Ace of Spades HQ

June 16, 2013

Sunday Morning Book Thread 06-16-2013: The Permanent Campaign [OregonMuse]
— Open Blogger

The Obvious Choice

Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome to the the award-winning AoSHQ's Sunday Morning Book Thread.

This Week

I survived yet another company reorganization. Usually one of these reorganizations happens after a period of wailing and caterwauling from management about having to cut expenses, and having to work smarter, not harder, and all that crap, and then is followed by a bunch of worker bees getting laid off, while all the managers get to keep their phoney-baloney jobs (harumph! harumph!). My company is ridiculously top-heavy with managers. This has been obvious for years, but nothing's ever been done about it. But lately, the company has been floundering, so a new CEO was brought on board to straighten things out, and the first thing he said was "Holy crap, this company is ridiculously top-heavy with managers. We're going to have to turn the pyramid right side up." During subsequent company meetings, he made it very clear that a major part of his agenda for getting the company back on course was going to involve cutting loose a crap ton of managers.

And so on Thursday, that's what he did.

Very few worker bees received layoff notices. The CEO kept his word, and, as an added (albeit unintended) bonus to me, included in the managerial layoffs were some bad eggs in my chain of command who many of us in my department felt really needed to be in another line of work. So, overall, it was very positive and things are definitely looking up, thank God.

Now on to teh books...

On Kindle

The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor have been released for the Kindle for the not-too-bad price of $7.99 (Vic: "that's too damn high!"). I wish I could say to you all to go out and buy this book, you'll absolutely love it, but I really can't. This author is like strong, hot black coffee, definitely an acquired taste. For those of you who don't know about her, O'Connor was a devout Roman Catholic who lived in the deep south during the middle part of the 20th century. She died early, from lupus, before the age of 40. She believed that she was living in a spiritually deaf and insensate age, so in order to make herself understood, she had to shout. Her writing is filled with jarring, disturbing images and characters wrapped up in a complex matrix of Biblical allusions and references. I really like some of her stories, but others are very difficult to read. A good many years ago, I started reading one of O'Connor's two novels, Wise Blood, got about 3 chapters into it and gave up, it was so bizarre. Maybe I'd like it now that I'm older, though.

So O'Connor is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. She may not be my cup of tea. But I think everyone who reads should be at least passing familiar with her work. For starters, I would recommend two of her short stories, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find", and "The Displaced Person" as being the most understandable.

A Book With Moron Appeal

Whatever happened to Allied airmen in World War II who had to parachute out of their planes over occupied Europe? Where did they go? Where did they end up? And did any of them make it home again? That's the subject of the book 168 Jump Into Hell, by Arthur Booker and Stanley Kinnis. I think it's out of print, but there are used copies floating around. I had just assumed the pilots were captured and sent to POW camps, but the story is actually more complex. I'm no military historian, but I found out about this book because it was mentioned by one of my friends on Facebook:

The basic tale related by 168 Jump Into Hell concerns the fate of British and American airmen who bailed out over occupied Europe during the war and were captured. Most of them had been sheltered by the French Underground for a time, but were betrayed by a traitorous Frenchman who was working with the Gestapo...After their betrayal, they were held in Paris by Gestapo and later sent by train into Germany, where they were interred at Buchenwald Concentration Camp. For whatever reason, the U.S. Government denied for many years that any American POWs were ever interred at Buchenwald. Kennis and Booker wrote this book to dispel that myth. The government has now admitted that it is true.

...because he has a personal stake in it:

My father...was one of the 168 airmen about whom this book was written. He is mentioned several times in its pages.
A few years before he passed away, he gave me a copy, in which he had marked places where he had additional and/or different recollections of the events related. He also wrote several pages of commentary adding his memories to those recorded by [the authors]. He gave me a photocopy of those notes. After he died, my brother found the original notes in Dad's home and sent them to me.
They are now stored with my copy of the book.

What a treasure to have. I wonder why our government denied where these men were imprisoned? Why was it necessary to keep such information secret?

Here is a used copy of the book, via Amazon Canada. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be many around.

Support the Heteronormative Hegemony!

In ace's thread of a few days ago where he made fun of a couple of, uh, anally constricted social science hacks who let their progressive politics bleed all over their research on children's books like blood from a severed artery, there appeared the following request:

116 I am looking for a gift(s) for my 6 year old niece. Can anyone recommend some children's books confirming colonial, consumerist, heteronormative, patriotic, and patriarchal norms?
Posted by: RioBravo at June 14, 2013 05:01 PM (eEfYn)

Why, yes. Yes, I can.

A few months ago, I recommended the children's book Sir Robert of Cheshire (The Great Jueyjua Hunt) by moron author and occasional commenter 'Secret Squirrel', and believe me, it's everything you could want in political incorrectitude: Strong male role model, head of household, hunting of wild beasts, happy, 2-parent family, subservient brown people, etc. This is a great book, but what's even better is that SS just e-mailed me a couple of days ago to let me know that the sequel has just been released. She was kind enough to send me an advance copy of Trouble in the Bayou (Sir Robert of Cheshire), and I have to say it's just as good as the first book, only more so. Meaning, we again have the strong, brave, faithful husband and father whom his children love, and who, incidentally, is heterosexual. We also have more hunting and killing and eating of animals and the making of their skins into useful items of baggage and apparel. And on the last page, we are set up for the third book, which will take place in Australia. where undoubtedly there will be more rude imposition of heterosexual norms just like the Y-chromosomed main character will be seen despoiling the environment and dorking Mother Nature up the squeakhole.

Yeah, baby!

I'd guess the books are written to be read by 6-8 year olds, but it can be read to children much younger. In fact, I'd say it's never too early to start impressing heteronormative standards and expectations on young children.

Don't give this book to any progressive, they might have a brain aneurysm.

So buy Secret Squirrel's children's books now and piss off some tight-shoes Canadian grad students working on their MPH degree (Master of Progressive Hackery). Do it today. Caution: Canadian morons might be hauled before provincial "Human Rights" commissions and ordered to justify their deviation from progressive groupthink, like what happened to Ezra Levant. Also, Mark Steyn.

___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, rumors, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then gmail.com.

So what have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as we all know, life is too short to read lousy books.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:05 AM | Comments (181)
Post contains 1392 words, total size 9 kb.

1 First. We're eyeballin' you boy.

Posted by: NSA@us.gov at June 16, 2013 07:09 AM (8XRrT)

2 Daily reminder: This is a criminal regime.

Posted by: JohnKerryIsADoucheBag at June 16, 2013 07:11 AM (QTVh2)

3 Completed In Her Name: First Contact by Michael Hicks. Pretty good book in the space opera genre. DonÂ’t know what I will be moving on to next, probably a re-read.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 07:11 AM (lZvxr)

4 Good mornin rons. The best Childrens book I have ever read complete with teaching the evils of communism is called The Wall, by Peter Sis. Even adults will understand is vivid graphics and drawings what this man was trying to say. It's about his childhood behind the Berlin Wall.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 16, 2013 07:11 AM (XIxXP)

5 I survived yet another company reorganization.

I have heard every name for it there is. It used to be simply "layoffs". Then it got to be downsizing, then rightsizing.

They need to think up some more shit.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 07:13 AM (lZvxr)

6 would be cool if you sent your copy of the book, with your father's notes to the National WW2 Museum in New Orleans for a historian to take a look at.

Posted by: jeff at June 16, 2013 07:14 AM (MOSsR)

7 I'm pretty sure we already have a Weiner Holder as President.

Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You at June 16, 2013 07:14 AM (ZR4Xh)

8 American Betrayal by Diana West. Also my new book website is up and the second edition of my book has been available in paperback for a bit. If you buy that version, I will send and autographed copy. This is my only means of support as I finish my new novel. Link in nick. Tentative new story name: Arlen's Harem.

