What are you reading?

[Dolla Bill]

I just got done reading The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury. It was a good book, not outstanding, but I do agree with alot of the reviews it got on amazon.com. It was good until about 2/3 of the way in, and then it felt very rushed, and did not have that good of an ending. Anyone got suggestions of good books to read?

[lakewinola]

I'm a third of the way through The Historian and it is pretty good.

[dj_stouty]

I've been too busy to get into a book the past few months.

Does SuDoKu count as a book? lol

[Keino]

I've been reading Pelecanos novels and Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. Presently, I am reading a series called "The New Jedi Order" which has been pretty incredible actually. I'm on like the 8th book in this 16 book series.

[akhhorus]

harry potter

[Dolla Bill]

harry potter


I'm sorry, what was that? Can you type that a little bigger? :D

[danny's stogie]

"Absurdistan" by Gary Shteyngart

[redskin_rich]

Cell by Stephen King.

[BIGSEF3]

I've been reading Pelecanos novels and Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. Presently, I am reading a series called "The New Jedi Order" which has been pretty incredible actually. I'm on like the 8th book in this 16 book series.

i stopped reading those star wars books after anderson's. zahns were great. eventually the books started getting really stupid. i remember one had to do with a force witch and luke skywalker had to go inside some living blob to get a force orb.... that killed the eu for me. if you can recommend some "good" eu books outside that series, let me know. i'lll definitely check out the new jedi order ones if y ou recommend them.

also, just about any timothy zahn book is going to be rediculously good. i have no idea how his "cobras" and "conquerors" trilogies havent ben adapted to film or some scifi movie/television show.

[LATrueRedskin]

Don't really have the time to read it a lot right now, but:

Alexander of Macedon by Peter Green

[Keino]

i stopped reading those star wars books after anderson's. zahns were great. eventually the books started getting really stupid. i remember one had to do with a force witch and luke skywalker had to go inside some living blob to get a force orb.... that killed the eu for me. if you can recommend some "good" eu books outside that series, let me know. i'lll definitely check out the new jedi order ones if y ou recommend them.

also, just about any timothy zahn book is going to be rediculously good. i have no idea how his "cobras" and "conquerors" trilogies havent ben adapted to film or some scifi movie/television show.

I highly recommend the New Jedi Order. I agree, some of the authors blow chuncks, but this series is pretty good.

[BIGSEF3]

I highly recommend the New Jedi Order. I agree, some of the authors blow chuncks, but this series is pretty good.

Thanks man. I forgot to mention, I recently read Michael Crichton's State of Fear and now have doubts about whether global warming is an actual phenomenom. Alot of points in the book shoot holes through half of what Gore talked about in An Inconvenient Truth

[CarMike]

I've been too busy to get into a book the past few months.

Does SuDoKu count as a book? lol
Yeah, dj, we know you're to busy doing other stuff than reading! ;)

Does anyone read James Patterson books? He has quickly became my favorite writer.

[WackyJacky]

Just wrapped up "A Needle in the Right Hand of God" (about the Bayeux Tapestry) and am in the middle of "Flags of Our Fathers" (wow, intense).

[dj_stouty]

Yeah, dj, we know you're to busy doing other stuff than reading! ;)

LMAO

Does anyone read James Patterson books? He has quickly became my favorite writer.

Patterson is great. You always get a good suspense from him...and he is a relatively easy read. Great page turner. I got into him reading "Roses are Red" and immediately following it up with "Violets are Blue". Great storyline...

[CNYSkinFan]

"Team of Rivals" about Lincoln by Goodwin

[PGiddy18]

harry potter

Yeah... ask him why... :D

[Skaggsrules]

The Scarlett Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne

GENG 247

[WarEagle]

I enjoyed Joe Namath's picture book autobiography a great deal.


CarMike- Is that Ann Coulter without her makeup in your avatar? :D

[Keino]

i stopped reading those star wars books after anderson's. zahns were great. eventually the books started getting really stupid. i remember one had to do with a force witch and luke skywalker had to go inside some living blob to get a force orb.... that killed the eu for me. if you can recommend some "good" eu books outside that series, let me know. i'lll definitely check out the new jedi order ones if y ou recommend them.

also, just about any timothy zahn book is going to be rediculously good. i have no idea how his "cobras" and "conquerors" trilogies havent ben adapted to film or some scifi movie/television show.

