Whatcha Readin ?

[Servonaut]

I'm reading Robert M. Utley's "Lone Star Lawmen"

It's about the Texas Rangers

No, not the Baseball Team. 

[jendf]

How to Work a Room by Susan Roane--I have an event coming up where I get to do some schmoozing. Trouble is, I'm not that good at it. So I'm trying to brush up a bit on how to make a nice impression.

Once I'm done with the schmoozing book, I'll be starting Grub by Elise Blackwell. It's a novel about the publishing industry. It's a re-telling of another book, New Grub Street.

[Willow]

"The Other Bolyen Girl" and "Infidel"

[mamacags]

A Churchill Family Album by Mary Soames (his youngest daughter)  It was really great.

Today I start on Finishing Your Basement, Garage, or Attic by some deranged really rich person I am assuming looking at the pictures

[Miss Mia]

http://www.amazon.com/Nazi-Doctors-Medical-Psychology-Genocide/dp/0465049052/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210363939&sr=8-1

[franksolich]

I recently picked up 11 American Mercury magazines from the 1920s.

For its time, American Mercury was considered a daring, iconoclastic sort of magazine.

But my, my, how the world changes; today the people attracted to it if it existed today, would be conservatives and Republicans, while Democrats, liberals, and primitives would be shocked its brash straightforwardness, and want it burned.

Right now, I'm reading an article about the undertaking industry circa 1927.

[jendf]

I recently picked up 11 American Mercury magazines from the 1920s.

For its time, American Mercury was considered a daring, iconoclastic sort of magazine.

But my, my, how the world changes; today the people attracted to it if it existed today, would be conservatives and Republicans, while Democrats, liberals, and primitives would be shocked its brash straightforwardness, and want it burned.

Right now, I'm reading an article about the undertaking industry circa 1927.

What kind of magazine is it, frank? Is it along the lines of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report?

[franksolich]

I recently picked up 11 American Mercury magazines from the 1920s.

For its time, American Mercury was considered a daring, iconoclastic sort of magazine.

But my, my, how the world changes; today the people attracted to it if it existed today, would be conservatives and Republicans, while Democrats, liberals, and primitives would be shocked its brash straightforwardness, and want it burned.

Right now, I'm reading an article about the undertaking industry circa 1927.

What kind of magazine is it, frank? Is it along the lines of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report?

Mostly commentary.

The old curmudgeon Henry L. Mencken was the editor, if that's any clue.

[jendf]

I recently picked up 11 American Mercury magazines from the 1920s.

For its time, American Mercury was considered a daring, iconoclastic sort of magazine.

But my, my, how the world changes; today the people attracted to it if it existed today, would be conservatives and Republicans, while Democrats, liberals, and primitives would be shocked its brash straightforwardness, and want it burned.

Right now, I'm reading an article about the undertaking industry circa 1927.

What kind of magazine is it, frank? Is it along the lines of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report?

Mostly commentary.

The old curmudgeon Henry L. Mencken was the editor, if that's any clue.

Not for me. But then again, I'm not very bright. It would have to be a real obvious clue. 

[franksolich]

Not for me. But then again, I'm not very bright. It would have to be a real obvious clue. 

Henry L. Mencken, from a Baltimore newspaper, was the one who persistently challenged conventional notions; he also wrote much about the English language.  He was influential mostly circa 1900-1930.

Mencken would have a field day with the primitives on Skins's island today, if he were alive.

[Rebel Yell]

ConservativeCave thread about Whatcha Readin.

[Servonaut]

I recently picked up 11 American Mercury magazines from the 1920s.

For its time, American Mercury was considered a daring, iconoclastic sort of magazine.

But my, my, how the world changes; today the people attracted to it if it existed today, would be conservatives and Republicans, while Democrats, liberals, and primitives would be shocked its brash straightforwardness, and want it burned.

Right now, I'm reading an article about the undertaking industry circa 1927.