Posted by: baldilocks at June 16, 2013 07:14 AM (Su0W2)

You might want to check Resolution 16/18 in the UN before you get all uppity.

"Tolerance" -- or else.

Posted by: State Department at June 16, 2013 07:15 AM (sOtz/)

10 for the not-too-bad price of $7.99 (Vic: "that's too damn high!")

LOL, the book's too damn high!

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 07:15 AM (lZvxr)

First Contact is free on Kindle today. Actually, the first books of four series by Hicks are free. I got them all.

Posted by: Ticklebee at June 16, 2013 07:16 AM (mQH4P)

12 I noted in the last thread that author and blogger Sarah Hoyt apparently reads the HQ. See the 'oldest comment'. http://pjmedia.com/zombie/2013/06/12/dear-nsa/ Hi, Sarah!

Posted by: rickl at June 16, 2013 07:17 AM (sdi6R)

13 For whatever reason, the U.S. Government denied for many years that any American POWs were ever interred at Buchenwald. Kennis and Booker wrote this book to dispel that myth. The government has now admitted that it is true.

There was already a call to do something about the Jews in the camps. If Americans had known there were American prisoners in those camps the government probably would have had to do something.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 07:18 AM (lZvxr)

14 Apropos of nothing, my favorite home bookshelf book is,

"Fleetwood"s Life of Christ"

Red leather bound, gold embossed,
and signed by my Great Great Grandfather in 1861.

I also have a dining room chair from that house, which is still standing, but they had to leave just ahead of Sherman's march to the sea.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 07:19 AM (4Mv1T)

15 Oh. Make that three series. The fourth one is an SF book by different authors.

Posted by: Ticklebee at June 16, 2013 07:19 AM (mQH4P)

16 "Thuglit"-- a series of short story crime fiction collections-- 99 cents a pop for kindle or rent for free with Prime Amazon-- good stuff-- and of course i'm devouring Jim Thompson like a starving man-- he is a fantastic writer-- they call him "Dimestore Dostoyevsky"-- true 'dat!

Posted by: tomc at June 16, 2013 07:20 AM (avEuh)

Flannery O'Connor is not my cup of tea either, but she was a fine writer and quite a character. And she came up with what I consider one of the most provocative and prescient epigrams of our time:

"In the absence of faith, we govern by tenderness. And tenderness leads to the gas chamber."

Posted by: rrpjr at June 16, 2013 07:20 AM (cH6ty)

18 Finished reading "the Shrieking Pit" by Arthur J Rees and started reading another of his books "the Moon Rock" . Got both from Gutenberg Project.

Posted by: Mark in Houston at June 16, 2013 07:21 AM (mT+TO)

19 OregonMuse, Too bad the Flannery o'Connor post didn't happen two or so weeks ago. Kindle versions of Complete Stories and the two novels were $2.99 each. i bought all three.

Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You at June 16, 2013 07:21 AM (ZR4Xh)

20 Well the whole NSA brouhaha, reminded me of this ditty by Koontz, back in the late 90s, http://tiny.cc/p61ryw, which in turn reminds me that back then the Clinton Administration, who had given jihadists like KSM and the Zawahiri bros on the Cairo tape, free rein in Bosnia. was focused on the militia, with the ominous Megiddo projecy.

Posted by: Admiral Marcus at June 16, 2013 07:22 AM (Jsiw/)

21 Stomped by a book thread. Sign off and message for BB end of last thread. Gotta recharge now. LEOFB

Posted by: teej at June 16, 2013 07:23 AM (PcFsV)

22 Reading the user manual for my new carbine. Fascinating read. It starts out a bit slow...opening boxes and the like but quickly moved on to assembly. Adding the scope was a interesting read, but the true enjoyment was the assembly of the front end pickatinny and drop down fore-end. I didn't like the trigger lock part. Getting close to the portion of the book that goes bang. Can't wait.

Posted by: Trainer say Hi NSA at June 16, 2013 07:23 AM (+8dqP)

23 Book 6 and Book 7 of my 12 book scifi epic are now for sale online in pdf, mobi, and epub.

Book 6: Crucible
http://tinyurl.com/l9xnlg6

Book 7: Yronwode
http://tinyurl.com/lx6cekn

Posted by: Gregory of Yardale at June 16, 2013 07:25 AM (dF8d/)

24 I had never heard of Flannery o'Connor until today. But now I find she is from my home State and died not too far from where I grew up.

You learn something new every day.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 07:25 AM (lZvxr)

25 The easiest story of Flannery O'Connor to understand is the one about the dimwit father who doesn't understand his son's grieving for his dead mother until the poor kid eventually hangs himself to be with his mother. The asshole father stands for every fucking braindead lib who Satan placed on this earth to fuck up everybody and everything around them.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 16, 2013 07:27 AM (YRqVK)

26 Posted by: Trainer say Hi NSA at June 16, 2013 11:23 AM (+8dqP) Impatient for the gun thread, are we?

Posted by: rickl at June 16, 2013 07:27 AM (sdi6R)

Teej, no problem. ONT's are notoriously erratic for answering questions. We'll resume that convo another day.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 07:27 AM (0HooB)

28 >>>Impatient for the gun thread, are we? Posted by: rick
--------------------------------
It's usually up by 10AM.

Andy's in today, so not sure what's up.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 07:32 AM (4Mv1T)

29 Johnny Tremain! Johnny Tremain! Johnny Tremain! Sorry for the extra empasis but this is a great book for kids. Johnny is a silversmith's apprentice at the start of the book and witnesses the Tea Party and the start of the revolution. Get it now and get your kid registered with the NSA sooner rather than later!

Posted by: whatmeworry? at June 16, 2013 07:36 AM (Q3WfW)

30 As for captured Allied airmen, my mom was a prisoner at the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp and I distinctly remember her telling me that Allied POW's were definitely there and that she had witnessed an execution. She's dead, but I will have to ask my aunts to verify this. There is also a great story of courage by a Col. Delmar Spivey, who was the senior officer at a German POW camp. When they ordered him to hand over all the Jewish POW's he refused by telling them "we're all Jews here."

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at June 16, 2013 07:37 AM (+98Gb)

31 I started reading one of O'Connor's two novels, Wise Blood, got about 3 chapters into it and gave up, it was so bizarre. Maybe I'd like it now that I'm older, though.

I didn't like it much when I first read it but the second time through, years later, was very enjoyable.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 16, 2013 07:39 AM (YRqVK)

32 "Stargate: Retaliation". These were the official movie tie-in / sequels before they abandoned that continuity for SG-1.

The author chose to make the first two sequels ruminations on the nature of the US's relationship with the Third World. It actually does okay with this aspect. Really without intending to, the US completely destroys the social structure of Abydos. Status cannot be conferred by getting close to Ra's regime - so it defaults to who has the most cash, and the most guns and gunmen.

Reading it now, I wonder if the Stargate would have had more effect upon Earth as well. In particular, if the Copts got wind of the other world, they'd want to send some people to look around. The observers would be Orthodox priests mainly, who could sort-of understand the language.

Which brings up the thought that some missionaries would be banging on that gate as well. Also, refugees (from Earth).

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 16, 2013 07:40 AM (QTHTd)

33 BTW Chuck Yeager is one of the Allied airmen who was successfully smuggled out of continental Europe after being shot down. IIRC he had to give up combat flying because of the risk of being shot down again and giving up his rescuers.

Posted by: whatmeworry? at June 16, 2013 07:41 AM (Q3WfW)

34 Thanks to the Moron who recommended A Sailor of Austria by John Biggens. I enjoyed it immensely. While there is nothing funny about the collapse of the Austrian Empire, there is a great deal of comedy involved with a WWI-era submarine. Such as combining a "special treat" of gourmet cabbage stew with a long dive (bad idea) and transporting a camel (also really bad idea). Looks like there are others in the same series, too.

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at June 16, 2013 07:41 AM (wfSF5)

A happy heteronormative and male-oppressive Fathers Day to all the penis-enabled who have successfully at spawned new members of the Horde. I started it (as usual) by roughhousing with the Younger Barbarian. Then the Unknown Wife and Unknown Daughter made me breakfast (no bacon, but it's the thought that counts).

I just read somewhere that O'Connor may have the earliest written usage of "it is what it is".

Posted by: RightWingProf at June 16, 2013 07:42 AM (E/o+q)

36 It's the end of times when the NSA guys start posting 'First'.

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at June 16, 2013 07:43 AM (X6akg)

37 Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" is still one of the most wicked eviscerations of overeducated liberal stupidity I've ever read =P

(bonus: it's a short story)

Posted by: Laura Walker at June 16, 2013 07:44 AM (UdWas)

38 Since you mention children's books, I stumbled on one at the library about a village electing a new mayor. A charming newcomer to town (formerly a tax collector elsewhere) wins after handing out free sweets. After the election comes oppression. The villagers finally wake up, with the help of A Cat of a Different Color (by Steven Bauer).

Posted by: ThroughtheRavenglass at June 16, 2013 07:44 AM (Z0YZC)

39 If you're looking for a great book for kids, one that actually celebrates the values this country is about rather than attacking them, I recommend One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots by Amelia Hamilton (http://www.growingpatriots.com/). The author interacted with my wife on Twitter and sent my little boy a copy as a gift. She wrote a sequel that I haven't read yet. Semi-OT, but I went looking for Twain's essay "What is Man" after a suggestion in the morning thread, and I came across something written by a Berkley "scholar" at a website that bills itself "The Moderate Voice". Excerpt: "No higher intelligence seems required to create life, including human life. What we revere as life is Â“justÂ” a property of a handful of chemicals, RNA and DNA holding pride of place among them. But, thatÂ’s not a bad thing, because if weÂ’ve come this far without intelligent design, the skyÂ’s the limit once we lend our own inventiveness to the evolutionary process. This has long been foreseen, but never accepted. Once we get used to it, this perspective will enable us to reduce suffering on a scale only dreamt of. Why? Because the lionÂ’s share of human suffering can be traced to false self-conceptions. The indignities that foul human relationships, at every level, from interpersonal to international, stem from a model of autonomous selfhood in which self is pitted against self. Rather than masking the indissoluble interconnectedness of selvesÂ—as the notion of individual selfhood doesÂ—superselfhood embraces it. ItÂ’s not just that we canÂ’t do anything without help; we canÂ’t even be apart from continual imitation. Entropic forces disintegrate any identity that is not shored up through a mimetic process of mutual recognition. Since mimesis is distorted and undermined by indignity, reciprocal dignity gradually, but ineluctably, displaces opportunistic predation as a strategy for optimizing group efficiency and productivity. As a source of inefficiency, malrecognitionÂ—with all its attendant dysfunctionalityÂ—will be rooted out much as we made it our business to combat malnutrition once we understood its toll." He's also written some books, but no links from me to such a sick, sick man. This is nothing more than early 20th century eugenics repacked in a slick utopian veneer of "man-controlled" rather than "natural" selection. Oh, yea, that'll undoubtedly work just SO well.

Posted by: Weirddave at June 16, 2013 07:45 AM (aH+zP)

40 >>>at a website that bills itself "The ~~Moderate~~ Moderately Insane Voice".
---------------------------

Fixed

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 07:49 AM (4Mv1T)

41 Brian Jacques' Mossflower series is a great read for kids. Anthropomorphized animals, sword fights, feasts, humor, drama. Good stuff.

Posted by: Ragamuffin at June 16, 2013 07:50 AM (fzFF6)

A Berkley "scholar" eh? All ridiculous assumptions and big words aside, he does use his mouth prettier than a ten dollar whore.

And that's what passes for intelligence these days...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 07:51 AM (0HooB)

43 Hello, all! Glad OregonMuse survived the reorganizing. I read some Flannery O'Connor in college. I was thinking the book thread would be a good place to ask about self-publishing a graphic novel. Does anyone have any recommendations? If it makes a difference, the illustrations would be colored pencil.

Posted by: Mindy mostly lurks at June 16, 2013 07:53 AM (lzbcB)

"The Trumpeter of Krakow" is one of my favorite books for youngin's, and when I read it recently, it seemed conservative bordering on subversive. Patriotism?... (albeit Polish patriotism, but still).... a strong father.... the use of force when necessary... a Catholic priest prominent in the book who helps the hero.... It's set in medeval Poland just on the verge of the RenaissanceIt won like the second or third ever Newberry Award back in the thirties. It definitely could not be written today.

Posted by: Lee in KY at June 16, 2013 07:53 AM (0AVAA)

(Gah! third time trying to post this!)

I've been working at redoing my book website and moving my book blog over to it - www.celiahayes.com - and coming down the home stretch on my next book, The Quivera Trail. It's set in 1870s Texas in all it's heternormative glory; strong silent men, brave women, cattle drives, rustlers and gunfighters ... and lots and lots of cows. It'll be released in November, but there are sample chapters posted on the book blog. And if you can't wait until then, I have other books. Check out the revamped site, and tell me what you think!

About the WWII evaders - some time ago, I tracked down what had happened to the B-17 crew that my uncle belonged to. They were shot down on their first time out, on the Black Thursday mission to hit the ball-bearing factories in 1943. Five ( including my uncle) died in the AC or in jumping from it, one was captured, and the other four were picked up by the local Resistance cell and smuggled into Switzerland. Links to the posts I wrote about this to follow, if anyone is interested.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at June 16, 2013 07:53 AM (Asjr7)

46 I managed to have my car throw a rod or sometime about 15 miles from the dealer where I was about to trade it in

Posted by: Islamic Rage Boy at June 16, 2013 07:54 AM (yDpav)

47 Happy Fathers Day to all Moron dads!

Posted by: Insomniac at June 16, 2013 07:55 AM (NEIxp)

48 Mindy, Amazon is rolling out a new e-book format that is much more graphic friendly. If you search Amazon you will find links to the new formatting tools that they have released.

Posted by: whatmeworry? at June 16, 2013 07:55 AM (Q3WfW)

49 Yes, those voices are always "moderate" and thoughtful and so intellectual until you disagree with their program. Then we find out they are the same human beings that always walked the earth, without any religious or social morals to restrain them. Can't wait. But I think I saw this movie before. It was called the Civil War in the USSR, after the Red Revolution.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes more nonsense ...... at June 16, 2013 07:56 AM (I2uSp)

50 @OregonMuse,

O'Connor is great, and your suggestions for short stories is spot-on!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 07:56 AM (WW8xK)

51 @46- Severe bummer. If it is really that old and tuckered out you can get a grand or more these days for scrap value.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 07:57 AM (4Mv1T)

52 Thanks for the most excellent review OregonMuse! And Horde members, Trouble in the Bayou is a paltry $2 on Amazon- a steal- Seriously You Guys! And on an administrative side note, I am, in fact, a guy (my first name throws lots of people)Â…I wrote these stories for my kiddos in the hopes of counteracting the liberal education system they are exposed to here in our local schools. Plus, a Sir Robert is needed in this world now more than any other time. Even if he is British.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 07:57 AM (0SmH0)

53 Flannery makes for great bedtime reading for 8 year-old kids

Posted by: Bigby's Baby Burping Hands at June 16, 2013 07:57 AM (t46Sp)

54 No, you're absolutely right TR, but I run into this again and again. Hard, far, FAR left voices spouting garbage straight out of the mind of Marx or Sanger or some other collectivist totalitarian congratulating themselves on just how damn moderate they are. Makes me sick, because I know what lies at the end of that road every single damn time.