I haven't read anything by Zahn other than the Thrawn trilogy he wrote for the Star Wars EU. I've read a few by Crichton, but I wasn't feelin him at all.

King is one I really like. Though I haven't read Cell or Lisey's story, his two latest novels, I've read just about everything else he's written. I think I'm still a little irritated by the conclusion of the Dark Tower series, and that's why I haven't read the latest two.

[Rogers_Redskins]

Thanks man. I forgot to mention, I recently read Michael Crichton's State of Fear and now have doubts about whether global warming is an actual phenomenom. Alot of points in the book shoot holes through half of what Gore talked about in An Inconvenient Truth


I read State of Fear a few months ago. I loved it. I have not seen Al Gores Movie. Maybe I should watch it to see the other point of view.

[WarEagle]

I read State of Fear a few months ago. I loved it. I have not seen Al Gores Movie. Maybe I should watch it to see the other point of view.

Al's movie is playing on cable TV. Maybe the Independent Film Channel.

[BurgundyNGold]

I'm almost done with the latest installment of Thomas the Tank Engine (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/thomas/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375815461) and I just got a Richard Scarry (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375841200) from Amazon that I can't wait to dive into.

[whitskins]

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta.

[PGiddy18]

I'm almost done with the latest installment of Thomas the Tank Engine (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/thomas/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375815461) and I just got a Richard Scarry (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375841200) from Amazon that I can't wait to dive into.
Aww BNG!!! You improved a grade level! I'm so proud of you! Keep up the good work Sport!


















(:D)

[Dolla Bill]

I haven't read anything by Zahn other than the Thrawn trilogy he wrote for the Star Wars EU. I've read a few by Crichton, but I wasn't feelin him at all.

King is one I really like. Though I haven't read Cell or Lisey's story, his two latest novels, I've read just about everything else he's written. I think I'm still a little irritated by the conclusion of the Dark Tower series, and that's why I haven't read the latest two.


FYI about the Dark Tower series. They are releasing a 7 issue comic book about the Roland and the ka-tet written by King and others. He also has finally released the rights to make either a movie, or TV series. King did say that he was mulling over the idea to re-write the entire Dark Tower series.

[Skinzwelder]

Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan

[BIGSEF3]

I read State of Fear a few months ago. I loved it. I have not seen Al Gores Movie. Maybe I should watch it to see the other point of view.

Theres two sides to every coin. After reading state of fear, i was very skeptical. 99% of al gores movie goes towards "shock value" statistics and they arent very detailed in describing the source of all the data. then again, it is a "mainstream" documentary movie, and they could have just decided the general public responds better to shock value than they do to true data.

i am certain pollution DOES have an effect on the global ecology, but i don't beleive it to be nearly as dramatic as the eco-boys would have us beleive. It honestly doesnt matter. In 20 years the worlds oil supply will be more or less exhausted and that will necessitate that both industry and society in general move to cleaner, renewable energy. 20 years more of the status quo won't make a difference in the long-term.

[BurgundyNGold]

Do audiobooks count as "reading"?

[BIGSEF3]

Do audiobooks count as "reading"?

you mean those little mermaid sing-along cds you try so hard to hide from your wife and friends?.... most definately.

PS - please tell me rosie is gone for good.

[BurgundyNGold]

you mean those little mermaid sing-along cds you try so hard to hide from your wife and friends?.... most definately.

PS - please tell me rosie is gone for good.
I can't make any promises, lol. I have one more, but you kind of have to wait until the mood is just right or you'll lose your lunch.

Seriously, though. This is a great question. Does listening to audiobooks count the same as actually reading them?

[BIGSEF3]

I can't make any promises, lol. I have one more, but you kind of have to wait until the mood is just right or you'll lose your lunch.

Seriously, though. This is a great question. Does listening to audiobooks count the same as actually reading them?

honestly it depends on what your goal in reading is. if its just a "recreational" thing then i would say yes. however, you use a different part of your brain when you read, vs when you listen. when you listen to something (or watch images on a tv) your brain is in a passive mode. when you read, your brain is more active. so if you are asking if its considered reading, and i am a college english major, starbucks drinking, borders card member, then i would have to say no.

