Books, Books, Books

[Wideleft]

Here's your place to discuss your favorite books, great books, interesting books, upcoming books and books in between.  I don't consider myself well-read because I only read in bed and always fall asleep, but I have read a lot of interesting stuff in my life.

This book review has piqued my interest and thought I'd share via a new thread rather than burying it in another thread.

A terrifying, riveting portrait of the KKK in the 1920s

Timothy Egan’s ‘A Fever in the Heartland’ recounts how one man sparked the group’s resurgence in Indiana

Review by Richard Just

May 18, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. EDT

 

 

Why are people drawn to demagogues? Why have millions of citizens of democracies chosen, from time to time over the centuries, to pledge fealty to leaders whose actions — political and personal — are obviously repugnant? What could possibly be the appeal?

 

These questions hover over Timothy Egan’s excellent new work of narrative nonfiction. “A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them” is a highly readable chronicle of how the early-20th-century Klan resurrected itself following decades of dormancy; how it obtained millions of converts, not only in the South but throughout the country; and how, by the 1920s, it had infiltrated all levels of the U.S. government. But it is also a terrifying study of one particular Klan leader — a rapist and bigot who managed, in a matter of years, to acquire a vast popular following and to become the unelected boss of Indiana politics, all while formulating plans to propel himself to the White House.

 

D.C. Stephenson, born in Texas, was a drifter with an amoral entrepreneurial streak, and he happened to find himself in Evansville, Ind., in the early ’20s, a moment when the national Ku Klux Klan was rapidly expanding and seeking inroads in Northern states. “He was a young man on the make, and a quick learner,” Egan writes. “His new life in Evansville was a dash and a dodge, just a few steps ahead of the multiple lives he’d left behind.” Stephenson was hired by a Klan recruiter, and he “presented a plan to leadership: He would conquer all of Indiana for the Ku Klux Klan, not just a bridgehead in Evansville.”

He fulfilled this plan with shocking speed. The Klan’s agenda of white supremacy turned out to be all too popular among rank-and-file Hoosiers, who began joining the terrorist group en masse. Many institutions — especially Protestant churches, whose ministers the Klan bribed — were quickly co-opted. Within years, “the Klan owned the state, and Stephenson owned the Klan,” Egan writes. “Cops, judges, prosecutors, ministers, mayors, newspaper editors — they all answered to the Grand Dragon. … Most members of the incoming state legislature took orders from the hooded order, as did the majority of the congressional delegation.” And this hate-filled reign might have continued if not for the decision of Madge Oberholtzer, who was raped by Stephenson in 1925, to speak out. Her bravery set in motion a trial and conviction that ensured that Stephenson would spend decades in prison. The Klan was humiliated in the eyes of the public, and its power in Indiana began to wane.

Egan is a meticulous researcher and, perhaps especially, a skilled storyteller. His reconstruction of Stephenson’s deplorable arc — his lie-fueled rise, his vile charisma, his ultimate fall — is a master class in the tools of narrative nonfiction: high stakes, ample suspense and sweeping historical phenomena made vivid through the dramatic actions of individual villains and heroes.

But it was the question of “why” — why did so many people place their trust and admiration in this self-evidently horrible man and his fellow terrorists? — that I found myself returning to in the days after finishing this book.

The most fundamental answer, unfortunately, is that bigotry — xenophobia, antisemitism and particularly racism — has always managed to find a receptive audience in American life. Depending on the moment and the context, that audience can be large or small, but it invariably seems to exist in some form. “A vein of hatred,” Egan writes, “was always there for the tapping.”

Yet the Klan benefited from other factors as well. William Simmons, founder of the 20th-century Klan, said his group was aided by early attempts to discredit it, including congressional hearings. “It wasn’t until the newspapers began to attack the Klan that it really grew,” Simmons said. “And then Congress gave us the best advertising we ever got.”

As for Stephenson, Egan notes how adeptly he manipulated the public: “He discovered that if he said something often enough, no matter how untrue, people would believe it. Small lies were for the timid.” Egan also suggests that Stephenson’s abhorrent personal behavior may have actually, for a time, reinforced his popularity. The year before he raped Oberholtzer, he was briefly detained after attempting to rape a manicurist at a hotel and severely beating a bellhop. In the wake of this episode, Egan notes, many Klan members “chose selective amnesia,” and “some were even impressed. For here was a man liberated from shame, a man who not only boasted of being able to get away with any violation of human decency for his entire life, but had just proved it for all to see.”