Posted by: Weirddave at June 16, 2013 07:57 AM (aH+zP)

55 Hey Vic,

I got Tai Pan for the Kindle (great for business trips) for my wife, and just reread it.

Now I am ransacking the house, looking for Shogun!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 07:57 AM (WW8xK)

56 Well Thursday I got in the hardcover edition of Limits of Power by Elizabeth Moon. This is the fourth book in the sequel series Paladin's Legacy to the The Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy. And I quickly devoured the entire and complete 505 pages. And I want the follow on book now.

One reviewer on Amazon complained that Moon seems to be throwing out things not needed to advance the story. *sigh* Elizabeth's creative mind works in quirky ways as anyone who has talked with her will find out. Or have read her blog. For example when Paksenarrion first wandered into her mind, she tried to fit Paks into a science fiction story but Paks did not work in that setting. So she changed to a heroic fantasy setting and the rest is very much publishing history. When Deed finished Moon said Paks had left her mind and she would not force a new story. For the current series Paks is not the main character, she has important things to do but we are following the life paths of people who have been affected by Paks actions in the first trilogy.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 07:59 AM (HReLM)

57 Weirdave- it is indeed most disturbing. I continue to hide out with conservative friends, in a conservative church, and of course here.

I wonder if I'll get audited for flying my flag on Flag Day a couple of days ago.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 08:00 AM (4Mv1T)

58 55 - CBD, Tai Pan is an excellent book; read it about 10 times. Shogun, about 20. Clavell's works need to be re-read to pick up all the subtlety in his works. Happy Fathers Day to all the Moron dads!

Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 08:00 AM (0SmH0)

59 Posted by: Weirddave at June 16, 2013 11:45 AM (aH+zP) That Berkley scholar is a fool. Folks like he embrace Evolution and Natural Selection when they want to use them against others, but reject it when they want to impose Socialism on all of us. We are the product of millions of years of evolution and we are individuals above all else. We use pair bonding and group bonding as tools to help ourselves and those around us. It works and not one tiny bit of doing that is wrong or unjust. It is natural and organic and happens without any intervention. These Socialist idiots just can not abide a world where things work all by themselves. The Goddess Irony will always have a job as long as these clowns breathe.

Posted by: eman at June 16, 2013 08:02 AM (AO9UG)

60 Hard, far, FAR left voices spouting garbage straight out of the mind of Marx or Sanger or some other collectivist totalitarian congratulating themselves on just how damn moderate they are.

"Moderation" (and "common sense") is a brilliant pose. The "moderate" can dismiss his opponents as lunatics unworthy of consideration. And he can nod to his own side that he agrees with them in secret.

Beware, above all, the "moderate" in power. He can threaten everyone else, implicitly, that if he doesn't get what he wants he'll take more extreme positions in future.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 16, 2013 08:03 AM (QTHTd)

61 David Baldacci - "The Hit" - meh. Seems like he's "phoning it in" more and more. Damian Thompson - "The Fix" - UK Telegraph writer's book on addiction - booze, drugs, gaming, porn, food. Doesn't buy into 12-step idea that addiction is an illness. All about choices. Good science, entertainingly presented.

Posted by: Doug at June 16, 2013 08:03 AM (LhrFG)

62 7 I'm pretty sure we already have a Weiner Holder as President. Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You Thank you- the laugh helped cleanse that vile graphic from my mind. The Dems are crazy enough to run such a ticket....

Posted by: backhoe at June 16, 2013 08:04 AM (ULH4o)

63 Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 12:00 PM (0SmH0)

Agreed. Vic and I are both fans of Clavell, although he liked King Rat and I was less enamored of it.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 08:04 AM (WW8xK)

64 I'm pretty sure we already have a Weiner Holder as President.

No, that would be the Speaker of the House; he's the one who's been holding his own d*ck during all these scandals

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 16, 2013 08:06 AM (QTHTd)

65 Now I am ransacking the house, looking for Shogun!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 11:57 AM (WW8xK)

LOL, Shogun was one of the first books I got for the Kindle. My old paperback version was dog-eared and falling apart.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 08:06 AM (lZvxr)

66 Agreed. Vic and I are both fans of Clavell, although he liked King Rat and I was less enamored of it.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 12:04 PM (WW8xK)

LOL, King Rat was the only book by him that I did not care much for.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 08:08 AM (lZvxr)

67 63- CBD- I just re-read Noble House. That is a actually a pretty good primer on basic stock exchange (was for me, anyway, with no business background). Whirlwind had a lot of potential, but I just couldn't care about the characters as much as the other books. Gai-Jin was a nice way for Clavell to fill in a bit of background on the Struan clan, which I liked. I also just re-read Shibumi by Trevanian. You talk about a book ahead of its time- that was it. A great read, but the whole premise about the Mother Company controlling the oil and economies of the world through their all seeing computer system FAT BOY seems soÂ…realistic...

Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 08:08 AM (0SmH0)

68 Completely and totally off-thread: It is clear amnesty is going through. The only thing left to do thus is wait for fatal mistakes in other fields. Hopefully patience will be rewarded.

Posted by: "Godfather" at June 16, 2013 08:10 AM (UAD/m)

69 LOL, King Rat was the only book by him that I did not care much for.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 12:08 PM (lZvxr)

My mistake, I thought you liked it.

I haven't read Gai-Jin. How was it?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 08:11 AM (WW8xK)

70 Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 12:08 PM (0SmH0)

I wasn't thrilled with Whirlwind. I agree about the character development, and it seemed too topical and less grand and majestic.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 08:12 AM (WW8xK)

71 You all have a great day today. Gotta take my boy out for breakfast. Thanks again for the review OregonMuse!

Posted by: Secret Squirrel at June 16, 2013 08:13 AM (0SmH0)

72 I haven't read Gai-Jin. How was it?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 12:11 PM (WW8xK)

It was OK, but not as good as Shogun, Shogun is the best and then I like Nobel House, then Tai Pan .

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 08:13 AM (lZvxr)

73 "King Rat" was about as close to autobiographical as James Clavell could write. It was about his time in Chang-ji POW camp. Of course, fictionalized. His wife pretty much locked him in a room and made him write it to get it out of his system. (Clavell also helped write the screenplay to "The Great Escape".) He also encapsulated his hatred of collectivism in "King Rat". The subtle irony was that the inner administration of camp rule by the British POW's and the senior POW's re-inforced the control of the camp by the Japanese. It is not a very uplifting or inspiring message, but still interesting.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes more nonsense ...... at June 16, 2013 08:14 AM (I2uSp)

74 Reading Whirlwind is where I got the feeling that Clavell hated Jimmy Carter.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 08:14 AM (lZvxr)

75 Yes, I think Clavell thought Jimmy Carter was an ass.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes more nonsense ...... at June 16, 2013 08:16 AM (I2uSp)

76 Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 12:13 PM (lZvxr)

Shogun. Agree 100%

Noble House is next, especially if I can't find my copy of Shogun!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 08:19 AM (WW8xK)

Finishing A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman. Yes, it has longbows vs. crossbows. Next up Joan of Arc by Twain..

Posted by: meleager at June 16, 2013 08:20 AM (TIX6r)

78 I think Clavell thought Jimmy Carter was an ass. Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes more nonsense ...... at June 16, 2013 12:16 PM (I2uSp) ??? Who did not think carter was a ass?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 08:20 AM (jE38p)

79 Jimmah was the most intelligent president we've ever had!

Posted by: George R R Martin at June 16, 2013 08:22 AM (Aif/5)

Yes, I think Clavell thought Jimmy Carter was an ass.

I recall a political cartoon around the time of Shogun that had Jimmah Cahtah dressed up in the garb with the big stupid toothy grin and the caption, "Sho Nuff!" or something similar.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 08:24 AM (0HooB)

WRT "The Obvious Choice"

Chelsea Clinton claims it's time for a woman president.

Posted by: Gulermo at June 16, 2013 08:24 AM (LaLuv)

82 Justin Leiber. Beyond Gravity. There is Kagu the anthropologist who is a monkey. He has two undergrads Nelly and Nod. Nelly acts like an adult while Nod we would call an OWS tool. Then there are metallic artistic folk the Bootes. And finally the machine intelligences called the whirgirs. All on a spaceship observing a primitive culture called humans.

They have catch phrases like 'equality is civility' and 'hospitality.' When the whirgirs find out how strong humans are because this one human in their midst violates 'equality is civility', they go on strike which paralyzes the spaceship. Nod and his buddies, having failed to learn from their previous mistakes go full OWS and almost destroy the spaceship.

Methinks Mr. Leiber was taking potshots at public unions and others he observed in the academia that he was part of.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:25 AM (HReLM)

83 Jimmah was the most intelligent president we've ever had! Posted by: George R R Martin at June 16, 2013 12:22 PM (Aif/5) Ironic, then, that that retard actor Reagan washed away the stench of his failures, isn't it, George, you cretinous little typist?

Posted by: zsasz at June 16, 2013 08:25 AM (MMC8r)

84 Justin Leiber. He's DREAMY!

Posted by: Teenage Girl that Can't Spell at June 16, 2013 08:28 AM (MMC8r)

85 Chelsea Clinton claims it's time for a woman president. Posted by: Gulermo at June 16, 2013 12:24 PM (LaLuv) obama is a woman

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 08:28 AM (jE38p)

Chelsea Clinton claims it's time for a woman president.

I agree. Either Liz Cheney or The Moose Whisperer would be a good start.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 08:28 AM (0HooB)

"The Forge of Christendom" by Tom Holland tells the tale of the first millennium when the 2nd Coming was expected and the events therein--William the Conquerer, kinghts, Viking raids, the First Crusade and the anticipated End of Days.

This one is a goodie and as exciting as any adventure novel.

Posted by: Libra at June 16, 2013 08:28 AM (q5QAW)

88 Chelsea Clinton claims it's time for a woman president.

Posted by: Gulermo at June 16, 2013 12:24 PM (LaLuv)

I am fascinated (read: disgusted) by the idea that feminism has insisted on the inherent equality of women in all facets of life, yet there is something unique about a woman that makes her the only choice as president?

Is it the presence of a vagina? Because wouldn't that be sexist?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 08:29 AM (WW8xK)

89 Whatmeworry, thanks for the tip!

Posted by: Mindy mostly lurks at June 16, 2013 08:29 AM (lzbcB)

90 I'm well into Keith Lowe's "Savage Continent", a recommendation mentioned here a few weeks ago. Thanks!

Posted by: mrp at June 16, 2013 08:30 AM (HjPtV)

91 I saw this link at Instapundit and mentioned it in the morning thread. http://tinyurl.com/l7z6dt2 It's an interview with Rachel Johnson, who has written a novel entitled "Winter Games" about British girls sent to finishing school in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Her grandmother was one of them. I haven't read the book, but I found the interview fascinating. She interviewed some of the women, who are in their 90s now. They loved their time in Germany. It all seemed perfectly normal to them. I think that relates to our present time, where over 50% of the population sees no problem at all with the "fundamental transformation" of America.

Posted by: rickl at June 16, 2013 08:30 AM (sdi6R)

92 Is it the presence of a vagina? Because wouldn't that be sexist?
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 12:29 PM (WW8xK)

Why are you making the Horde think of Hillary!'s hoohah? What did we do to deserve such punishment?

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at June 16, 2013 08:30 AM (Gk3SS)

93 "Next up Joan of Arc by Twain.."

A good read.

Posted by: mrp at June 16, 2013 08:31 AM (HjPtV)

94 Is it the presence of a vagina? Because wouldn't that be sexist? Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo Only her dildo knows for sure.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes more nonsense ...... at June 16, 2013 08:32 AM (I2uSp)

95 Wow, hadn't realized how large that Utah Data Center is going to be. Holy cow, this really will be Skynet won't it? Oh, and to stay on topic; read Gulag Archipelago. Someone quoted a bit from the very beginning last night and I must admit, the same paragraph has been running through my head lately.

Posted by: Codec717 at June 16, 2013 08:32 AM (5i/58)

96 Only on AoS could there be a phallic symbol discussing the alleged sexual equipment of Queen Cankles.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:33 AM (HReLM)

97 Vince Flynn's American Assassin is going quite well, so far, even though I'm reading it at a glacial pace.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 08:34 AM (0HooB)

98 OT: Some snark from Palin on Syria, "Let Allah sort it out."

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 16, 2013 08:35 AM (VlXYw)

99 I bought the Flannery O'Conner set on Amazon (AoSHQ) now I just need to buy an eight year old.

Posted by: whatmeworry? at June 16, 2013 08:37 AM (Q3WfW)

100

Went nuts over Theodore Dalrymple in the Kindle store this week where almost all of his stuff was under $5.00. I've been reading "Life at the Bottom" and found ems like

"Thus a public housing tenancy is to psychopaths what tenure is to academics: no better invitation to irresponsibility could possibly be imagined."

and

"But is not homelessness, at least in modern-day society, a special instance of a law first enunciated by a British medical colleague of mine, namely, that misery increases to meet the means available for its alleviation? And does not anti-social behavior increase in proportion to the excuses that intellectuals make for it?"

Posted by: Tonestaple at June 16, 2013 08:37 AM (3yidV)

101 Ref #5 " Isurvived yet another company reorganization. I have heard every name for it there is. It used to be simply "layoffs". Then it got to be downsizing, then rightsizing." IBM must have been listening to you their term is: "Resource Action". BTW they are also very fond of the work smarter not harder mantra. Apparently more than 1000 worker bees were listening and got resourced out this week.

Posted by: Ex IBMer at June 16, 2013 08:37 AM (l2qwz)

102 Vince Flynn's American Assassin is going quite well, so far, even though I'm reading it at a glacial pace. Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 12:34 PM (0HooB) I wanted to like It. I love vince flynn, but it just was not up to snuff, for him. I know, he was sick, blah blah blah. But I could swear I heard someone elses voice as I was reading it.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 16, 2013 08:37 AM (XIxXP)

103 Vince Flynn's American Assassin is going quite well, so far, even though I'm reading it at a glacial pace.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 12:34 PM (0HooB)

I started re-reading the Vince Flynn series a month ago. This time with no time between books I noted they were awfully repetitive.

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 08:38 AM (lZvxr)

104 Off to church. Always miss the book thread because of that. Priorities, especially now.

Posted by: baldilocks at June 16, 2013 08:38 AM (Su0W2)

105 For teens, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys describes the 1941 deportation of Lithuanians to Siberia and the brutal conditions there.

Posted by: ThroughtheRavenglass at June 16, 2013 08:38 AM (Z0YZC)

106 Hey OSP, how goes today?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:39 AM (HReLM)

107 LOL, from south of the border some humour.

"Tired of voting for rats, vote for a cat."
http://tinyurl.com/lnpmspg

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:40 AM (HReLM)

108 Anyone else catch the Warcock on Fox this morning? G-d damn do I ever miss the grownups running the show. I want this long national nightmare to be over..... and soon.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, Gruntled New Business Owner at June 16, 2013 08:41 AM (jucos)

109 Hey OSP, how goes today? Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 12:39 PM (HReLM) Well, I dopped my Kindle price to 5.00 per Sabrinas suggestion. I just got back from a 15 mile bike ride through the foot hill burnin off some fat. Then my wife and kids are taking me to a mexican restaraunt for Lunch/Dinner so I can put it back on. How are you?

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 16, 2013 08:41 AM (XIxXP)

110 Auto correct is often not real helpful... Were is suppose to be weren't

Posted by: Ex IBMer at June 16, 2013 08:41 AM (l2qwz)

111 Finishing A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman. Yes, it has longbowsvs. crossbows. *** Tuchman wrote about the 14th century because she saw it, like the 20th, to be particularly cursed by ill fortune. The way things are going, I think we can add the 21st to the list

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 16, 2013 08:42 AM (VlXYw)

112

OSP and Vic, I noticed that also. I'd read In Pursuit of Honor before this one and saw several plot devices in common.

He seemed rushed in AA. I've always liked spy novels, beginning with the 007 books in my misspent yout.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 08:42 AM (0HooB)

113 >>>>>Auto correct is often not real helpful... Posted by: Ex IBMer
-------------------------------
At the HQ, it is semi-sentient, and mischievous that way.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 08:45 AM (4Mv1T)

114 OSP. Well no win Powerball. Oh well. Need to get back to writing. Knock off that short story revision. Then start working on plot outline for the July Camp NaNoWriMo project.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:45 AM (HReLM)

115 OT: So, I'm presuming we are going to have Rubio on the ballot no matter what in 2016, elsewhise Hispanics will take offense on our having rejected him in the primary. "Continued Republican racism", that sort of thing. Kinda logically follows. I hope the SoCons have their arguments ready. Because I see no need to go along with their wanting to keep non-Christians in a box.

Posted by: "Wolverine" at June 16, 2013 08:46 AM (UAD/m)

116 Mexican for Father's Day? Bien. Followed by a siesta. Enjoy.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:46 AM (HReLM)

117 Also along the lines of government cover ups about WWII, I second baldilocks' recommendation of American Betrayal by Diana West. I knew some of this stuff, but she takes it farther than other recent authors were willing to go and recovers our lost history. If you had a shred of respect left for FDR, this will remove it. Truman, too. This is an important book. Read it.

Posted by: somebody else, not me at June 16, 2013 08:46 AM (29vnO)

118 107 LOL, from south of the border some humour. "Tired of voting for rats, vote for a cat." http://tinyurl.com/lnpmspg Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 12:40 PM (HReLM) Note the image on the T-shirt.

Posted by: rickl at June 16, 2013 08:47 AM (sdi6R)

119 Congratulations on surviving the cuts and getting rid of a useless boss. Wish the same would happen at my work. *sigh*

Posted by: harleycowboy at June 16, 2013 08:47 AM (+9AX9)

120 62 7 I'm pretty sure we already have a Weiner Holder as President. Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You Thank you- the laugh helped cleanse that vile graphic from my mind. The Dems are crazy enough to run such a ticket.... *** And the ignorati crazy enough to elect them.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 16, 2013 08:48 AM (VlXYw)

121 Tonestaple, there's no better insight into the British poor than Theodore Darymple. The eye-opening experience is more cathartic experience, just because he avoids the cheap denoument that (to pick a hated example) John Steinbeck might have made.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at June 16, 2013 08:48 AM (hePjh)

122 Mexican for Father's Day? Bien. Followed by a siesta. Enjoy. Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 12:46 PM (HReLM) Grassyass. seniorita.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at June 16, 2013 08:49 AM (XIxXP)

123 rickl, it is a university town the cat is running in. Universities and the Catholic Church are the most trusted institutions in the country. Even PETA has applauded Morris' candidacy. I still find it funny how many Mexican cities have animal candidates. Caligula's horse is not alone apparently.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at June 16, 2013 08:49 AM (HReLM)

124 Syria slams Egypt's decision to cut diplomatic ties In wake of Morsi's decision to return Egypt's diplomatic corps from Syria, close Syrian embassy in Cairo, Syria's information minister slams Morsi; 'One would have expected him to close the Israeli embassy,' he says Roi Kais Published: 06.16.13, 18:16 / Israel News Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi attacked Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi Sunday, after the latter announced Saturday that Egypt was cutting its diplomatic ties with Syria. "We would have expected Morsi to announce he is closing the Israeli embassy in Egypt, but these are the ways of a leader who refuses to accept such positions," al-Zoubai said, insinuating the Egyptian president has an affinity towards Israel. Actually one of the best things Israel has going for it, it that the Arabs hate each other more than they hate the Jooos. Allah Akbar!

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 08:50 AM (jE38p)

125 Currently re-reading the short stories of Saki. Saki wrote mostly humorous very short, short stories (usually 5-7 pages long). Though the humor can be rather dark at times and edge into horror. He was a huge influence on writers as diverse as PG Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh, Raold Dahl, and Neil Gaiman. He was a master prose stylist who wrote in that airy sort of Edwardian chatty style that often acts as a contrast to the content of the stories. Most of his stories concern upper class Britons who in one way or another confront the far edge of their world where manners, social status, and a stiff upper lip fail. And they can be laugh out loud funny. All of his books are free for the Kindle. I'd start with "The Chronicles of Clovis" or "Beasts and Super-Beasts" first as they are his most famous collections. To see if Saki is for you, try: In "Chronicles of Clovis: Tobermory Mrs Packletide's Tiger The Unrest-Cure Srendi Vastar in "Beasts and Super-Beasts": The Schartz-Metterklume Method The Open Window If you have a Kindle, give Saki a try. It's free. and you won't regret it.

Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You at June 16, 2013 08:51 AM (ZR4Xh)

126

Posted by: ThroughtheRavenglass at June 16, 2013 12:38 PM (Z0YZC)

Put your recommendations on my Amazon wishlist. Between Shades of Grey is actually slightly *more* expensive than a hard copy.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 16, 2013 08:52 AM (lVb7s)

127 I went to school with Vince Flynn. Great guy. Used to make me the best mixed drink when he was a Bartender.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, Gruntled New Business Owner at June 16, 2013 08:52 AM (jucos)

128 On my way soon to see my mother, who thinks I am my father, her husband. Should be a grand old day?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 08:57 AM (jE38p)

129 Nevergiveup- Hang in

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 08:58 AM (4Mv1T)

130

That's way kewl, TM. I hope he's all better now. Beck interviewed him a few years back, I was impressed. Flynn seems like a guy you'd want to go drinking with.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 08:58 AM (0HooB)

131 #39

I cannot make any sense of what this guy is trying to say. I'm reminded of the quip attributed to Wolfgang Pauli, "This paper is so bad it's not even wrong."

Posted by: epobirs at June 16, 2013 09:01 AM (kcfmt)

132 Nevergiveup- Hang in Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 12:58 PM (4Mv1T) It's what happens with older parents. It is what it is.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 09:01 AM (jE38p)

133 ...It's what happens with older parents. It is what it is. Posted by: Nevergiveup
------------------------------------------

Ed Anger posted earlier that his dad was punching him in the face while Ed was trying to get him out of the bed and into the wheelchair for breakfast today.

