Posted on 12/30/2004 1:28:19 PM PST by Tanniker Smith
That's the big question. Peter Jackson did justice to Tolkien because he loved the series so much. I have no idea whether the folks putting together the new Naria films are doing it out of love, or because they see the stories as a logical cash-cow follow-up to "LOTR."
I feel ashamed I don't read more fiction. To seek truth, read fiction, a wise man said, (paraphrased and I don't remember who,) and so I turn to literature and avoid all topical titles when I do read non-fiction. Who'll read Ann Whatshername's latest and greatest in two, three years?
The Hanson book is on my "to be read" stack, but I'm not familiar with Miniter. Thanks, I'll take at look at his stuff.
I didn't understand what you're referring to until about four years ago (praying-through the election). Since then, prayer has become for me the noblest of activities.
...BTW, I like your screen name.
Ayn is worth a read, just because of her influence on political thinking. Atlas Shrugged is her seminal work. If you read it, you can skip the rest.
I wouldn't exactly call it a page turner, but it's got enough plot to keep most readers interested. There are two long sermons (er, I mean, long polemics by major characters) that you might as well skim or skip.
Ayn Rand is neither the goddess/philosopher her adherents claim, nor the demoness her detractors claim. I mostly salute her for being willing to publish her stuff in an era that was 180 degrees opposed to her individualistic philosophy. As a Russian immigrant, she hated collectivism with a passion, and that passion comes through. She does a pretty good job of dramatizing why socialism is guaranteed to fail in the long run. In many respects, her work is a fictional complement to "The Road to Serfdom" by F A Hayek, which also explained why socialism inevitably fails.
A fair warning - Atlas Shrugged will drag at points. But I think it's worthwhile to finish it.
Thanks, you've made me feel a bit better! Sometimes...reading all the books folks here read makes me feel very dense...
Don't for one moment let it make you feel that way. People get their experiences from all sorts of different venues. Some love to read, some love music, some love nature, some the company of people. Having a passion for one doesn't make you any less or any better than another person. Just have a passion for something.
Thank you very much. I'll at least give it a go. :)
I guess that'd be a good New Year's resolution!
I used to read nothing but fiction books, now all I read is non-fiction. Who cares? If you're anything like me, what you do greatly changes with your mood. If what you read makes you happy, I say go with it full throttle. It's one of the few vices in life we can have that please us thoroughly and yet will hurt no one.
Give him another chance. His best is Starship Troopers by far. Won the Hugo award for it. Don't let the title fool you, or the terrible movie "adaption". It's a classic.
Read all the Ender books. Enjoyed them thoroughly. I thought the story of Bean in Ender's Shadow was particularly good.
A Short History of Nerely Everything, A Walk in the Woods - both by Bill Bryson
Oh no! Bryson is a huge lib. :(
So what. Don't let your politics get in the way of a good read. These books are about the origin of the universe and the Appalachian trail for cripes sakes. He's a damn good author. He's not trying to talk you into voting for any democrats...
I just found the Illiad and Odeyssey, however their spelled, for free at Project Gutenburg.... Plato's Republic... hmmmm... he's too lefty for me =o)
I understand that the Chronicles of Narnia and Ender's Game are being turned into movies. I hope they do a better job than they did with Starship Troopers.
Tom Clancy - Teeth of the Tiger
Tom Clancy - Sea of Fire (OpCenter)
Bernie Goldberg - Arrogance
Start Your Own Bar and Tavern(Plan on opening an Irish Pub someday)
I also read FR's own Travis McGee's - Enemies Foreign and Domestic
Me. From the thrift store bargain bin =o)
I also read Zell Miller's "National Party No More"
I'd love to read it someday.
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