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2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:55 pm
by UNI88
Just finishing up Edward Luce's "Time to start thinking : America in the age of descent"

Pretty good book and a pretty damning indictment of America's politicians. Starts out hammering away at our government's failure to properly invest in the future (education, infrastructure, etc.) and then goes on to hammer the ineffectiveness and lack of leadership of Congress and various state governments. It's definitely written from a liberal perspective but it makes some excellent points and is critical of both sides. I'm listening to it on CD but need to pick up a print version for the bibliography and other books to add to my shelves.

I would definitely recommend it (especially for Kalm, he could quote from this book for months).

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:11 pm
by ∞∞∞
I'm not a fan of serious political books, but does anyone know a good satirical book about politics? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of a Dr. Strangelove type of thing in written form.

edit: also, I need to find it on Kindle Books.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:37 pm
by kalm
UNI88 wrote:Just finishing up Edward Luce's "Time to start thinking : America in the age of descent"

Pretty good book and a pretty damning indictment of America's politicians. Starts out hammering away at our government's failure to properly invest in the future (education, infrastructure, etc.) and then goes on to hammer the ineffectiveness and lack of leadership of Congress and various state governments. It's definitely written from a liberal perspective but it makes some excellent points and is critical of both sides. I'm listening to it on CD but need to pick up a print version for the bibliography and other books to add to my shelves.

I would definitely recommend it (especially for Kalm, he could quote from this book for months).
I spend too much time with you assholes to actually read a book. :coffee:

(Thx for reference '88! :mrgreen: )

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:39 pm
by CAA Flagship
I can't read. :(

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:40 pm
by Grizalltheway
∞∞∞ wrote:I'm not a fan of serious political books, but does anyone know a good satirical book about politics? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of a Dr. Strangelove type of thing in written form.

edit: also, I need to find it on Kindle Books.
I'm working on Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972 ATM. Obviously a bit dated, but very well written, and much of the Good Doctor's commentary is still relevant to modern-day politics. :nod:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:02 pm
by kalm
Grizalltheway wrote:
∞∞∞ wrote:I'm not a fan of serious political books, but does anyone know a good satirical book about politics? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of a Dr. Strangelove type of thing in written form.

edit: also, I need to find it on Kindle Books.
I'm working on Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972 ATM. Obviously a bit dated, but very well written, and much of the Good Doctor's commentary is still relevant to modern-day politics. :nod:
One of my all time favorites. :nod:

But I read it the conventional way. :suspicious:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:33 pm
by Grizalltheway
kalm wrote:
Grizalltheway wrote:
I'm working on Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972 ATM. Obviously a bit dated, but very well written, and much of the Good Doctor's commentary is still relevant to modern-day politics. :nod:
One of my all time favorites. :nod:

But I read it the conventional way. :suspicious:
You missed out. :nod:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:42 pm
by ∞∞∞
I went with "He Is Risen (The Adventures of Jesus Christ)." It has good reviews, plus it was free. :lol:

I just need to kill a lot of time while I substitute. I made the mistake of not bringing a book/e-reader today, and I basically popped in the same video for every class (blocks 1, 2, 4, & 6). I have blocks 1, 3, 5, & 7 tomorrow for the same teacher and I'm gonna try to avoid watching the same 1.5 hour video 7x over two days.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:18 pm
by Ibanez
I'm reading 1066. It's about the events that lead up to the Norman Invasion of England. The author does a good job of giving a background on England, how the English lived, etc...

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:05 am
by eagleskins
Michael Crichton "Eaters of the Dead". Read every Crichton book but this one. Very good. One of his top 4.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:18 am
by ASUG8
About halfway through My Share of the Task by Stanley McChrystal. It starts out more biographical with him telling how he got his command in Iraq, now it's more of a behind the scenes of what was happening during the Iraq war and how they tried to outflank Al Qaeda and al-Zarqawi in Fallujah. Talks a little about catching Saddam, the Blackstone killings, and Pat Tillman so far. It's really a book on his style of leadership and breaking down the military walls to share more information with those closest to the action and moving from a "fight first" mentality to intelligence gathering and analysis. Pretty good so far. :thumb:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:09 am
by Cap'n Cat
Image

Good skeptic's account of the Great Depression. Tough on FDR and associates. Republicans and Democrats of bygone eras can be little compared to contemporary political heirs. Hoover and his big government antics at the onset of the Crash make the modern Conk critic's Obama look like a bench player. Similarities between what happened '33 to '38 and goings-on now is entertaining. Very good read.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:11 am
by D1B
Cap'n Cat wrote:Image

Good skeptic's account of the Great Depression. Tough on FDR and associates. Republicans and Democrats of bygone eras can be little compared to contemporary political heirs. Hoover and his big government antics at the onset of the Crash make the modern Conk critic's Obama look like a bench player. Similarities between what happened '33 to '38 and goings-on now is entertaining. Very good read.
Did I get you that one for xmas?

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:16 am
by Cap'n Cat
D1B wrote:
Cap'n Cat wrote:Image

Good skeptic's account of the Great Depression. Tough on FDR and associates. Republicans and Democrats of bygone eras can be little compared to contemporary political heirs. Hoover and his big government antics at the onset of the Crash make the modern Conk critic's Obama look like a bench player. Similarities between what happened '33 to '38 and goings-on now is entertaining. Very good read.
Did I get you that one for xmas?
Maybe. Or I picked it up at E's aunt's house.

???

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:33 am
by Ivytalk
Cap'n Cat wrote:
D1B wrote:
Did I get you that one for xmas?
Maybe. Or I picked it up at E's aunt's house.

???
Glad you're reading at least a few Conk authors! :thumb: Amity just came out with a bio of Calvin Coolidge -- the icon of budget-cutters everywhere -- that I hope to read soon. Am in the middle of a bio of General Erwin Rommel now.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:36 am
by Cap'n Cat
Ivytalk wrote:
Cap'n Cat wrote:
Maybe. Or I picked it up at E's aunt's house.

???
Glad you're reading at least a few Conk authors! :thumb: Amity just came out with a bio of Calvin Coolidge -- the icon of budget-cutters everywhere -- that I hope to read soon. Am in the middle of a bio of General Erwin Rommel now.
Cap'n Cat has never been under any illusion that FDR was some sort of hero. Kind of a manipulative, narcissistic asshole, but he had a way of connecting with the common folk.

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:56 am
by mrklean
Piece of Cake (WWII)
Derek Robinson

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:03 am
by Ivytalk
Cap'n Cat wrote:
Ivytalk wrote: Glad you're reading at least a few Conk authors! :thumb: Amity just came out with a bio of Calvin Coolidge -- the icon of budget-cutters everywhere -- that I hope to read soon. Am in the middle of a bio of General Erwin Rommel now.
Cap'n Cat has never been under any illusion that FDR was some sort of hero. Kind of a manipulative, narcissistic asshole, but he had a way of connecting with the common folk.
In other words, Obama without the fedora, the preppie accent and the cigarette holder. :nod:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:13 am
by Cap'n Cat
Ivytalk wrote:
Cap'n Cat wrote:
Cap'n Cat has never been under any illusion that FDR was some sort of hero. Kind of a manipulative, narcissistic asshole, but he had a way of connecting with the common folk.
In other words, Obama without the fedora, the preppie accent and the cigarette holder. :nod:
Was waiting for that.............

:lol:

Re: 2013 CS.com Book Club

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:21 am
by Ivytalk
Cap'n Cat wrote:
Ivytalk wrote:
In other words, Obama without the fedora, the preppie accent and the cigarette holder. :nod:
Was waiting for that.............

:lol:
:mrgreen: