1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
Wow I'm struggling, and mainly thanks to this book. This took me like 3 months to read, although I did read two books in between. It's not just that it's massive, possibly the biggest book I've ever read, but also so depressing that after a while I really just didn't want to read it. It's hard to say that you think somebody who has such a long time of on the ground experience with these conflicts is wrong, but I largely agree with Fisk anyway. To sum up the conflict and the book in a sentence; It's all fucked, and it has been for a century. Everybody involved in the Middle East conflicts deserves our derision. America has fucked up badly in Iraq and Afghanistan, as they did in the first gulf war, as Russia and France did in the past. Israel has been a fuck up since it was first conceived, and the Palestinian and Arab response has been a fuck up. Instead of seeing the conflict as different sides fighting each other, we should see it as "The Killers" and "The Killed." The killers are the armies, militias and terrorists, including the Australian Army, who are all much more effective at killing civilians than each other. The killed are the civilians - the powerless people who wake up to bombs coming through their windows or masked men breaking down their doors. They are the collateral damage and the false information. They've been murdered by their millions by the colonial powers and foreign invaders, and then corrupt dictators and kings put in power by foreign powers, and now by religious extremists and the West.
What's the solution? I don't know. Robert Fisk doesn't know either, but he's been a war journalist for over 30 years and he's been shot at, ambushed and bombed during that time. His book is a long and sometimes rambling account of the Middle East conflicts and his time there. It's pretty comprehensive and although it doesn't offer a solution it still has a strong message. Our approach to the Middle East so far has been part of the problem, and we won't fix it unless we drastically change our approach.
I'm really looking forward to reading something lighter, that doesn't involve 5 year old girls with their intestines falling out from a shrapnel wound or babies thrown against walls in an effort to make their mother talk.
The 50 Book Challenge 2009
1. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells 140pg
2. Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut 318pg
3. Wampeters, Foma, and Granfalloons by Kurt Vonnegut 288pg
4. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut 298pg
5. The Far Field: Last Poems by Theodore Roethke 104pg
6. Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut 192pg
This is the only Vonnegut novel I hadn't read, and now I've checked it off the list. Definitely my favorite Vonnegut book. By far. I'm going to stop my Vonnegut bender and move onto some other stuff. Not sure what stuff yet.
2. Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut 318pg
3. Wampeters, Foma, and Granfalloons by Kurt Vonnegut 288pg
4. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut 298pg
5. The Far Field: Last Poems by Theodore Roethke 104pg
6. Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut 192pg
This is the only Vonnegut novel I hadn't read, and now I've checked it off the list. Definitely my favorite Vonnegut book. By far. I'm going to stop my Vonnegut bender and move onto some other stuff. Not sure what stuff yet.
Danny P.
1. Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
Long time no see ^^ Too busy to read, need to change it
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
Long time no see ^^ Too busy to read, need to change it
1. Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart 197p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
Simon Kittlaus aka å£å£«è
1. Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
Re: The 50 Book Challenge 2009
1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
I really am a big fan of Freeman Dyson. He's a fantastic writer and I strongly agree with his sentiments about questioning everything and the importance of "heresy." That said, this book is largely just the wild speculations of a senile old man. It's certainly still interesting, but probably not useful at all. This book was also short, and I'd already read two of the 7 chapters in essays he'd written in the past. Hence not a great deal of enjoyment.
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
I really am a big fan of Freeman Dyson. He's a fantastic writer and I strongly agree with his sentiments about questioning everything and the importance of "heresy." That said, this book is largely just the wild speculations of a senile old man. It's certainly still interesting, but probably not useful at all. This book was also short, and I'd already read two of the 7 chapters in essays he'd written in the past. Hence not a great deal of enjoyment.
1. Earth: The Sequel by Fred Krupp
2. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
3. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
4. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
5. Rebel Giants by David R. Contosta
6. Oracle Night by Paul Auster
7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
8. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster
9. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare
10. A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen
11. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
12. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
13. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
14. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
15. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
16. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
17. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
After Fahrenheit 451 I started on Atlas Shrugged which is just over a 1,000 pages, so I took a short break and read this. It's a collection of nine of his previously published short stories, I enjoyed it a lot.
2. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
3. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
4. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
5. Rebel Giants by David R. Contosta
6. Oracle Night by Paul Auster
7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
8. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster
9. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare
10. A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen
11. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
12. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
13. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
14. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
15. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
16. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
17. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
After Fahrenheit 451 I started on Atlas Shrugged which is just over a 1,000 pages, so I took a short break and read this. It's a collection of nine of his previously published short stories, I enjoyed it a lot.
Mike Toolan
Penn State Footbag Club
Penn State Footbag Club
Re: The 50 Book Challenge 2009
1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
I really enjoyed this. I think it helped a lot that it's been a while since I've read any beat stuff (nothing since Tom Wolfe) and I didn't read the blurb on the inside cover. In fact I didn't even know it existed until it was mentioned in the afterword. Not knowing what this story was about certainly helped create more of an impact at the end. It's also a great book for comparing Burroughs with Kerouac. Burroughs is cynical and his characters come across as pathetic and naive, which is probably how he felt at the time, a Harvard grad hanging out with drop outs. Kerouac is naive and innocent, but a free spirit who loves to have fun and get loose. It was also nice to read some Burroughs that I could actually understand - as opposed to Naked Lunch that I'm considering reading again because I really still have no idea what it's really supposed to be about.
Good stuff anyway, definitely recommended to everybody. In fact if you haven't read any stuff from the beat generation, I think this would be a great book to start with. The afterword by James Grauerholz is also really good.
It's funny that this was released with so little fan fair, considering how famous those two authors are. I didn't even realise it had just been published (November last year) until I got to the end of Grauerholz afterword.
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
I really enjoyed this. I think it helped a lot that it's been a while since I've read any beat stuff (nothing since Tom Wolfe) and I didn't read the blurb on the inside cover. In fact I didn't even know it existed until it was mentioned in the afterword. Not knowing what this story was about certainly helped create more of an impact at the end. It's also a great book for comparing Burroughs with Kerouac. Burroughs is cynical and his characters come across as pathetic and naive, which is probably how he felt at the time, a Harvard grad hanging out with drop outs. Kerouac is naive and innocent, but a free spirit who loves to have fun and get loose. It was also nice to read some Burroughs that I could actually understand - as opposed to Naked Lunch that I'm considering reading again because I really still have no idea what it's really supposed to be about.
Good stuff anyway, definitely recommended to everybody. In fact if you haven't read any stuff from the beat generation, I think this would be a great book to start with. The afterword by James Grauerholz is also really good.
It's funny that this was released with so little fan fair, considering how famous those two authors are. I didn't even realise it had just been published (November last year) until I got to the end of Grauerholz afterword.
I didn't read so much lately, but here's my updated list:
1. War and Peace by Lew Tolstoj
2. The Simpsons and philosophy by William Irwin, Mark T. Conard, Aeon J. Skoble
3. the cooperative gene, farewell to darwinism by Joachim Bauer
4. Media Control by Noam Chomsky
5. What Einstein told his barber by Robert L. Wolke
6. Schweiz ohne Armee? Ein Palaver (more or less: Switzerland without an army?) by Max Frisch
7. Niklaus Meienberg (a biography about a swiss writer) by Marianne Fehr
8. Homo Faber by Max Frisch
9. Some Questions of Moral Philosophy, a lecture from the year 1965 by Hannah Arendt
10. my view of the world by Albert Einstein
11. Salvador Allende, a chronicle by Peter Jacobs
12. Jorge Semprun and his century, von Treue und Verrat by Franziska Augstein
13. Dalai Lama: Man, Monk, Mystic by Mayank Chhaya
14. The Physicists by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
15. Les Mains Sales by Jean- Paul Sartre
16. Nelson Mandela: Playing the Enemy by John Carlin
17. The Pledge by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
18. Mother Courage And Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
19. Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht
20. Aus Sicht des Gehirns by Gerhard Roth (no idea about the english name of the book)
21. The war in Vietnam by Rolf Steininger
22. Algarabia by Jorge Semprun
23. Wir bauen Europa neu- Wer baut mit? by Attac (publisher)
24. Let's Be Realistic: Try The Impossible! by Lutz Schulenburg (publisher)
1. War and Peace by Lew Tolstoj
2. The Simpsons and philosophy by William Irwin, Mark T. Conard, Aeon J. Skoble
3. the cooperative gene, farewell to darwinism by Joachim Bauer
4. Media Control by Noam Chomsky
5. What Einstein told his barber by Robert L. Wolke
6. Schweiz ohne Armee? Ein Palaver (more or less: Switzerland without an army?) by Max Frisch
7. Niklaus Meienberg (a biography about a swiss writer) by Marianne Fehr
8. Homo Faber by Max Frisch
9. Some Questions of Moral Philosophy, a lecture from the year 1965 by Hannah Arendt
10. my view of the world by Albert Einstein
11. Salvador Allende, a chronicle by Peter Jacobs
12. Jorge Semprun and his century, von Treue und Verrat by Franziska Augstein
13. Dalai Lama: Man, Monk, Mystic by Mayank Chhaya
14. The Physicists by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
15. Les Mains Sales by Jean- Paul Sartre
16. Nelson Mandela: Playing the Enemy by John Carlin
17. The Pledge by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
18. Mother Courage And Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
19. Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht
20. Aus Sicht des Gehirns by Gerhard Roth (no idea about the english name of the book)
21. The war in Vietnam by Rolf Steininger
22. Algarabia by Jorge Semprun
23. Wir bauen Europa neu- Wer baut mit? by Attac (publisher)
24. Let's Be Realistic: Try The Impossible! by Lutz Schulenburg (publisher)
1. Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
1. Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
24. Shakespeare Never Did This by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
24. Shakespeare Never Did This by Charles Bukowski
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. God is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, 307 pg.
