covidian
I'm really not interested in any mealy-mouthed rubbish you have to say that makes you think that you're sooper dooper smart
I was hoping for a generalized reading thread, not a JBG blog.
Electricity
Member
I haven't been on here that long. No question that the vaccine was oversold. No question that it reduced the severity of both infection and spread.