More sensible citizens, meanwhile, may have been caught unaware. Stephenson and his allies demonstrated what demagogues throughout history have discovered: Odd-seeming movements can migrate from the fringes to the center in the blink of an eye. Egan quotes Robert Coughlan, from Kokomo, Ind., who wrote about the town’s embrace of the Klan. “It first appealed to the ignorant, the slightly unbalanced and the venal,” Coughlan explained, “but by the time the enlightened elements realized the danger it was already on top of them.”

A press that inadvertently makes itself complicit in the rise of demagogues by showering them with attention; habitual liars who successfully blur the distinction between truth and fabrication through endless repetition of falsehoods; leaders admired by loyal followers in part because of their moral transgressions; a movement that begins with the unbalanced and venal before conquering the mainstream: Maybe this all sounds depressingly familiar to you in 2023. Egan mostly resists making explicit parallels to the present, but they lurk just below the surface of this well-crafted and thoughtful book — a grim, necessary reminder that the difficult-to-fathom appeal of the most unappealing extremists never really goes away.

Richard Just is a former editor of The Washington Post Magazine, National Journal magazine and the New Republic.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/18/fever-heartland-ku-klux-klan-timothy-egan-review/

 

[Noeller]

I generally have 2 or 3 on the go at all times. I don't read a TON of new material, but always read the new Grisham when it arrives each fall. I like to read a lot of Manitoba-based stuff, and am currently reading the newly updated Bart Kives "Daytripper's Guide To Manitoba" and his co-written "Stuck In The Middle 2: Views Of Manitoba" which I'm also enjoying. Every year at this time, I re-read Bob Irving's curated Winnipeg Blue Bombers 75th Anniversary book, so I've got that going as well. 

[Wideleft]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

I generally have 2 or 3 on the go at all times. I don't read a TON of new material, but always read the new Grisham when it arrives each fall. I like to read a lot of Manitoba-based stuff, and am currently reading the newly updated Bart Kives "Daytripper's Guide To Manitoba" and his co-written "Stuck In The Middle 2: Views Of Manitoba" which I'm also enjoying. Every year at this time, I re-read Bob Irving's curated Winnipeg Blue Bombers 75th Anniversary book, so I've got that going as well. 

I read almost exclusively non-fiction and this book about a couple of Manitoba brothers had a huge impact on me.  As someone who grew up in the country (but not in their area), it really reinforced the fact that you really never know the full story about your neighbours and no one should judge them too harshly because you don't know what they are going through.  It really is an incredible and heartbreaking story.

The true story of David and Dennis Pischke and how they survived more than a decade of starvation and abuse at the hands of their violently unstable step-father.

Disturbing, heart-wrenching account of survival that becomes a surprising testament to the strength and adaptability of the human spirit.

First released in 1996, Where Children Run became an instant best-seller.
A timeless, important book that once picked up, can't be put down until the final page is turned. A story not easily forgotten.

https://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/9780968124260/karen-emilson/where-children-run?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmZejBhC_ARIsAGhCqncGRH6AmFgqkfoI39zv8KAvcHKMLrwEXY3aPXlT8ETAns7FyoYZfO4aAi7iEALw_wcB

Edited May 18, 2023 by Wideleft

[Wideleft]

Another Manitoba book- this one written by a friend.  Great read about a really good small-town curler (with amazing recollection) who couldn't quite break into the next level.  Available only on amazon (as far as I know).

Everyman - noun - an ordinary or typical human being.

You don't have to be a pro to be rewarded by the game of curling.

The Everyman Curler is told in a very relatable curler's voice. With humour and humility, Kujanpaa describes a unique blend of life events that shaped the way he experienced the game. You'll be introduced to memorable real-life characters, intense rivalries, and the life long quest to climb the competition ladder.

The link between curling, animal tranquilizer, helicopters, and psychology is unexpected, but it's all here in this highly entertaining memoir. It'll make you smile.

https://www.amazon.ca/Everyman-Curler-Stories-Could-Tell-ebook/dp/B08WR73LSQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PCDHGB0WUX02&keywords=Rae+Kujanpaa&qid=1684426984&sprefix=rae+kujanpaa%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-1

Edited May 19, 2023 by Wideleft

[the watcher]

Hey thanks for starting this thread. I do most of my reading over the winter. Usually non-fiction but with a bit of fiction sprinkled in here and there. I've found myself diving back into a few that I already read and had buried deep in my cluttered office. A Fever in the Heartland looks interesting. Last winter I re- read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, American Fascists by Chris Hedges , Lake Agassiz by Bill Redekop and re-read The Pioneer Years by Barry Broadfoot.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by the watcher

[JCon]

Currently reading a few books...

The Genius of Birds 

An award-winning science writer tours the globe to reveal what makes birds capable of such extraordinary feats of mental prowess Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. According to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores their newly discovered brilliance and how it came about.

 

 

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

 

Also reading the third Percy Jackson book with the youngest. 

I'm reading Amulet (a graphic novel series) at my son's request. He loves the series. 

Next on my wish list is A Theory of Crows by David Robertson. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 Books, books, books! C'mon, Sal! The Tigers are reading...tonight. I never miss a chapter.

[Wilbur]

Great thread! My previous career was as a librarian so obviously I love to read lol.

My favorite genre is crime fiction and sports biographies, but every so often read fantasy. Not that big on sci-fi.

My favorite authors:

James Lee Burke

Ian Rankin

Peter Lovesey

Mike Lupica

Joe Abercrombie

Currently reading CJ Box and his newest novel, 'Storm Watch'. On deck if you will is 'Shoe Dog', Phil Knight's(Founder of Nike) memoir.

[Mark H.]

I don't have time to read until July rolls around - tired eyes by the time marking, planning and other screen time is done for the day

Some books that I have read myself or with students, that particularly stood out:

Night by Elie Wiesel 

 

The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico 

 

The Pearl by John Steinbeck 

Towards a Prairie Atonement by Trevor Herriott

Under the Ribs of Death by John Marilyn

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Who Has Seen the Wind by W.O. Mitchell

 

Any historic books by Gordon Goldsborough. 

Tons of other classics that you will already know about.

[Noeller]

3 hours ago, Wideleft said:

Another Manitoba book written by a friend.  Great read about a really good small-town curler (with amazing recollection) who couldn't quite break into the next level.  Available only on amazon (as far as I know).

Everyman - noun - an ordinary or typical human being.

You don't have to be a pro to be rewarded by the game of curling.

The Everyman Curler is told in a very relatable curler's voice. With humour and humility, Kujanpaa describes a unique blend of life events that shaped the way he experienced the game. You'll be introduced to memorable real-life characters, intense rivalries, and the life long quest to climb the competition ladder.

The link between curling, animal tranquilizer, helicopters, and psychology is unexpected, but it's all here in this highly entertaining memoir. It'll make you smile.

https://www.amazon.ca/Everyman-Curler-Stories-Could-Tell-ebook/dp/B08WR73LSQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PCDHGB0WUX02&keywords=Rae+Kujanpaa&qid=1684426984&sprefix=rae+kujanpaa%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-1

When I was working in Dauphin, I curled against Rae often... knew him well back then. Good guy, good curler! He knows my friends, the Forsyths, quite well....

[Noeller]

3 hours ago, the watcher said:

Hey thanks for starting this thread. I do most of my reading over the winter. Usually non-fiction but with a bit of fiction sprinkled in here and there. I've found myself diving back into a few that I already read and had buried deep in my cluttered office. A Fever in the Heartland looks interesting. Last winter I re- read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, American Fascists by Chris Hedges , Lake Agassiz by Bill Redekop and re-read The Pioneer Years by Barry Broadfoot.

 

I'm intrigued by this and will dive deeper. Bill's "Stories From The Road" is absolutely fabulous, filled with great features he wrote for the FreeP about rural Manitoba (my favourite subject!) 

[Mark F]

6 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Some books that I have read myself

just a bit of light stuff eh? (   joke)  those are very interesting to me. thanks.

here's one for you, if you have not already read it. brilliant book, called one of the greatest travel books ever written. Samuel Hearne's journal. free on line.

 fascinating. I honestly think first nations people should read this book, since it depicts so clearly the amazing skills, resilience, tenacity of their ancestors. and their normal human flaws.

also writes about animal life. he had a pet beaver that lived  in his house.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38404/38404-h/38404-h.htm

and ...

