Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The Return of the TBR

Dear readers:

A couple of days ago I received a book in the mail and a little alarm bell went off in my head, the subconscious recognition that yep, I've not another stack of unread nonfiction books: at least twelve. I toyed with the idea of re-instituting the To-Be-Read Takedown Challenge , but realized this lot was mostly politics, philosophy, and history. Not especially varied, that, so I bought three tech books. Problem solved!   I'm definitely fixed for June: from the library, I have books on the Great War, volcanoes, earthquakes, and animals; and from my own stack, I've got cybersecurity, internet infrastructure, politics, political philosophy, science, and Asian history.

Below are ten items on the new TBR list, though the full number is more like fifteen.

To Be Read Takedown Challenge II: Bigger and Better! 

1. The Obstacle is the Way, Ryan Holiday. Yet another neo-Stoic offering, I believe, and a recent acquisition.
2. Trucking Country: The Road to America's Wal-Mart Economy, Shane Hamilton. Bought this in December, but my interest petered out when I realized it was more about politics and economics than driving.
3. 10% Human, Alanna Collen. Also starring on the science TBR list! Purchased in January. 
4. The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine and the Birth of Right and Left, Yural Levin. Purchased last June. 
5. The Big Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega Retailers, Stacey Mitchell. 
6. Don't Hurt People and Don't Take Their Stuff, Matt Kibbe.  An intro to the non-aggression principle, I'm guessing.
7. Domesticated: Evolution in a Man-Made World,  Richard Francis. Another feature from the science TBR. 
8. The Orthodox Church, Kalistos (Timothy) Ware. A history of the Eastern Orthodox. 
9. Saving Congress from Itself, James Buckley
10. Cyberwar: The Next Threat to National Security, Richard Clarke

For the record: the last TBR ran from May 2nd, 2014, to December 26th, 2014.   I'll make better time this go-round, I'm sure.  



7 comments:

  1. I do find it kind of fascinating that we have several interests in common and yet hardly ever read the same books. I guess we're coming at things from different perspectives - national and political at least - so there's not all that much cross-over???

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    1. In a way that's a good thing, because we're constantly introducing the other to books they've never heard of. You're the one who introduced me to Cornwell, as I recall!

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    2. Definitely a good thing. I always like ideas for future books! I think I did indeed introduce you to Cornwell... and John Stack too I think... I'm sure that I have plenty of ideas for you coming up - although I think you won't like my politics reading over the next few months, but we'll see... [grin]

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    3. Stack was definitely from your place, yes.

      Considering the Clinton-Trump horror show ahead, anyone else's politics would be a welcome breather.

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    4. Of course we have our own madness with the EU referendum in a few weeks..... and then the inevitable fallout from the decision.

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  2. I read the Ware book a number of years ago. Great stuff! Y'know, I'm kind of envious. You work in a library and love books. I would feel like an alcoholic in a brewery.
    All the best from the Gulf coast and Past Perfect Murders (another new blog effort),
    Tim

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    1. Worse, it's like being an alcoholic in a bar. There's immediate access. At least it's a cheap addiction, however..

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