What kind of magazine is it, frank? Is it along the lines of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report?

Mostly commentary.

The old curmudgeon Henry L. Mencken was the editor, if that's any clue.

Not for me. But then again, I'm not very bright. It would have to be a real obvious clue. 

He gave us some great quotes Jen

"It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office."

"An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup. "

And one of his most famous

"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats."

[bijou]

The Fabric of Sin by Phil Rickman. It's the latest in a series about an Anglican exorcist (or deliverance consultant as we call them).

[Odin's Hand]

The S.A.S. Survival Handbook by John "Lofty" Wiseman.

[Chris_]

I'm still readin' the same book WE recommended a month ago.

Almost done with it.   

[ReardenSteel]

Just finished David McCullaough's 1776 which I think I was reading the last time someone asked this question. 

I'm re-reading, for fun, a book just recently returned to me after two years, lol. (I forgot I even loaned it out) It's P.J. O'rourke's Parliament of Whores which is pretty dated for a political book but still tons of fun!

Excerpt:

I have only one firm belief about the American political system, and that is this:  God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat.

God is an elderly or, at any rate, middle-aged male, a stern fellow, patriarchal rather than paternal and a great believer in rules and regulations.  He holds men strictly accountable for their actions.  He has little apparent concern for the material well-being of the disadvantaged.  He is politically connected, socially powerful and holds the mortgage on literally everything in the world.  God is difficult.  God is unsentimental.  It is very hard to get into God’s heavenly country club.

Santa Claus is another matter.  He’s cute.  He’s non-threatening.  He’s always cheerful.  And he loves animals.  He may know who’s been naughty and who’s bee nice, but he never does anything about it.  He gives everyone everything they want without thought of a quid pro quo.  He works hard for charities, and he’s famously generous to the poor.  Santa Claus is preferable to God in every way but one:  There is no such thing as Santa Claus.

http://www.groveatlantic.com/grove/bin/wc.dll?groveproc~genauth~568~0

[Wretched Excess]

ok, this is ghey, but I am reading Lincoln and Whitman; parallel lives in the civil war, by dan epstein.

it compares Lincolns speeches and writings to Whitman's poetry.

so far, he is failing to prove the connection.

[mamacags]

I'm still readin' the same book WE recommended a month ago.

Almost done with it.   

What book was that?

[Wretched Excess]

I'm still readin' the same book WE recommended a month ago.

Almost done with it.   

What book was that?

it was about the election of 1800.  it was fascinating.

[Wretched Excess]

I'm still readin' the same book WE recommended a month ago.

Almost done with it.   

that book led me to this one:

The Age of Federalism

it's a doorstop of a book, but it totally cleared up the era after the revolution for me.

[Flame]

at the moment, The Saboteurs by W.E.B Griffin, but I usually read 5 books a week or so, so it changes frequently.

[West Coaster]

I've a lot more time for reading these days and try to include a mix of fiction and non-fiction.  I just finished Ann's If Democrats Had Any Brains... and am starting The Whole Truth by David Baldacci.

[Miss Mia]

Just finished David McCullaough's 1776 which I think I was reading the last time someone asked this question. 

I'm re-reading, for fun, a book just recently returned to me after two years, lol. (I forgot I even loaned it out) It's P.J. O'rourke's Parliament of Whores which is pretty dated for a political book but still tons of fun!

I read 1776 quite a while ago, excellent book.

[RobJohnson]

Just finished The Camel Club by David Baldacci.

Will start Mary, Mary by James Patterson soon.

[Chris_]

Just finished David McCullaough's 1776 which I think I was reading the last time someone asked this question. 

I'm re-reading, for fun, a book just recently returned to me after two years, lol. (I forgot I even loaned it out) It's P.J. O'rourke's Parliament of Whores which is pretty dated for a political book but still tons of fun!

I read 1776 quite a while ago, excellent book.

I thought 1776 was okay.  For some reason, John Adams seemed like the better of the two.