This is one of the best books I have read recently,  Life in Germany in the 1920's, for the underclass.

"Berlin Alexanderplatz (German: [bɛʁˈliːn ʔalɛkˈsandɐˌplats]) is a 1929 novel by Alfred Döblin. It is considered one of the most important and innovative works of the Weimar Republic.[1] In a 2002 poll of 100 noted writers the book was named among the top 100 books of all time.[2]

Summary

The story concerns a murderer, Franz Biberkopf, fresh from prison. When his friend murders the prostitute on whom Biberkopf has been relying as an anchor, he realizes that he will be unable to extricate himself from the underworld into which he has sunk. He must deal with misery, lack of opportunities, crime and the imminent ascendency of Nazism. During his struggle to survive against all odds, life rewards him with an unsuspected surprise but his happiness will not last as the story continues."

have to get the right translation, although perhaps some could read it in German.

thanks everyone for this thread, discussion, book suggestions.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Mark F

[WildPath]

Love the thread. I go through times where I am a voracious reader, but I almost always have a book on the go, even during my busy times.

I tend to read lighter fiction when I need something to calm down after a long day. Grisham, Crichton, stuff like that.

Some of the books I most frequently recommend most to others:

Finding The Mother Tree (Suzanne Simard) - Fantastic research about how plants communicate and share resources with one another.

Confessions of an Economic Hitman (John Perkins) - International relations. How developing and underdeveloped countries have been exploited by for corporate capitalism.

A Short History of Progress (Ronald Wright) - Insightful book about how progress can be a sham. I found the illustrated version especially interesting.

A few that I could think of right away....

 

6 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Any historic books by Gordon Goldsborough.

Assuming you caught his session at SAGE a few years back about wetlands? I really liked it.

[Mark H.]

1 hour ago, WildPath said:

Assuming you caught his session at SAGE a few years back about wetlands? I really liked it.

@WildPath I did not. I usually attend/present for Social Studies at SAGE.

@Mark F yes I am very familiar with Hearne and a whole pile of other fur trade history. His journals were transcribed by David Thompson. 

[the watcher]

Wild path said " tend to read lighter fiction when I need something to calm down after a long day. Grisham, Crichton, stuff like that."

I often read before I sleep to calm my mind. Lol My rule is when I start reading the same paragraph for the 3rd time, turn the light off and go to sleep. Last winter I found I was spending way to much time staring at screens so I self imposed some rules about reading instead.

It was interesting to re- read The Lord of the Rings. I had read it in the 1970s then again in the late 80s or early 90s to my kids. What I really noticed this time was the difference  between the movies and the books. All the characters and the story itself is so much richer  in the books . Gandalf is more wizardry, the bond between Frodo and Sam is so much stronger, the elves more fantastical. It's an interesting example of how deeper and richer the written word can be. I think it is very rare that it is the other way around. Perhaps my only example would be The Commitments by Roddy Doyle. Perhaps because the movie( one of my favorites of all time ) is packed with some fantastic music.

Anyway,  great thread and thanks for some great reading suggestions everyone.

 

 

[Mark F]

32 minutes ago, the watcher said:

I think it is very rare that it is the other way around.

another example is clockwork orange... the movie is almost as good as the book. treasure of the Sierra madre, the movie is quite a bit better than the book.

 

11 hours ago, WildPath said:

Confessions of an Economic Hitman (John Perkins) - I

I have heard him on democracy now, sounds plausible, but he has a website where he sells crystals and other kind of stuff that made me wonder. not sure if there has ever been any confirmation of what he says he did.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Mark F

[Wideleft]

1 hour ago, the watcher said:

Wild path said " tend to read lighter fiction when I need something to calm down after a long day. Grisham, Crichton, stuff like that."

I often read before I sleep to calm my mind. Lol My rule is when I start reading the same paragraph for the 3rd time, turn the light off and go to sleep. Last winter I found I was spending way to much time staring at screens so I self imposed some rules about reading instead.

It was interesting to re- read The Lord of the Rings. I had read it in the 1970s then again in the late 80s or early 90s to my kids. What I really noticed this time was the difference  between the movies and the books. All the characters and the story itself is so much richer  in the books . Gandalf is more wizardry, the bond between Frodo and Sam is so much stronger, the elves more fantastical. It's an interesting example of how deeper and richer the written word can be. I think it is very rare that it is the other way around. Perhaps my only example would be The Commitments by Roddy Doyle. Perhaps because the movie( one of my favorites of all time ) is packed with some fantastic music.

