Duke's book club

[chubacka]

 

great book, worth reading.

 

Epic, ambitious, and triumphantly realized, Half of a Yellow Sun is a remarkable novel about moral responsibility, about the end of colonialism, about ethnic allegiances, about class and race—and the ways in which love can complicate them all.

[General Duke]

^^^Will keep an eye out for that book thanks, any info on the author and how you came across the book?

[Pacifist]

 

I got this book as a gift from my fav Professor.I have been following Greg's journey for a while and his trully compassionate and inspiring. Beautiful I wish we had more of Brother Greg.

 

Brief Info

 

educator, nurse and humanitarian. The kindness of Pakistani villagers who cared for Mr. Mortenson after his failed 1993 attempt to summit K2 inspired him to create The Central Asia Institute. He now works with local people across Pakistan and Afghanistan, building almost 60 schools where girls as well as boys are educated. Mr. Mortenson’s book, Three Cups of Tea, tells his powerful story of building peace, one school at a time, in some of the most remote places on earth. When not in Central Asia, Mr. Mortenson and his family live in Montana.

[General Duke]

^^^Thanks...

[Nephissa]

Hey Generale, good thread. It does my heart good to see you without your straight-jacket, and already having read so much wonderful literature. I guess there's hope for the future after all.

 

I just started The Audacity Of Hope by Barack Obama. A thought-provoking read and very insightful.

[General Duke]

^^^Nephisa I like you too dear. I am glad I warm your heart somewhat, though I have yet to develop such feelings for you. You picked Obama's book thats good our President is a decent writer with a good tale to tell.

 

Any other recommendations?

[Baashi]

The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson. Educating and informative. Try it you would love it.

[General Duke]

 

Just finished this book, its amazing a sweltering piece of work, that creates a scary and haunting picture of a possible future for mankind. The book is about love, and the bond between a father and his young son. Two individuals, helpless, hungry and alone, trying to stay alive by any means in a world that is already dead. We get to know them intimately yet we don’t know their names, their location or even the year they are in.

 

Here is a flashback,a dialogue between the man and his long dead wife as she contemplates her suicide.

 

We used to talk about death, she said. We don’t anymore. Why is that?

I don’t know.

It’s because its here. There is nothing left to talk about.

I wouldn’t leave you.

I don’t care. It’s meaningless. You can think of me as a faithless ….if you like. I’ve taken a new Lover. He can give me what you cannot.

Death is not a Lover

Oh yes he is.

Please don’t do this.

I’m sorry.

I can’t do this alone.

The language is bare, yet powerful the author simplifies and strips down everything and you are left with a clear picture. At times I was frightened for their safety and I had to catch my breath as they struggled on that long cold road alone.

Cormac McCarthy has become one of my favorite writers with only two novels. A must read and a modern classic.

[NASSIR]

Duke, good thread. I will check Baashi's one.

 

I am now reading this one: "Intelligence and How to get it" by Richard E. Nizzbet.

It's a new one.

 

He argues that culture matters the most in shaping our potential. Intellect is not primarily genetic but is determined principally by societal influences.

 

An excerpt:

"Even within Europe, the swings of intellectual prominence have been extraordinarily wide. Spain was at the height of intellectual achievement under the Moors, but sank rapidly thereafter, never achieving much of great note even in the heady days of New World gold and silver. Northern Italy was a powerhouse in all the arts and sciences in the fifteenth century, a time England was a cultural backwater. Since 1800, England has been a leader in almost all realms of endeavor and a lion in science, philosophy amd literature. Italy since 1800 has been a shadow of its Roman and Renaissance self."

[NASSIR]

Pacifist, I saw that one in the book store, flipped a couple of pages and then returned to its shelf.

[Miriam1]

General Duke..."The Road" was amazing, I cried like a baby at the end !!

 

I am going back to the basics now, totally determined to read all of Hemingway's works of fiction through and through

 

Also picked up again the "Brave New World" and "Invisible Man"

 

But I also just finished "Time Travellers Wife" it was a totally fun read.

[RedSea]

Thanks boys and girls. Keep it coming as this will sure make one heck of book collection for me(:

 

I'd recommend "Animal Farm" by George Orwill and "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Two timeless classics that I'm sure you're all familiar with.

[RedSea]

Originally posted by Hayam:

General Duke..."The Road" was amazing, I cried like a baby at the end !!

Nerd alert. Jk.

[Legend of Zu]

Anyone read "the Bottom Billion"?

[General Duke]

XamarGalle: I will keep your recomendation in mind, I am now just going through fiction and American authors phase.

 

When in Rome do as the Romans, thus its all about the yanks

 

I have just finished both the Road and No Country for Old Men, quite short novels by McCarthy. I am now going to start reading and insha Allah complete A Fine Balance.

 

Hayam, thanks I have never read a Hemingway novel yet.

 

Will get his work next.

Which one do you recomend? The Old man and the Sea is the one I have heard about most.

 

Red Sear Both those works are great, Animal Farm is one of the best books I have come across, everyone should read it.