[BurgundyNGold]

honestly it depends on what your goal in reading is. if its just a "recreational" thing then i would say yes. however, you use a different part of your brain when you read, vs when you listen. when you listen to something (or watch images on a tv) your brain is in a passive mode. when you read, your brain is more active. so if you are asking if its considered reading, and i am a college english major, starbucks drinking, borders card member, then i would have to say no.
Sure, I understand that. I enjoy the *experience* of reading. It calms me down and helps me to focus. Almost like meditation. For me at least. But I also listen to audiobooks when at work. Multitasking can be fun too, lol.

Still, if at the end of the day, you get the same information and end up with the same understanding after listening to an audiobook as if you had physically read it, is it all that much different?

[BIGSEF3]

Sure, I understand that. I enjoy the *experience* of reading. It calms me down and helps me to focus. Almost like meditation. For me at least. But I also listen to audiobooks when at work. Multitasking can be fun too, lol.

Still, if at the end of the day, you get the same information and end up with the same understanding after listening to an audiobook as if you had physically read it, is it all that much different?

not really, but i think it depends on the content of what you are reading. i honestly dont think you can really get the full benefit of more "profound" material if you are just listening while you are doing something else (ie driving, working, etc). on the flip side, if youre sitting at home just listening, focusing your full attention on the audiobook, i would say you get the full benefit.

this is a very interesting question for me because i am starting a job where i will have to be doing a significant amount of traveling. i was thinking about downloading audiobooks to listen on the flights via my ipod or pda (using flight-mode of course). i'll try it and see how much i really get out of it and get back to you. if you're a seasoned audiobook person, you are definately the expert. ever try any of those foreign language audio-cds? they say you learn languages faster using audio-only methods.

[BurgundyNGold]

not really, but i think it depends on the content of what you are reading. i honestly dont think you can really get the full benefit of more "profound" material if you are just listening while you are doing something else (ie driving, working, etc). on the flip side, if youre sitting at home just listening, focusing your full attention on the audiobook, i would say you get the full benefit.

this is a very interesting question for me because i am starting a job where i will have to be doing a significant amount of traveling. i was thinking about downloading audiobooks to listen on the flights via my ipod or pda (using flight-mode of course). i'll try it and see how much i really get out of it and get back to you. if you're a seasoned audiobook person, you are definately the expert. ever try any of those foreign language audio-cds? they say you learn languages faster using audio-only methods.
I was just talking to Akh about that. Pimsleur makes some really good language CDs. But for my money, the Rosetta Stone programs are the best. I'm just about to start French, so I'll let you know how it goes.

[BIGSEF3]

I was just talking to Akh about that. Pimsleur makes some really good language CDs. But for my money, the Rosetta Stone programs are the best. I'm just about to start French, so I'll let you know how it goes.

awesome! i talked to a libriarian and she actually recommended rosetta stone over pimsleur but i hadnt heard much about rosetta stone. i am actually interested in learning french, italian, vietnamese or cambodian, and hungarian... not enough to necessarily be fluent, but enough to get by. i look forward to hearing your comments on rosetta stone. my local library caries both rosetta stone and pimsleur if i'm not mistaken.

[BurgundyNGold]

awesome! i talked to a libriarian and she actually recommended rosetta stone over pimsleur but i hadnt heard much about rosetta stone. i am actually interested in learning french, italian, vietnamese or cambodian, and hungarian... not enough to necessarily be fluent, but enough to get by. i look forward to hearing your comments on rosetta stone. my local library caries both rosetta stone and pimsleur if i'm not mistaken.
I think every guy knows what that means, lol.

[BIGSEF3]

I think every guy knows what that means, lol.

youve foiled my plans!!!!

although i have to say the cambodian is 100% non-girl related. i live in high point and theres this big church here that brings cambodians over to the states. there is a huge cambodian population here and i just think it would be nice to speak to them a little in their native tongue.

[danny's stogie]

Finished Absurdistan. On to new material: I've been gluing together the bits and pieces of akh's thesis that he posts here and plan on reading that next.

[akhhorus]

Finished Absurdistan. On to new material: I've been gluing together the bits and pieces of akh's thesis that he posts here and plan on reading that next.

I'll send you a copy if you have insomnia.