Anyway,  great thread and thanks for some great reading suggestions everyone.

 

 

Forrest Gump the book is absolutely hilarious - far more absurdity (which I love).

The movie Field of Dreams is the one that stands out for me as far better than the book.  The book is really a bit of a mess, in my opinion.

[Tracker]

My favourites:

[Mark F]

21 minutes ago, Wideleft said:

Forrest Gump the book is absolutely hilarious

The book is very funny the movie was a very weak rendering, nothing like the book.  some books should not be attempted. catch 22 for instance. in the book you come to understand what catch 22 meant without it ever being specifically explained. I saw the movie, and at  one point one character tells another what catch 22 meant. right then I knew the book could not be made into a movie successfully.

[Mark F]

On 2023-05-18 at 9:46 AM, JCon said:

Currently reading a few books...

re post columbian history of First nations people.... this trilogy is must read. Eduardo

Galeano. beautifully written, poetic, historical books which are Very emotionally disturbing.

SORRY.  Posted the wrong title. same author.

it is 

https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Fire-Trilogy-Genesis-Century-ebook/dp/B00JK55998

 

"Weaving fact and imagery into a rich tapestry, Galeano never faltered as he fused scientific analysis of an immense vault of historical material, with the impassioned perspective of plundered peoples.  Readers in all manner of great historical, economic, political, and social writing have found in Open Veins of Latin America a singularly rigorous analytical achievement which never lost vigor, an overwhelming narrative that makes history speak, unforgettably."

 

 

just put hold on thomas king book, thanks.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Mark F

[Wideleft]

Currently on my night stand:

Brexit. Trump. Ford Nation. In this timely book, David Moscrop asks why we make irrational political decisions and whether our stone-age brains can process democracy in the information age.

In an era overshadowed by income inequality, environmental catastrophes, terrorism at home and abroad, and the decline of democracy, Moscrop argues that the political decision-making process has never been more important. In fact, our survival may depend on it.

Drawing on both political science and psychology, Moscrop examines how our brains, our environment, the media, and institutions influence decision-making. Making good decisions is not impossible, Moscrop argues, but the psychological and political odds are sometimes stacked against us. In this readable and provocative investigation of our often-flawed decisions, Moscrop explains what's going wrong in today's political landscape and how individuals, societies, and institutions can work together to set things right.

In the absence of motorized boats and gondolas, Venice's waters have returned to a sparkling blue color. Deer have been spotted roaming cities in Italy, and mountain goats recently took over a small seaside town in Wales. Taking advantage of the decreased boat traffic, whales have returned to roaming Vancouver's harbours. The absence of "regular" human activities has dramatically affected our environment. In this book, Bob McDonald turns his focus to global energy sources, and shows how the global shutdowns may have been exactly what we needed to show us that a greener future is achievable.

This is not another "wake-up call," and not another plea to heed the climate science. This is an exploration of the incredible technologies that our species can use to get out of the mess we've made for ourselves. It is a work of immense optimism, to counteract the sense of doom that hangs over most discussions of the environment.

Many alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal have been available for decades--but they alone will not be enough. Additional power will come from small nuclear reactors the size of an office desk, and space-based solar power satellites with enormous mirrors that can capture sunlight, convert it to microwaves, and beam it to the ground to light up entire cities. Energy will be captured from waves, tides, and hydrogen. Vehicles will no longer have tailpipes that emit smog particles. Food will be sourced locally.

Green technology is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy, and will only continue to skyrocket as current products improve their performance and new products emerge. A new green age is upon us--let this book be your guide to the future.

"Anand Giridharadas shows the way we get real progressive change in America--by refusing to write others off, building more welcoming movements, and rededicating ourselves to the work of changing minds." --Robert B. Reich, best-selling author of The System

The lifeblood of any free society is persuasion: changing other people's minds in order to change things. But America is suffering a crisis of faith in persuasion that is putting its democracy and the planet itself at risk. Americans increasingly write one another off instead of seeking to win one another over. Debates are framed in moralistic terms, with enemies battling the righteous. Movements for justice build barriers to entry, instead of on-ramps. Political parties focus on mobilizing the faithful rather than wooing the skeptical. And leaders who seek to forge coalitions are labeled sellouts.