2. Great American Hypocrites, Glenn Greenwald, 290 pg.
3. The Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi, 322 pg.
4. Toward 2012: Perspectives on the Next Age, editors Daniel Pinchbeck and Ken Jordan, 351 pg.
5. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, Mitch Earleywine, 328 pg.
6. Another Roadside Attraction, Tom Robbins, 337 pg.
7. Chaos: Making a New Science, James Gleick, 352 pg.
8. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Alexander and Ann Shulgin, 978 pg.
9. Desolation Angels, Jack Kerouac, 409 pg.
10. The Wheel of time, Carlos Castaneda, 209 pg.
11. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, Daniel Pinchbeck, 411 pg.
12. Wizard's First Rule, Terry Goodkind, 820 pg.
13. Buddhism: Plain and Simple, Steve Hagen, 159 pg.
14. The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, 798 pg.
15. DMT: The Spirit Molecule, Rick Strassman, 358 pg.
16. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy, 309 pg.
17. Choke, Chuck Palahniuk, 293 pg.
18. Kingdom of Fear, Hunter S. Thompson, 351. pg.
19. The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, 326 pg.
20. True Hallucinations, Terence McKenna, 237 pg.
21. Pawn of Prophecy, David Eddings, 290 pg.
22. I Was Carlos Castaneda, Martin Goodman, 220 pg.
23. All The Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy, 302 pg.
24. Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk, 404 pg.
25. How to Break a Terrorist, Matthew Alexander, 288 pg.
26. The Genesis Generation, Lorenzo Hagerty
This was an audio book published by the host of the Psychedelic Salon podcast, my favorite podcast of all time. It's the tale of a 29 year-old yuppie beginning his path into the psychedelic tribe movement. I highly recommend it. You can find the book at GenesisGeneration.us. You can find my review here.
@Jeremy: I read that book last year and enjoyed it, although it definitely wasn't as good as Kerouac's Desolation Angels or Burroughs' Junky.
2. Great American Hypocrites, Glenn Greenwald, 290 pg.
3. The Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi, 322 pg.
4. Toward 2012: Perspectives on the Next Age, editors Daniel Pinchbeck and Ken Jordan, 351 pg.
5. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, Mitch Earleywine, 328 pg.
6. Another Roadside Attraction, Tom Robbins, 337 pg.
7. Chaos: Making a New Science, James Gleick, 352 pg.
8. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Alexander and Ann Shulgin, 978 pg.
9. Desolation Angels, Jack Kerouac, 409 pg.
10. The Wheel of time, Carlos Castaneda, 209 pg.
11. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, Daniel Pinchbeck, 411 pg.
12. Wizard's First Rule, Terry Goodkind, 820 pg.
13. Buddhism: Plain and Simple, Steve Hagen, 159 pg.
14. The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, 798 pg.
15. DMT: The Spirit Molecule, Rick Strassman, 358 pg.
16. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy, 309 pg.
17. Choke, Chuck Palahniuk, 293 pg.
18. Kingdom of Fear, Hunter S. Thompson, 351. pg.
19. The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, 326 pg.
20. True Hallucinations, Terence McKenna, 237 pg.
21. Pawn of Prophecy, David Eddings, 290 pg.
22. I Was Carlos Castaneda, Martin Goodman, 220 pg.
23. All The Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy, 302 pg.
24. Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk, 404 pg.
