Reading Spot Check

[c hristian]

just finished "the Art of Learning" today by chess prodigy and Push Hands/Tai Chi champion Josh Waitzkin.

what a book. you want to know about learning, and the higher levels of it, you read this book!!

[CantSleepClownsWillGetMe]

I'm just over halfway through Stanley Stewart's 'In the Empire of Genghis Khan - A Journey Among Nomads'

Briefly: the author sets off to cross the old Mongol Empire, starting off in Istanbul and travelling, by a variety of means (including a thousand miles on horseback), to the distant homeland of the Mongol Hordes.

So far - interesting, funny and riddled with bizarre characters. I hope the rest is as good.

June

[Gordon Moore]

Still trying to finish the Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Strange, idiomatic style, but I quite like it. (Not sure why it's called the Fountainhead since it's about architects (well it's more about society's hatred of initiative and individualism. ))

[taiyo no otosan]

CSCWGM wrote:

I'm just over halfway through Stanley Stewart's 'In the Empire of Genghis Khan - A Journey Among Nomads'

I remember reading that many moons ago, in my Stanley Stewart phase. That started with his book about travelling down the Nile...'Old Serpent something or other'. He also wrote travel articles for the Sunday Times (which I used to read at work) and was probably responsible for me travelling to Eritrea, which turned out to be one of the most fantastic trips I've ever had. I have a lot to be grateful to him for!

I often wonder what happened to him. I did a google some time back, but I don't think it revealed much.

Good book. What got you on to it, June?

[CantSleepClownsWillGetMe]

Good book. What got you on to it, June?

There isn't usually any rhyme or reason as to why I choose any particular book, but I've been reading quite a bit about Genghis Khan lately and seem to be on a bit of a Mongolia/Genghis Khan kick at the moment (briefly replacing both my usual obsessions - Greeks/Spartans and Quantum Mechanics), so this one fit the bill perfectly.

The inside cover says that Stanley Stewart was 'born in Ireland, grew up in Canada, and lives in London' but it doesn't give very much more information than that I'm afraid.

I like his style though, and will definitely be looking out for more of his books in future.

June

[Dominic]

Recently finished this:

- a carefully observed study of love, loss and grief. It almost had me crying on the tube.

Now I've started this:

- the tale of a BritArt painter and his conceptual artist mate plus supporting cast. So far, so good, but I get the feeling it's all about to go horribly wrong. It has already almost had me laughing on the tube and it's getting funnier as it goes on.

[Papa M]

- a carefully observed study of love, loss and grief. It almost had me crying on the tube.

I'm already distressed enough when I have to ride the tube - I guess I should give this book a miss.

[NormanD]

Still trying to finish the Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Strange, idiomatic style, but I quite like it. (Not sure why it's called the Fountainhead since it's about architects (well it's more about society's hatred of initiative and individualism. ))

Gordon, the events of this week suggest that many of the Gods of Wall Street who treat(ed) Ayn Rand as the guru of initiative and individualism may be thinking again. What would Ayn Rand have said (fictionally or otherwise) about the Federal Reserve Bank carrying out the largest nationalisation ever? Good job her fellow "Objectivist" pal, Alan Greenspan, is no longer at the helm of the leaky ship.

But don't let me spoil the ending.....

[Dayna]

Ive got three different books started all at once... :(

[kas]

That happens to me every now and then. I've only got two at the moment and I switch between them according the mood I'm in...
One is a Finnish travel account by a salesman working in the Belgian Congo in the early 30's.
The other is a collection of articles by the Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński who was working in various parts of Africa from 1958 onward.
Both extremely interesting.
I believe you can't find the Kapuściński book in English though, which is a real shame.

[uiwangmike]

I believe you can't find the Kapuściński book in English though, which is a real shame.

Is it this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Sun-Ryszar ... 0679779078
A collection of his books was Andy Kershaw's Desert Island choice.

[kas]

It is. Looks like I didn't do my search properly. All the better: I'm only a couple of chapters into the book, but I would recommend the book anyhow.
By the way, those two books I mentioned are interesting to read side by side. There is only about 30 years between them, but the approach of the two writers is entirely different. The 1930's account is soaked in racial prejudice and the notion of the superiority of us whiteys over the 'inherently simple, lazy and childish' Africans; Ryszard Kapuściński's book doesn't seem to carry a trace of either.

[Tony Durham]

Agreed - Kapuscinski's 'The Shadow of the Sun' is a fascinating read. He was working as a journalist so he visited a lot of African countries and met political leaders. But he avoided international hotels and always tried to live among the people.

I'm now reading a somewhat lighter book about Africa - Sihle Khumalo's 'Dark Continent My Black Arse'. Khumalo is a young South African dude who, bored with his job, set off in 2005 to travel from the Cape to Cairo. It's a hilarious adventure and not very PC. He is chasing tail almost before his fiancée is out of sight.

Not sure you'll find it in UK shops but Amazon has new and used copies.

[Janet M]

Into the third book of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. Mind stretching mix of surreal comedy and familiar literature. The web-site is funny too, funnier if you are familiar with the books http://www.jasperfforde.com/ and I adore the adverts printed at the back of the books, simply barking!

ps I've got some Brie, genuine offers only before SpecOps 31 seize it.

[NormanD]

Janet, I've not read anything by him. I checked the site, found there was a Forum and saw that it was as busy as this one. And I felt completely out of my depth, didn't have a clue, in fact. Read a few random posts - saw a reference to Paul Robeson. Phew. A comfort zone: music.

I'll go down the library later, thank you for the suggestion.