Futilitarianism, Neil Vallelly

:up: Not evident, however, to incorrigible "beginners"...

Did you enjoy Losurdo's Liberalism? — Maw

I delayed my read of Losurdo! I'm doing a couple of Hegel books atm, then after that I will read his book on Hegel then back to Liberalism + Revolution.

Hello,

I am traveling soon and have a long flight ahead. What would be some good books to read along the way?

I'm reading London Fields by Martin Amis. Would recommend.

The Kimono Tattoo — Manuel

I checked on Amazon. Turns out the book was praised by the International Pulpwood Queen and Timber Guy Book Club. No, I'm not joking.

The book sounds interesting though.

It's a way to learn about Japanese culture that is entertaining. The book was pretty good, she knows Japan very well. But there are others that are much better, by Japanese authors.

Mostly murder-mysteries, with some exceptions.

Mostly murder-mysteries, with some exceptions. — Manuel

I like books that take place in other cultures. I just finished the "Night Watch" books by Sergei Lukyanenko translated from Russian. I have also really liked the Dublin Murder Squad books by Tana French and the Hamish MacBeth mysteries in Scotland.

I'm reading London Fields by Martin Amis. Would recommend. — Baden

Love his essays, dislike his fiction. Did enjoy Night Train a kind of parodic noir recently which most people dismiss.

I have heard of Night Watch, but have not read it.

If you want a mixture of Russian culture with Buddhism, I think you might very well like Viktor Pelevin's Buddha's Little Finger, it's very philosophical. I have to re-read it again, but I remember being quite impressed.

I will have to check out the Dublin Murder Squad, the name sounds interesting.

Dublin Murder Squad — Manuel

French is a tough writer. Hard to read. Here is an Amazon review I wrote for her book "The Secret Place."

"The Secret Place" is about two Dublin detectives, Stephen Moran and Antoinette Conway, investigating the murder of a student at an upper-class boarding school. The focus of the story is on the friendship of four 16-year-old girls. Here is the message I left for the author, Tana French, on her webpage:

Ms. French:

Your books are wonderful, but you are ruthless – to your characters and your readers. I’ve just finished “The Secret Place,” and I am heartbroken. I called my daughter and cursed her for recommending your books and swore I will never read another one. She laughed, not unkindly, and told me she will accidentally leave “The Witch Elm” on my table next time she comes home.

I am grateful to you for sending Stephan Moran to lead me into the lives of those four girls. He and I are kindred spirits; grown men - I’m almost 70 – who still know, have always known, that girls are magic. He would understand my grief.

Thank you.

Thanks for sharing that beautiful review.

I can handle tough, I think. But not boring (for too long anyway).

Hopefully we could exchange some further opinions on several novels some time.

I can handle tough, I think. — Manuel

Then go for it. She is a wonderful writer. I keep wanting to read more of her books, but I can't bring myself to do it. I have two on my shelf my traitorous daughter gave me.

But not boring — Manuel

Not boring, but intricate. Probably the best police procedural I've read. The interrogations are tough too. I don't know if it's accurate, but it has what my 11th grade English teacher called verisimilitude. It seems very real.

Also, the description of the Irish location and culture are absorbing and convincing.

Sette brevi lezioni di fisica by Carlo Rovelli. First book I manage to finish in Italian. :strong: :grin: It's very short though, as the title implies.

The 6 lessons of physics are truly amazing in terms of beauty, clarity and fun. The seventh one on the place of man is disappointing. Couldn't be otherwise I guess, given that the question is more biological than physical.

Paul and Jesus: How the Apostle Transformed Christianity – James Tabor
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife – Bart Ehrman
From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith – Louis Markos
The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction About Jesus – J. D. Crossan

Thank you!

Empire of Capital by Ellen Wood

On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History
by Thomas Carlyle

Politics Is For Power by Eitan Hersh

Interesting and more relevant than ever. Will eventually create a thread in this vein.

Palm-of-the-Hand Stories By Kawabata Yasunari (川端 康成)

Universalism, the prevailing doctrine of the Christian Church during its first five hundred years – John Wesley Hanson
Is there anything good about hell? Our discomfort about hell and its ultimate good – Paul Dirks
That all shall be saved: Heaven, hell, and universal salvation – David Bentley Hart
Four views on hell, 2nd ed.

The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 by Christopher Wickham

Think I'm gonna lean mostly into history this summer

Has anyone read The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era?

I don’t know this Gary Gerstle dude. Thinking of picking it up.

Silence and Beauty, Makoto Fujimura

rereading:

Silence, Shusaku Endo

Gilles Châtelet - Figuring Space: Philosophy, Mathematics, and Physics
Gillian Rose - The Melancholy Science: An Introduction To The Thought Of Theodor W. Adorno
Dominco Losurdo - Hegel and the Freedom of Moderns

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Oh, that's a big one. Let me know if worth, if you can! (I plan to actually read Losurdo this time...)

Almost through A History of God: The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity & Islam by Karen Armstrong. Incredible. I feel like this was a @Wayfarer rec? Thanks if so. The Battle For God: A History of Fundamentalism is next.

Also @Jamal and @Clarky, I'm hung up at about 100 pages into Titus Groan. I have mixed feelings.

Silence and Beauty, Makoto Fujimura — 180 Proof

Interesting choice, he was a big influence on me as an artist back in my Christian daze. I still respect him, and his art is incredible.

The Philosophical Writings of Descartes: Volume II by Descartes

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Yes I did mention that book. Found it very helpful at the time, but that was a long time ago! Still sitting there on my bookshelf alongside the other dusty tomes.

Currently reading Mind and the Cosmic Order, Charles Pinter - math emeritus with long interest in neurological modelling. Not a philosophy book as such but with considerable philosophical ramifications. Also an autobiography called Silicon, but not able to post the author name as it sets off the spambot (ironically!)

Yes I did mention that book. — Wayfarer

Any other recs in that vein?

I suppose the next logical stop in my reading history was a book called The Theological Origins of Modernity, Michael Allen Gillespie. Have a look at this review. Read that when I was first posting on forums. Important book.

:up: