Non fiction

[Nin]

Frelga, I did not see your post about Debt - sorry, I am here very, very rarely, but today I partially watched the first episode of ROP, so decided to take a glance. I hope that at some moment, you can finish that book. Last summer, Matthias and I read “Dawn” together, that was another interesting read.

Another book which fascinated me (it is derived from a podcast) was The History of the World in 100 Objects” from Neil McGregor. I even did a project about objects and the history they tell with my students after that and this year with my history classes, we’ll make a little exhibition.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Hi Nin!

[Frelga]

Nin! What did you think of ROP?

I haven't finished Debt, although I think I've made a bit more progress. Some day.

I also read Deep Work by Cal Newport, who advocates focusing on the parts of your job that require your expertise. Not exactly groundbreaking, and he speaks from the position of privilege that most of us don't have. But it has some good insights. I'd like to get my boss to read it, as she keeps dumping non-essential tasks on my plate as priorities, and then wondering why the essential tasks are not done.

As an aside, one of the reasons women have trouble with getting ahead at work is that they get stuck with all the non-essential side quests for team building and company culture, that men like Newport just say no to.

[Jude]

Hey Nin! Good to see you!

[Nin]

Frelga, for the moment I did not even finish season 2, episode 1 of ROP. My heart lives less in Middle Earth than it used to. Good to see you, though.

[RoseMorninStar]

My heart yet lives in Middle Earth but too many interpretations don't sit well in my minds eye.

[Inanna]

Nin, even I haven't gone beyond Season 2, Episode 1 of RoP. Am not sure why, though...

And Hi!!

[Snowdog]

Decided to read this book after the recent election. My wife read it earlier and said I'd be interested in it as it has a rather in-depth look into the history of the United States from someone outside the country.

Nick Bryant explains how the hate, divisiveness and paranoia we see today are in fact a core part of America's story. Combining brilliant storytelling, historical research and reportage, Bryant argues that insurrections, massacres, and civil disturbances should sadly not be seen as abnormalities; they are part of the fabric of the history of America.

It's been a very good read so far. It will likely need an added chapter now that the election of 2024 is over.

[Inanna]

Nick Bryant explains how the hate, divisiveness and paranoia we see today are in fact a core part of America's story. Combining brilliant storytelling, historical research and reportage, Bryant argues that insurrections, massacres, and civil disturbances should sadly not be seen as abnormalities; they are part of the fabric of the history of America.

Snowdog, I can say the same for India - massacres, civil disturbances and a political approach in which one party is always persecuting the other.

[narya]

Snowdog and Inanna, yes, and the same for any number of other groups of people. I'm currently reading The Wide, Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides, about Captain Cook's final voyage. It's an extremely thoughtful and well researched book. The author spent quite a bit of time looking at the Tahitians, from both European and Tahitian source material. Despite the idyllic settings and (until the Europeans came along) total lack of interest in possessing Stuff, the Tahitians were constantly at war with the Bora Borans and others. It wasn't clear why, other than it being a perpetual, unstoppable blood feud.

And my Tlingit ancestors, living in a land of plenty and leisure, regularly went on raiding parties to enslave people from neighboring Tlingit villages (even after the Emancipation Proclamation).

[Nin]

Timothy Snyder: On freedom.

Another excellent read.

[RoseMorninStar]

Timothy Snyder: On freedom.

Another excellent read.

I have 'On Tyranny'. Time to give it another read.