God bless the caregivers and children of these parents.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 09:04 AM (4Mv1T)

134 Ed Anger posted earlier that his dad was punching him in the face while Ed was trying to get him out of the bed and into the wheelchair for breakfast today. God bless the caregivers and children of these parents. Posted by: Tobacco Road at June 16, 2013 01:04 PM (4Mv1T) Actually my mom is much nicer person now that she is senile. She used have a rather hard edge to her. She never pulled any punches to save someone's feelings. My wife and I never took offense at anything she said, but my Liberal sister and aunt often to mortal offense. it was actually pretty funny

Posted by: Nevergiveup at June 16, 2013 09:06 AM (jE38p)

135

Don't give this book to any progressive, they might have a brain aneurysm.

All the more reason, if you ask me.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at June 16, 2013 09:12 AM (Z2Bkq)

136 I suppose somebody has already flagged this, but one doesn't get "interred" in a concentration camp, unless he dies there. One gets "interned"

This is a distressingly common mistake.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 16, 2013 09:13 AM (fNpC1)

137 131 #39 I cannot make any sense of what this guy is trying to say. I'm reminded of the quip attributed to Wolfgang Pauli, "This paper is so bad it's not even wrong." Posted by: epobirs at June 16, 2013 01:01 PM (kcfmt) "This has long been foreseen, but never accepted. Once we get used to it, this perspective will enable us to reduce suffering on a scale only dreamt of." Sort of reminds me of the inventor of the Gatling gun. His idea was if each soldier's firepower was increased sixfold, then the army would only need one-sixth as many soldiers. Result: Fewer combat deaths. Makes perfect sense, no?

Posted by: rickl at June 16, 2013 09:13 AM (sdi6R)

138

I cannot make any sense of what this guy is trying to say. I'm reminded of the quip attributed to Wolfgang Pauli, "This paper is so bad it's not even wrong."

My favorite review of a scientific manuscript submitted for publication: "This paper should be 50% reduced, or 100% oxidized."

Posted by: Jay Guevara at June 16, 2013 09:14 AM (Z2Bkq)

139 I read Odd Apocalypse and John Grisham's Bleachers while I was on the plane/beach. Odd Apocalypse is part of Dean Koontz' Odd Thomas series, and perfectly continued the story. Fun books. Bleachers was a slim book, maybe 150 pages, about a bunch of ex-high school football players coming back to town for the dying days of their Coach. Perfectly readable, exactly what you'd expect.

Posted by: lincolntf at June 16, 2013 09:15 AM (ZshNr)

140

OK, you lovers of the printed word, I'ma gonna get ready and go spend a relaxing Father's Day afternoon with family, music, alcohol and cavorting with the 'ette-in-training, my little 7/yo GDaughter.

Y'all have fun and try not to trash the place, 'k?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at June 16, 2013 09:16 AM (0HooB)

141 Oh and thanks to whoever pointed out that Odd Apocalypse had been published, I hadn't thought of the series in a couple years.

Posted by: lincolntf at June 16, 2013 09:17 AM (ZshNr)

142 #136

Makes me think of the trick question, "How many people are buried in Grant's Tomb?"

Posted by: epobirs at June 16, 2013 09:18 AM (kcfmt)

143 Methinks Mr. Leiber was taking potshots at public unions and others he observed in the academia that he was part of. I took a class with Leiber while getting my MA (he left for FSU during my studies), and he seemed to be an admirer or Chomsky. Certainly his big academic work was on one of Chomsky's books, and i got the sense that Leiber held him in high regard. That may have only been as regards Chomsky's academic work, but i'm not sure. Leiber's definitely his own man, though, so i wouldn't be (too) surprised to find out you're right. Leiber also was apparently quite the druggie in his younger years; i remember him telling us about a summer wherein he would take drugs and then be amazed by the differences when he'd go from a dark room to the bright outside and back in.

Posted by: Occam's Safety Razor at June 16, 2013 09:18 AM (lpR33)

144 I am just finishing listening to "Going Clear" by Lawrence Wright. It's an excellent book about Scientology and the sociopathy of L. Ron Hubbard. And never ever ever ever go see a movie starring Tom Cruise of John Travolta or Will Smith: paying them is paying Scientology. While individual Scientologists may not be evil, the organization most assuredly is.

Posted by: Tonestaple at June 16, 2013 09:19 AM (3yidV)

145 #141

The latest is Deeply Odd, I believe. I just acquired an audio version a few days ago.

Posted by: epobirs at June 16, 2013 09:19 AM (kcfmt)

146 OT:

So, George Will says Congress must be given the authority to secure the border if immigration is to work.

Yeah, I can really see them standing on that hill, being folks who never mind bucking political brute force. I believe this is how we got to the current situation. It is clear that color will trump all in America for a few decades.

But that doesn't mean some blows can't be struck now and them. Nobody likes being presented with fait accomplis; nobody likes being told to take a big bite out of the pile of shit and say it tastes good.

Posted by: The End at June 16, 2013 09:20 AM (N57hb)

147 I managed to have my car throw a rod or sometime about 15 miles from the dealer where I was about to trade it in

Posted by: Islamic Rage Boy at June 16, 2013 11:54 AM (yDpav)

Aaaaaw! That's so touching. Rather than leave you, it committed suicide. My condolences.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 16, 2013 09:20 AM (fNpC1)

148 Thanks, I'll get that one for my next trip.

Posted by: lincolntf at June 16, 2013 09:22 AM (ZshNr)

149 My two-cent book thread recommendation for this week is the Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson. For those morons in Rio Linda, it's three books: An Army At Dawn, The Day of Battle and The Guns At Last Light. Excellent WWII historical narrative, IMO.

Posted by: The Third Horseman Of The Apocalypse at June 16, 2013 09:22 AM (uLzrM)

150 This is a distressingly common mistake.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 16, 2013 01:13 PM (fNpC1)

Their are many mistakes like that. There all to common.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 16, 2013 09:23 AM (WW8xK)

151 Oops... 143 is @ Anna Puma

Posted by: Occam's Safety Razor at June 16, 2013 09:25 AM (lpR33)

152 146 So, George Will says Congress must be given the authority to secure the border if immigration is to work. George Will is an idiot. Congress already has all the authority it needs to secure the borders or anything else for that matter. Put that in your pants and crease it.

Posted by: VADM (Red) Cuthbert Collingwood (Mentioned in Despatches) at June 16, 2013 09:27 AM (yL0v8)

153 Also, I just finished Jeff Shaara's newest offering, A Chain of Thunder: A Novel of the Siege of Vicksburg. Again, highly recommended.

Posted by: The Third Horseman Of The Apocalypse at June 16, 2013 09:29 AM (uLzrM)

154 Agreed. Vic and I are both fans of Clavell, although he liked King Rat and I was less enamored of it.
The eating dog scene in King Rat was great!

Posted by: president o'bumbles at June 16, 2013 09:34 AM (9+vDU)

155 Grant's Tomb, depends on what you call his tomb. Both he and his wife are at the rotunda there in NYC.

But there is a new one up

Posted by: Vic at June 16, 2013 09:34 AM (lZvxr)

156 If you have a Kindle, give Saki a try.

It's free. and you won't regret it. Posted by: Somewhat Sorry To Offend You at June 16, 2013 12:51 PM

Saki was a terrific writer. Short stories are a mostly lost art. "The Toys of Peace" about an uncle who gives his nephews non-martial toys to check their warlike tendencies is one of my faves.

Posted by: huerfano at June 16, 2013 09:42 AM (bAGA/)

157 A trilogy of Science fiction books for kids in the 10-14 age group, although prolific younger readers might like them as well:

The author is Madeline L'Engle.

A Wrinkle in Time
The Wind in the Door
A Swiftly Tilting Planet

Themes include loyalty of spouses, standing up to peer pressure, the intervention of God in everyday affairs, good vs. evil, the terrible mediocrity of public schools, the beauty of biology, the evils of state-enforced conformity, etc.

