Jynxx 4 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Correct. I liked the historical background. She has done a lot more research of the area and history, especially looking at it from the Ottoman side. Actually, I thought the end bit got too hurried because I was getting used to the pace and felt some stories cut short/untold. Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Wild Swans: Three daughters of China - Jung Chang It seems to be a big fat book but written so that it is easy to follow and easy to maintain interest. That said I only started it last night. It hasn't hooked me yet, but I have nothing else to read. Sigh. I'm down the the very last of my xmas books from my uncle (he gives me a 50cmx50cmx50cm boxful every year.) Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Good uncle. I enjoyed that one Minty. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Just finished "why does e=mc²?" Good read. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 it'd be great if there was a synopsis of what you read or even an impression of the book. Good for wanting to research more or dimiss it as a magazine. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 And why does it, Rob? Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 because nature says so. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Reading the god delusion now. some good arguments in there for there not being a god. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 why are there arguments for there not being a god. That's obvious. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 what arguments do you have for there not being a god? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 whose god doesn't exist? all of them? Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 God as in god. Whatever you call him/her/it. The omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresent one. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain whose god doesn't exist? all of them? yeah. all of them. All of them used as way by small minded despots to control the uneducated masses Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright Reading the god delusion now. some good arguments in there for there not being a god. Haven't read the book but I love the author's cold cutting delivery. He comes off like a right bastard IMO re. religion "Whatever gets you through the night" Just don't try to try to lay it on me. Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright Reading the god delusion now. some good arguments in there for there not being a god. Haven't read it myself, but Dawkins and a creationist write their books as replies to each other, so it may pay to research a bit and find out the correct order to read their responses in. Could be a laugh. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Just read Shogun by James Clavell, great read about an Englishmen that washes up in Japan in the 1500s although its almost like he got sick of writing it as the end is rather abrupt and seemed contrieved. Still good fodder for many hours of long haul travelling. Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Originally Posted By: panhead_pete Just read Shogun by James Clavell, great read about an Englishmen that washes up in Japan in the 1500s although its almost like he got sick of writing it as the end is rather abrupt and seemed contrieved. Still good fodder for many hours of long haul travelling. Ooo, I've only read noble house (in the same series, but set in Hong Kong in the 60's) and I found the same thing - the end wraps up in pages, yet the book covers a period of only about 1 week in incredible detail. Seems strange. I did enjoy it immensely, but the only Clavell book I can ever find at my local second hand is the one based in the middle east. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Tai-pan is also a great Clavell book. I've read all of the asian saga and have to say that Tai-pan and Shogun are deffo the best. Whirlwind (set in Iran) is probably my least favourite Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 I'm a hundred pages into Noble House but difficult to find long solid blocks of time to read.... Been through the others years ago when I had more time. Gotta like Clavell Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Boy they are some old books can't even remember what year I read Shogun and Tia-Pan but not a bad read. Just read 'Einstein: His Life and Universe'. Worth a look! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Noble house. Saw parts of the TV series. What a load of bollocks. Dunno about the book, but if it was like the TV series, then a good case for book burning. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Silly but good fun. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Yeah Noble House and Gaijin, while decent reads, did start to become hard work in places. I read Tai-pan first and then Shogun, then went and read the others in the order they came. Clavell does weave an intricate story. As does Bryce Courtney. I've read a few of his as well, Three Fires is my fave, but Potato Factory is good too once you get through the first chapters that are concerned with why the characters were transported to Australia for crimes against humanity! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Perhaps less fiction and more history. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Gord knows why, but I picked up "The Tempest" and am struggling to make any headway. Link to post Share on other sites
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