What I'm Reading...
I love to read.
I have a weird habit of reading several books at a time. I often read one or two fiction books at a time, along with various other books.
So I thought I would start posting a list of the current books I am reading.
As I finish them, I will try and review those I think worth reviewing. If you have any comments on the books I'm in the process of reading, I'd love to hear them.
Right now, I'm reading four books.
First up is...
The Law was written by Fredrick Bastiat in 1850. It is basically the opposite of Karl Marx's book, The Communist Manifesto. A refutation of the concept of government plunder and a basic treatise on the proper function of the law.
The next book I'm reading is by one of my favorite Sci-Fi authors, John Scalzi. The book is called "The Collapsing Empire, and is his first entry in his new series called The Interdependency. I'm only about 40 pages in, I started it late last night. So far--pretty great.
The third book I'm reading is..
This book is all about Mark Twain and how he escaped from some seriously crushing debt created by poor financial and business decisions. I'm really enjoying the peek behind the curtain as it relates to one of the great authors to ever come from the United States. A bit of a travelogue, the book follows Mark Twain as he tours the world raising money to pay off his debts by performing for audiences. I'm nearly done this book--I can tell you, if you enjoy historical biographies, this one is well done.
The final book I'm reading is The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell.
This book is a bit much in the violence department for me. I enjoy fast action, fictional fantasy, sci-fi, and thriller. I love any kind of blend of these as well. What I don't always enjoy is over the top or gratuitous violence. I get what the author is doing with the events, but for me it feels fairly dark. I figure I will finish this book...there are only two or three books I have ever not finished. But I probably wouldn't recommend it unless you really like dystopian, zombiesque books with a heavy influence of blood and gore.
I'll be back next week with what I'm reading. Until then, happy reading.
**The image of the books are taken from Amazon Associates and includes links that may provide a revenue stream to me if you happen to click on it and then purchase something from Amazon. Go ahead--click them and see.
Resteems much appreciated.
Follow @bigpanda for more flash fiction, book reviews, and a bit of crypto.
Well done, great work
I hope you found the result important for you!
Thank you for sharing your experience
wow 4 books at one time would blow my mind, I would have keep going back a few pages every time I picked a book up.
I'm a bit weird like that, I like reading several books at a time. I feel like it keeps my mind hopping between different topics and making connections I might not otherwise see.
I miss having the time to read that I had years ago. Sometime in my thirties I switched from preferring fiction to non, and I must admit the first book you mention, The Law by Fredrick Bastiat intrigued me enough I now have to read it. Due to being out of copyright, I was able to get a free copy just now from the Mises Institute on PDF. I have to imagine that Amazon offers it for free on Kindle as well.
Thanks for mentioning it in your post. I have never heard of him, but aligns well with my ideas based on what you have said.
I was first introduced to it by a man who I met when I was campaigning for a local political office. I was so intrigued by the book, I read it multiple times. I am now re-reading in preparation for an essay I want to write. I agree with Bastiat's thoughts on what a government should actually be doing rather than what they think they should be doing. It resonates with me.
I'd love to hear your thoughts after reading it.
Thanks, I will reach out when done. I am not sure what the etiquette is here. Would it be ok to post it back here so as not to disrupt your future posts?
Absolutely--either way is fine with me.
I am maybe a quarter of the way in, or just a little shy of that. Several thoughts have already come to me, some of it bringing up my doubts on democracy. He mentioned universal suffrage, and how the power plays out. It has been one of my concerns over the years, more so as I have watched the country slide into insanity, that democracy is a tool used by the human farmers to give an illusion of freedom while moving the masses with carrots and slogans against those whose chips are targeted at the moment. They will offer a small slice of it to this group or that group while using the masses to pummel down any who protest (right now this is the social justice warrior movement). In times past it was used more as a patriotic theme.
I find that in some ways he was prophetic although I don't know if he lived long enough to realize it. His sense of unease regarding slavery and tariffs was one that shows he was sensitive to where these developments could go. Written not long after Manifest Destiny coupled with the land grab from the natives, I have to wonder if he saw that a government willing to do that could just as easily turn one day on its own citizens and do the same. His sense of praise for the U.S. as a model for securing individual property was an inaccurate one in my opinion, although I agree with him that should be the primary duty of a great government.
I will admit that despite my conservative libertarian leanings, I have my doubts as to the wisdom of a country not enacting tariffs on other countries when they undermine the nations ability to put their people to work. I can recall back to when Pat Buchanon was running against the elder Bush. One of his platforms were tariffs to stop Japan from dumping their product here at a loss to put our companies under. I just had to laugh that back then it was Japan and not China everyone was concerned with. Anyway, he was ridiculed for being a protectionist, laughed at for seeking to "isolate" the U.S. from the world.
I am of the opinion that as long as the wolves surround us, there must be some form of protection offered by the government that ensures the welfare of the citizen is held in a higher esteem than those outside of the nation.
It is an interesting read, one provoking many thoughts I have had fall off as I disconnected almost a year ago from cable TV. I look forward to reading more on it as it raises the questions in my mind I slowed down a lot over the years.
"The Collapsing Empire" this book also one of my favorite book,thank you for your post.
Yeah, I can tell it is going to be a good book. But I really would expect nothing less from Scalzi. He is a fantastic author.
I am happy to see I am not the only one who reads several books at once! I can usually only have one fiction book going at a time or I forget what is what, lol! The more the merrier in the non-fiction department though. :)
I agree--"the more the merrier".
Haha I do the same. Both with my books and what I stream :)
That's funny. I can't do it with visual things like tv and internet. Only reading. You must be very talented @mydivathings. :)
I love to read as well - most is 2 at a time though cos I am always anxious to finish one before I start another. I have no favourites but have some I read over and over, kinda like a security blanket of books. I look forward to your reviews, none of the books your are reading have crossed my iPad yet but am looking forward to knowing which might be on my to read list
I definitely have a few "security blanket" books as well. A few of them I have read dozens of times.
Thanks for sharing i will done up vote I always see your post. And follow you
Thanks @jakir007
Good 👍👍👍
Thanks
how are you today fella ... ??
Always admired Mark Twain and what he did for literature as a whole. Will pick up the book thanks to your recommendation. Cheers!
Excellent story @bigpanda
Thanks @emma28
My hobbies is reading like you my friend, i have a little library in my house, thanks a lot, greeting friendship from me @abialfatih in aceh indonesia
Thanks and greetings to you.
It's useful article. Did you read something by Hesse?
I have not, what book would you recommend?
You could start with Siddhartha.
you are forest gump when it comes to reading !!!
Hahhaha, that's funny.
my dear friend ..i'm new your to blog...very good story..thank you for sharing with us..
Good jop friend.
Thanks for sharing sir
Reference link I add my web browser. @bigpanda
this fiction is really good and very impresive cause i impressed to see it... thanks for sharing this good post....
Good post frieds
a very interesting story, thanks for sharing
wao I love to receive books as a gifts, have you read the Alchemist?
I have! I thought it was fantastic.
yes it was, its gives you a great lesson ,
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I am reading two books right now.
The last wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski, first on The Witcher series.
I am LOVING IT.
Second, Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. Recommendation of my son.
Yeah. I just don't know why I did not read it before. I am totally hooked on it.
Interesting. I do much the same thing, I'm usually reading a book in my room, one in the bathroom and I carry one around for when the opportunity presents itself.
I've never read any of your current selection, but The Law sounds like something I should definitely be reading. Maybe I'll check it out!
nice hobbies
u are a voracious book reader just like me lol