In The Persuaders, Anand Giridharadas takes us inside these movements and battles, seeking out the dissenters who continue to champion persuasion in an age of polarization. We meet a leader of Black Lives Matter; a trailblazer in the feminist resistance to Trumpism; white parents at a seminar on raising adopted children of color; Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; a team of door knockers with an uncanny formula for changing minds on immigration; an ex-cult member turned QAnon deprogrammer; and, hovering menacingly offstage, Russian operatives clandestinely stoking Americans' fatalism about one another.

As the book's subjects grapple with how to call out threats and injustices while calling in those who don't agree with them but just might one day, they point a way to healing, and changing, a fracturing country.

David Steinberg's name has been synonymous with comedy for decades. The Canadian-born comedian, producer, writer, director, and author has been called "a comic institution himself" by the New York Times. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 140 times (second only to Bob Hope), and directed episodes of popular television sitcoms, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, The Golden Girls, and Designing Women. From 2012-2015, Steinberg hosted the comedy documentary series Inside Comedy, which featured such comedy greats as Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, and Gary Shandling.

In this entertaining history of comedy, Steinberg shares insightful memories of his journey through his career and takes the reader behind the curtain of the comedy scene of the last half-century. Steinberg shares amusing and often hilarious stories and anecdotes from some of the most legendary comedians in the industry--from Groucho Marx, Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, and Richard Pryor to Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Tina Fey. Inside Comedy presents in-depth portraits of some of the most talented and revered comedians in the world of comedy today.

Don't bother unless you like stories of wanton killing of wildlife in the early 1800's.  David Thompson's journals are far more interesting, insightful and descriptive:  https://electriccanadian.com/makers/davidthompsonsnar.pdf

 

 

A fascinating read.  Made the WaPo's best of the year list.

For fans of The Wager and Mutiny on the Bounty comes a thrilling true tale of power, obsession, and betrayal at the edge of the world.

In 1808, an American merchant ship happened upon an uncharted island in the South Pacific and unwittingly solved the biggest nautical mystery of the era: the whereabouts of a band of fugitives who, after seizing their vessel, had disappeared into the night with their Tahitian companions. 
 
Pitcairn Island was the perfect hideaway from British authorities, but after nearly two decades of isolation its secret society had devolved into a tribalistic hellscape; a real-life Lord of the Flies, rife with depravity and deception.
 
Seven generations later, the island's diabolical past still looms over its 48 residents; descendants of the original mutineers, marooned like modern castaways. Only a rusty cargo ship connects Pitcairn with the rest of the world, just four times a year.  
 
In 2018, Brandon Presser rode the freighter to live among its present-day families; two clans bound by circumstance and secrets. While on the island, he pieced together Pitcairn's full story: an operatic saga that holds all who have visited in its mortal clutch--even the author. 
 
Told through vivid historical and personal narrative, The Far Land goes beyond the infamous mutiny on the Bounty, offering an unprecedented glimpse at life on the fringes of civilization, and how, perhaps, it's not so different from our own. 

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Wideleft

[Noeller]

re: books into movies...... Grisham's The Rainmaker still makes me angry. Maybe my favourite of his tombs, and the movie was just awful in comparison. They changed so much of the dialogue, gave lines that one person said to another person entirely.....changed the tone...... so many things. Man I was really frustrated because I so badly wanted it to be good. Damon, Devito, Glover and more......sigh. 

[blue_gold_84]

Currently on this:

 A talented musician but more importantly, a profoundly awesome human.

Next up:

Sapiens and 21 Lessons were excellent reads, so I'm looking forward to this one.

[Wideleft]

Finished this a few months ago.  So much information about so much, but also about how science "worked" over the last couple centuries or so.  I want to reread it and tab about 75 pages.

The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, A Short History of Nearly Everything is the biggest-selling popular science book of the 21st century, and reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.

Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization - how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us. Bill Bryson's challenge is to take subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry and particle physics, and see if there isn't some way to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science.

[JCon]

15 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

Currently on this:

 A talented musician but more importantly, a profoundly awesome human.

Next up:

Sapiens and 21 Lessons were excellent reads, so I'm looking forward to this one.

Sapiens was better but Homo Deus is still interesting.