But here's another section:

The Provisions of Oxford effected was the idea of political review. This concept has been discussed at some length before, so this section will not belabor the point. Absolutism might have been in fashion before the Provisions in England. But the Kings had the illusion to total control, but the truth was that they were not absolute monarchs. Also, some of England’s most absolutist Kings and Queens reigned after the Provisions’ enactment. However, the idea that some institution had some sort of review continued to apply: the Monarch had to be able to muscle or charm his or her way through the reviewing institution, which was almost exclusively the Parliament. The monarchs who simply ignored this institution and did not believe that it could affect them found themselves in a difficult political situation. The English Kings could not rule anymore just because they were wearing the Crown; they had to be at least moderately effective rulers. Political review is by nature a conservative concept, the point being that all decisions and actions should have to face scrutiny . The concept of political review is expressed throughout the Provisions, and makes up arguably the central political tenet of it. Every institutional change it made was by nature a conservative move and is meant encourage discussion and review. Everything must be reviewed by the barons, even the decisions by the King-who would have some power in the intended system-and all offices and candidates for office must be approved by the barons.
This was the response of the barons, in a political sense, to the limitations of Magna Carta and of Article 61: specifically to the failure to settle the question of final executive power. The barons were not willing, nor could they get the support to eliminate the King from the power structure in England completely. What they compromised by doing was to make the King’s executive power completely tied to the review of the barons. The King did not have the rights to make any final decisions without the consent of the Council. However, he was the one charged with proposing executive decisions. This did not really solve the problem of final executive power, and this showed in the history of the Provisions. What was needed was a body that combined the executive function with the legislative function. This would only happen when the House of Commons became the supreme governmental power in England. The King believed he was still in charge of England, and plotted to bring down the barons. It was only when they completely stripped him of his power after Lewes that the question was somewhat answered . It would not be until the 17th and 18th century that the issue finally got resolved. That was the era of strong Prime Ministers, so the power merely moved down the ladder a rung or two. This also was the time where the Kings and Queens of England were little more than figureheads. In the end, the ideals of De Montfort would win and the power of the English monarchy would be broken forever.
One of the biggest things that political review in the Provisions does is set a precedent. English government and law are based on the precedent system: to solve today’s problems, the place to look is at the solutions of yesterday. The Provisions, which are mentioned (though never by name) in later Parliamentary documents became a precedent. There are references, direct and in direct in the a few documents in the near future of the Provisions. In Richard II’s statute of Justice, he refers to the justice system and how the current justice system had been set up that way for over 100 years. This could only refer to the Provisions, since the justice system that the Statute describes sounds very similar to the one that the Provisions set up. A great place to see the development of the parliamentary concept is in the declaration by Henry IV of the Parliament of 1401. In this it looks as if the baronns had won and a regular parliament was now a critical part of the English government .There is no mention of the barons’ role in this parliament and all of the focus is on the duties and responsibilities of the commons in the Parliament. The Kings of England finally realized how to beat the barons in the struggle for mastery; by taking direct control of Parliament and making the House of Commons the most important body of the legislature. And before Henry IV made this political change, he indicted Richard II as a terrible King in front of Parliament, and his complaints sound remarkably similar to the complaints of the barons on Henry III .
The only real later document that mentions the Provisions directly is the Ordinances of 1311. This was a revolutionary document not because it broke new ground in the development of democracy, but because it reaffirmed a lot of Magna Carta and the Provisions of Oxford. It takes a lot of the concepts that the Provisions start and give them more definition, such as: review on the bureaucracy and the review on the King’s expenses and the King’s fundraising ability. However it also expands this conservative decision making process by saying that King may not declare war without the barons and Parliament and that any grants given by the King that are destructive to the realm may be nullified by the barons or Parliament. It also mentions and confirms the Provisions of Oxford in this passage:
Item, we ordain that the Great Charter of Liberties and the Forest Charter issued by King Henry, son of King John, shall be observed in all their particulars, and that points in the said charters of liberties which are doubtful shall be explained in the next parliament after this by the advice of the baronage, the justices, and other persons learned in the law. And this is to be done because we are unable to attend to the matter during our term [of office].
It is irony that Edward II, the King who issued this Ordinance, would completely contradict himself eleven years later with his Statute of York and that would lead to his eventually downfall as a King.
However, the best direct reference to the Provisons is Edward II’s Statute of York where he declares that all statutes and ordinances made: “prelates, earls, and barons, and by the whole community of the realm assembled in this parliament....that everything ordained by the said Ordainers and contained in the said ordinances shall henceforth and forever cease [to be valid], losing for the future all title, force, virtue, and effect; and that the statutes and establishments duly made by our lord the king and his ancestors prior to the said ordinances shall remain in force. ” He continues: “but that matters which are to be determined with regard to the estate of our lord the king and of his heirs, or with regard to the estate of the kingdom and of the people, shall be considered, granted, and established in parliament by our lord the king and with the consent of the prelates, earls, and barons, and of the community of the kingdom, as has been accustomed in times past ”. This is a direct attack and revision of the Provisions of Oxford. What the King is saying here is that all reform has to be started by the King, with the consent of Parliament and the nobles and that the past reforming movements went too far in their reach. Since this is in contradiction of the Ordinance of 1311, where Edward II confirmed all the documents he just declared null and void, it should come as no surprise that Edward II was overthrown rather easily and is seen as one of the worse Kings of this dynasty.
Through these examples it is clear that the Provisions, despite being reversed and nullified by the King and Pope, still had an effect on the political consciousness of England. The Kings would be directly contradict the ideals of the Provisions, or beleived that they did not apply anymore found themselves in trouble(Edward II, Richard II) and the ones that learned to work with the new political order found themselves in a good position(Edward I, Edward III, Henry IV). Even Richard III, one of the most villanized Kings in England’s history, would issue ordinances to help out the commons and work with Parliament.
Power, it seemed, would now not only belong to the King, but to some of the people as well. And the realm or commonwealth now had the right to review the King’s decisions and finances to prevent any King from becoming a tyrant. While England still had some of the most absolutist Kings reign after Henry III and the fight over the Provisions, the difference that the Provisions made was that there were now political factions and bodies that would resist this tyranny. Only the Kings who could charm Parliament into believing he was doing the right thing would be able to be tyrannical and expect to not have trouble with the legislature. This can be seen as the ultimate legacy of the Provisions to England. Resistance was no longer for roguish noble heroes, but would now be led by politicians and even commoners. Also the precedent was set that the leader of the country did not have to be a King. It would be centuries before this would happen, Cromwell’s protectorate not withstanding, but concept was started here. Magna Carta never remotely came close to proposing this, or taking away any of the King’s executive authority. In the recent history of England, if the King was political neutered, it could lead to the real power deciding to take control as the new King. Harold took the crown from Edward the Confessor this way, Aethered the Unready took the crown from his brother also this way. De Montfort took power, without doing away with Henry III as the real King. And he could have made a tenuous claim on the crown since he was married to Henry III’s sister. De Montfort became the leader of the country, the King did not even have a ceremonial head-of-state position. He was there for appearances and it is unclear what the barons and De Montfort’s long term intentions were regarding the King. The only bit of information that is avaiable would tend to indicate that Edward, when he became King, would get some of the rights back; but he would still have to work with the baronial council set up by the Provisions.