These are wonderful books which I read and so did my children. I cannot recommend them enough.

Posted by: Miss Marple at June 16, 2013 09:42 AM (GoIUi)

158

#37

Oddly enough, "Good Country People" is like an PG-13 version of a G rated incident in Flannery's own life. Although not a liberal like the main character in the story, health problems did force Flannery back home on the farm with her non-intellectual mother, which no doubt was trying at times. (Her real-life mother was a racist, which I don't think was mentioned in the story.) Also, the man who broke Flannery's heart wasn't a sadist like the guy in the story. He just got cold feet when he realized just how ill she was.

Here's my favorite Flannery O'Connor quote, "Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them."

Posted by: Pete in TX at June 16, 2013 09:46 AM (mf1Ch)

159 Texans might be interested in this one, if they can find a copy of the reprint. definitely not Politically Correct, originally published in 1889. "Indian Depredations in Texas" by J.W. Wilbarger. Author gathered up recollections of dozens of settlers and Texas Rangers from 1830s on, especially interesting are the accounts of the Comanches' raid on Victoria, Texas. Surprisingly, the settlers had allies from other tribes that were enemies of the Comanche and Kiowa.

Posted by: JHW at June 16, 2013 10:02 AM (B38OD)

160 Both the rescues at Dachau and Buchenwald were kept secret because the American troops participating gunned down the SS guards after seeing prison conditions.

In the case of Buchenwald, rumor had it that American POWs there participated in the executions of SS camp guards.

Posted by: Kristophr at June 16, 2013 10:09 AM (wYVte)

161 The NY Post linked at Drudge says Weiner is trying to vigorously beat back scandals. Well played.

Posted by: Beagle at June 16, 2013 10:23 AM (sOtz/)

162 I adore the works of Flannery O'Connor. I have been reading them again and again since I was about 13 which was a LONG time ago.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 16, 2013 10:29 AM (cwhM3)

163 A Wrinkle in Time The Wind in the Door A Swiftly Tilting Planet Great books. Another series for older kids or teens that I never read (along with the C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales) until I was in my 20's.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 16, 2013 10:32 AM (cwhM3)

164 God bless the caregivers and children of these parents. Amen. One of the most agonizingly difficult things in dealing with parents with Alzheimers is that the person you know not only disappears inch by inch or sometimes quicker that that, but they can go often get really combative and physical. I haven't had that problem because both my parents are no longer alive and I didn't have to deal with the ravages of Alzheimers with them, but someone in church today was sharing how hard that is with her husband with his mother

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 16, 2013 10:37 AM (cwhM3)

165 Loved A Wrinkle in Time, but the rest didn't do much for me, for some reason. I like to recommend Elizabeth Enright's The Saturday's and subsequent books; SO good, both the story and the writing itself. I re-read them occasionally still.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at June 16, 2013 10:39 AM (zrlmb)

166 I just read "The Open Window" by Saki,Odd, kind of creepy story and darkly funny, but very good.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 16, 2013 10:40 AM (cwhM3)

167 Congrats on the improved work situation.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at June 16, 2013 10:54 AM (DPdf7)

168 159 Texans might be interested in this one, if they can find a copy of the reprint. definitely not Politically Correct, originally published in 1889. "Indian Depredations in Texas" by J.W. Wilbarger. === I have that. Story after story of ranchwives bristling with arrows, scalped farm kids, etc. The comanches had control of that N-NW frontier line in Texas for over 100 years. They kept both the Spanish and the Anglos from moving farther into the interior, and for many years the ranch families and the Comanches were in direct contact and bloody conflict. This morning I downloaded Dave Kopel's new 44 page booklet, The Truth About Gun Control. Nothing new, but it's a good summary of his work on the issue, a nice tool for people on our side in debating the issue.

Posted by: stace. NOW what?! at June 16, 2013 10:58 AM (DX63t)

169 Mr. Open Blogger, sir. I am pretty sure I worked for the same company that you work for. Does the name rhyme with Shitney Poes?

Posted by: DaveyNC at June 16, 2013 11:21 AM (46fOI)

170 I have always been fascinated by pre-digital and/or pre-electronic naval fire control systems, so I would like to ask if any morons know of we'll-written books on such. I can handle the math and mech eng, but I am looking for something with some history and maybe some battles in it. To those with similar tastes I will recommend the series of USN Training films on "Traditional Fire Control Computers" that Belmont Club led me to on YouTube this morning. This things they did with gears, cams, and stuff is amazing, and we're talking addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and integration folks. And trig. A box about the size of a fridge and a dishwasher side by side, operated by only thee men, trained the 16-inchers of the Iowas and most everything else smaller. Jeebus, I want one of those - probably could heat the house with it too!

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at June 16, 2013 11:39 AM (4ypH1)

171 Hmmm, sounds like Open Blogger and I both work for Big Yellow since I had the exact scenario happen to me this week. I survived.

Posted by: Clutch at June 16, 2013 11:53 AM (4P4ww)

172 Uhhh, I meant OregonMuse, too many daddy-day drinks...

Posted by: Clutch at June 16, 2013 11:59 AM (4P4ww)

173

Posted by: DaveyNC at June 16, 2013 03:21 PM (46fOI)

There's a good chance that OM can't answer you. Although he can write a post, he hasn't been able comment for over a month. That's better than Pixy banning Ace (which happened a couple of months ago) at least.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 16, 2013 12:17 PM (lVb7s)

174 As I mentioned last week, I'm deep into "The Unlikely Prince: The Life and Times of Niccolo Machiavelli."

Then I get Netflicks to work on our family room TV and find the Showtime series "The Borgias."

The two fit hand and glove. Machiavelli lived a bit after the Borgia popedom but saw Cesere Borgia up close and personal.

Little wonder that Shakespeare often set his plays in Italy about this time period - "Romeo and Juliet" and "Two Gentlemen of Verona" are two that come to mind.

As to analog naval fire control, I took some NROTC courses in college and had a destroyer officer for an instructor so we went over these gadgets pretty well. Taking NROTC as an elective got me out of PhysEd during the Florida summer too!

Posted by: Whitehall at June 16, 2013 12:20 PM (k876Y)

175 "I'm pretty sure we already have a Weiner Holder as President."

Let me tell ya, my bent weiner has been held by more women than attend tapings of "The Oprah Show" for an entire calendar year.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at June 16, 2013 12:41 PM (LTbLf)

176 re, the Comanches: the book by Pekka HÃ¤mÃ¤lÃ¤inen is a must-read. They were nothing more or less than North America's homegrown Golden Horde. New Mexico was the Comancheria's bitch up to the mid 1800s.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at June 16, 2013 02:15 PM (QTHTd)

177 My company id VERY top heavy with managers that do almost nothing all week other than to spend times in meetings with other managers. Most have no clue what their employees even do.

Posted by: Noah Bawdy at June 16, 2013 07:42 PM (dv1cf)

178 Gregory of Yardsdale, bought your first book, listened to it and am buying the second all in one day. Strong story, interesting characters. Love the great defense of self-determination and the Moron Horde style capitan.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette, assault Hobbit at June 16, 2013 08:05 PM (lVb7s)

179 Not hard to guess where you work, O.B.

Posted by: sulla at June 16, 2013 11:14 PM (NocFh)

180 Glad you made it through, OregonMuse and Clutch. Same here.

Posted by: sulla at June 16, 2013 11:36 PM (NocFh)

181 Holding out for a more bipartisan 2016 ticket: Boehner-Holder. If that happens I'll gladly sacrifice getting my wife a pearl necklace to blow a wad in campaign donations.

Posted by: Wilson at June 17, 2013 08:21 AM (j3y6O)

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