25. How to Break a Terrorist, Matthew Alexander, 288 pg.
26. The Genesis Generation, Lorenzo Hagerty
This was an audio book published by the host of the Psychedelic Salon podcast, my favorite podcast of all time. It's the tale of a 29 year-old yuppie beginning his path into the psychedelic tribe movement. I highly recommend it. You can find the book at GenesisGeneration.us. You can find my review here.
@Jeremy: I read that book last year and enjoyed it, although it definitely wasn't as good as Kerouac's Desolation Angels or Burroughs' Junky.
1. Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart 197p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
22. Cormac McCarthy - Blood Meridian 337p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
22. Cormac McCarthy - Blood Meridian 337p.
Simon Kittlaus aka å£å£«è
1. Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
24. Shakespeare Never Did This by Charles Bukowski
25. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson
Entry point for my Hunter S. Thompson experience! Nice one! Can't await the movie with Johnny Depp!
2. Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness by Charles Bukowski
3. Mockingbird Wish Me Luck by Charles Bukowski
4. South Of No North by Charles Bukowski
5. The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski
6. Notes Of A Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski
7. Book Of Dreams by Jack Kerouac
8. Selected Poems by Malcolm Lowry
9. Love Is A Dog From Hell by Charles Bukowski
10. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
11. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
12. June 30, June 30 by Richard Brautigan
13. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
14. Collection Of Poems by Richard Brautigan
15. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966 by Richard Brautigan
16. Siddharta by Herman Hesse
17. Peter Camenzind by Herman Hesse
18. Vanity Of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac
19. Poems from the classic Persia by Various Poets
20. A Seperate Reality by Carlos Castaneda
21. Post Office by Charles Bukowski
22. The Happy Prince And Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
23. A House Of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
24. Shakespeare Never Did This by Charles Bukowski
25. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson
Entry point for my Hunter S. Thompson experience! Nice one! Can't await the movie with Johnny Depp!
1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 498 pages
2. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer 563 pages
3. Go Ask Alice Anonymous 228 pages
4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 328 pages
5. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk 293 pages
6. Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik 218 pages
7. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey 430 pages
8. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews 411 pages
9. Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews 439 pages
10. If There be Thorns by V.C. Andrews 374 pages
11. Garden of Shadows by V.C. Andrews 376 pages
12. Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews 408 pages
13. My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews 403 pages
14. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer 629 pages
15. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
2. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer 563 pages
3. Go Ask Alice Anonymous 228 pages
4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 328 pages
5. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk 293 pages
6. Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik 218 pages
7. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey 430 pages
8. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews 411 pages
9. Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews 439 pages
10. If There be Thorns by V.C. Andrews 374 pages
11. Garden of Shadows by V.C. Andrews 376 pages
12. Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews 408 pages
13. My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews 403 pages
14. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer 629 pages
15. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
Rishell Gallant
1. Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart 197p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
22. Cormac McCarthy - Blood Meridian 337p.
23. Dashiell Hammett - The Maltese Falcon 200p.
2. Saul Bellow - The Adventures Of Augie March 536p.
3. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep 220p.
4. Joseph Heller - Catch-22 519p.
5. Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Watchmen 436p.
6. Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go 282p.
7. J.D. Salinger - The Catcher In The Rye 192p.
8. Harper Lee - To Kill A Mockingbird 281p.
9. John Le Carré - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold 229p.
10. F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 115p.
11. Philip K. Dick - Ubik 224p.
12. William Burroughs - Naked Lunch 201p.
13. George Orwell - 1984 254p.
14. George Orwell - Animal Farm 128p.
15. Charles Hucker - China's Imperial Past 560p.
16. Thornton Wilder - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 124p.
17. Thomas Pynchon - The Crying Of Lot 49 127p.
18. Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim 251p.
19. Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children 446p.
20. Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest 187p.
21. Dashiell Hammett - The Dain Curse 193p.
22. Cormac McCarthy - Blood Meridian 337p.
23. Dashiell Hammett - The Maltese Falcon 200p.
Simon Kittlaus aka å£å£«è
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. God is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, 307 pg.
2. Great American Hypocrites, Glenn Greenwald, 290 pg.
3. The Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi, 322 pg.
4. Toward 2012: Perspectives on the Next Age, editors Daniel Pinchbeck and Ken Jordan, 351 pg.
5. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, Mitch Earleywine, 328 pg.
6. Another Roadside Attraction, Tom Robbins, 337 pg.
7. Chaos: Making a New Science, James Gleick, 352 pg.
8. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Alexander and Ann Shulgin, 978 pg.
9. Desolation Angels, Jack Kerouac, 409 pg.
10. The Wheel of time, Carlos Castaneda, 209 pg.
11. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, Daniel Pinchbeck, 411 pg.
12. Wizard's First Rule, Terry Goodkind, 820 pg.
13. Buddhism: Plain and Simple, Steve Hagen, 159 pg.
14. The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, 798 pg.
15. DMT: The Spirit Molecule, Rick Strassman, 358 pg.
16. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy, 309 pg.
17. Choke, Chuck Palahniuk, 293 pg.
18. Kingdom of Fear, Hunter S. Thompson, 351. pg.
19. The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, 326 pg.
20. True Hallucinations, Terence McKenna, 237 pg.
21. Pawn of Prophecy, David Eddings, 290 pg.
22. I Was Carlos Castaneda, Martin Goodman, 220 pg.
23. All The Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy, 302 pg.
24. Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk, 404 pg.
25. How to Break a Terrorist, Matthew Alexander, 288 pg.
26. The Genesis Generation, Lorenzo Hagerty
27. Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, Rupert Sheldrake, 352 pg.
This was a really interesting one. It begs the question, how can animals know, minutes or hours beforehand, things like when their owners are returning home, or that someone will have an epileptic fit, or that there will be an earthquake? Sheldrake comes to the eventual conclusion that it has to be either some form of telepathy or precognition. Can information flow from the future to the present? From the present to the past? Some of the case studies in this book are very eye-opening. I definitely recommend it, although the beginning was fairly slow. You can read my review here.
2. Great American Hypocrites, Glenn Greenwald, 290 pg.
3. The Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi, 322 pg.
4. Toward 2012: Perspectives on the Next Age, editors Daniel Pinchbeck and Ken Jordan, 351 pg.
5. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, Mitch Earleywine, 328 pg.
6. Another Roadside Attraction, Tom Robbins, 337 pg.
7. Chaos: Making a New Science, James Gleick, 352 pg.
8. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Alexander and Ann Shulgin, 978 pg.
9. Desolation Angels, Jack Kerouac, 409 pg.
10. The Wheel of time, Carlos Castaneda, 209 pg.
11. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, Daniel Pinchbeck, 411 pg.
12. Wizard's First Rule, Terry Goodkind, 820 pg.
13. Buddhism: Plain and Simple, Steve Hagen, 159 pg.
14. The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, 798 pg.
15. DMT: The Spirit Molecule, Rick Strassman, 358 pg.
16. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy, 309 pg.
17. Choke, Chuck Palahniuk, 293 pg.
18. Kingdom of Fear, Hunter S. Thompson, 351. pg.
19. The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, 326 pg.
20. True Hallucinations, Terence McKenna, 237 pg.
21. Pawn of Prophecy, David Eddings, 290 pg.
22. I Was Carlos Castaneda, Martin Goodman, 220 pg.
23. All The Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy, 302 pg.
24. Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk, 404 pg.
25. How to Break a Terrorist, Matthew Alexander, 288 pg.
26. The Genesis Generation, Lorenzo Hagerty
27. Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, Rupert Sheldrake, 352 pg.
This was a really interesting one. It begs the question, how can animals know, minutes or hours beforehand, things like when their owners are returning home, or that someone will have an epileptic fit, or that there will be an earthquake? Sheldrake comes to the eventual conclusion that it has to be either some form of telepathy or precognition. Can information flow from the future to the present? From the present to the past? Some of the case studies in this book are very eye-opening. I definitely recommend it, although the beginning was fairly slow. You can read my review here.
Re: The 50 Book Challenge 2009
Interesting David. I remain very skeptical but might check out the book. I suspect it's merely a case of people remembering the odd occasions where by chance the animal behaves in an unusual manner and the owner dies, but don't take into account all the times when the animal behaves in an atypical manner and nothing happens or does exhibit any kind of unusual behavior and the owner dies or something negative happens. Still, even if what the book claims is true, having obviously not read it, skepticism would be logical until I have seen the evidence.
a
1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
15. Has Science Got Rid Of God? By John Blanchard 133pg
Terrible. Almost a waste of time. There were a couple of things to get from this. Firstly there is some interesting history of science, which I'm sure I'd read before but was good to be refreshed on (the actual discoveries of people like Maxwell and Faraday), and also the appendix gives a (probably biased) description of the Christian Science movement, which I always assumed was just some kind of creationist Christianity trying to justify their beliefs with "science" but is actually a weird offshoot of Christianity with their own bible - a little like Mormonism I guess. The claims made by this book are comical. For example there is a chapter addressing the resurrection of Jesus that puts forward the apparent explanations of atheists. It starts by claiming that there is no denial that Jesus existed and was crucified, and then his body disappeared three days later. Apparently atheists accept these as facts. However they make claims such as; He actually just fainted on the cross, and then woke up a few days later and left his tomb. I guess that's theoretically possible. It's also claimed that there are literally hundreds of witnesses to his resurrection and that the only atheist explanation for this is group hallucination. Of course I'm sure most atheists would argue that the entire story of Jesus is so old and reinterpreted that we really can't be sure of any of the details at all, including his crucifixion or whether he really existed at all. It's not really worth going into all my problems with this book. I hope the person who gave it to me is happy that I read it anyway.
a
1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
15. Has Science Got Rid Of God? By John Blanchard 133pg
Terrible. Almost a waste of time. There were a couple of things to get from this. Firstly there is some interesting history of science, which I'm sure I'd read before but was good to be refreshed on (the actual discoveries of people like Maxwell and Faraday), and also the appendix gives a (probably biased) description of the Christian Science movement, which I always assumed was just some kind of creationist Christianity trying to justify their beliefs with "science" but is actually a weird offshoot of Christianity with their own bible - a little like Mormonism I guess. The claims made by this book are comical. For example there is a chapter addressing the resurrection of Jesus that puts forward the apparent explanations of atheists. It starts by claiming that there is no denial that Jesus existed and was crucified, and then his body disappeared three days later. Apparently atheists accept these as facts. However they make claims such as; He actually just fainted on the cross, and then woke up a few days later and left his tomb. I guess that's theoretically possible. It's also claimed that there are literally hundreds of witnesses to his resurrection and that the only atheist explanation for this is group hallucination. Of course I'm sure most atheists would argue that the entire story of Jesus is so old and reinterpreted that we really can't be sure of any of the details at all, including his crucifixion or whether he really existed at all. It's not really worth going into all my problems with this book. I hope the person who gave it to me is happy that I read it anyway.
Re: The 50 Book Challenge 2009
1. The Joke's Over; Memories of Hunter S Thompson Ralph Steadman 387pg
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
15. Has Science Got Rid Of God? By John Blanchard 133pg
16. Cosmos Carl Sagan 374pg
What a fantastic counter point to book number 15. This book is amazing. I think I'd rate it as the best book I've read this year so far. Grand on scale and with such a poignant message for all of us. I wish everybody would read it. Obviously since it's written in 1981 it has a few omissions from later scientific discoveries, but it's also worth pointing out that even that long ago Sagan thought we needed to be taking action to prevent climate change caused by deforestation and burning fossil fuels. I can't recommend this book enough.
2. Bottomfeeder; How the fish on our plates are killing the planet Taras Grescoe 357 pg
3. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad 110 pg
4. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists David G. Myers 136pg
5. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe 368pg
6. The Black Swan; The impact of the highly improbable Nassim Nicholas Taleb 300pg
7. The Life You Can Save; Acting now to end world poverty Peter Singer 189pg
8. The Empire Of The Sun J.G. Ballard 351 pg
9. The Missionary Position; Mother Teresa in theory and practice Christopher Hitchens 98pg
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carol 327pg
11. The Revenge of Gaia James Lovelock 204pg
12. The Great War For Civilisation; The Conquest of the Middle East Robert Fisk 1283pg
13. A Many Colored Glass Freeman J Dyson 154pg
14. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac 214 pg
15. Has Science Got Rid Of God? By John Blanchard 133pg
16. Cosmos Carl Sagan 374pg
What a fantastic counter point to book number 15. This book is amazing. I think I'd rate it as the best book I've read this year so far. Grand on scale and with such a poignant message for all of us. I wish everybody would read it. Obviously since it's written in 1981 it has a few omissions from later scientific discoveries, but it's also worth pointing out that even that long ago Sagan thought we needed to be taking action to prevent climate change caused by deforestation and burning fossil fuels. I can't recommend this book enough.