[danny's stogie]

Awesome, that goes between here and here right?

http://hailredskins.com/vbforum/showpost.php?p=761367&postcount=688

http://hailredskins.com/vbforum/showpost.php?p=761356&postcount=683

...and yes, I don't need much sleep.

[akhhorus]

Awesome, that goes between here and here right?

http://hailredskins.com/vbforum/showpost.php?p=761367&postcount=688

http://hailredskins.com/vbforum/showpost.php?p=761356&postcount=683

...and yes, I don't need much sleep.

I'll email you an autographed copy.

[danny's stogie]

I'll email you an autographed copy.

...and I'll pass it down to my children who will pass it down to their children's children.

At least yours is a quality read, mine's mostly a bunch of numbers, lol.

[danny's stogie]

Good god man, are you trying to break my computer?

[redskin_rich]

Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
Is that part of the Wheel of Time series? I read the first 4 books of that and lost interest with each one. Do they get better and should I get back into them?

[Skinzwelder]

Is that part of the Wheel of Time series? I read the first 4 books of that and lost interest with each one. Do they get better and should I get back into them?

I don't think they get better. It's almost too complicated with the plot going every which way and more characters getting introduced with each book. I thought the first six books were outstanding then it went downhill from there. I figured that I might as well finish the series IF it ever gets finished.

[Dolla Bill]

If you like the Wheel of Time series, you definitely need to check out George R R Martin. That man is a genius when it comes to writing fantasy.