Books!

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Famous Mortimer
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Re: Books!

Post by Famous Mortimer »

I just found a signed copy of "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton at a Half-Price Books for $8. At least, a casual check of his signature online means it looks very like the real thing. I read it nearly ten years ago, might give it another go soon.

My next read is "In Plain Sight" by Dan Davies, about British celebrity Jimmy Savile. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/ ... lain-sight - the interesting thing about his case is how certain people in the media clearly knew he had some very dark skeletons in his closet (one comedy panel show made regular digs about him and children) but he was so famous, so beloved, that he was able to carry on til the very end of his life, had a huge funeral that the Prime Minister sent a tribute to, etc.

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misterManager
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Re: Books!

Post by misterManager »

Ball Four is a classic. I would imagine that it would go for a quite a bit at a rare book store, if you were inclined. I'm sitting on a first-print Don DeLillo novel, Libra, right now. Condition is way too good for me to kick it around the house for a year before reading so I'm thinking of going that route. Never have I tried to sell a book so who knows what it will go for in actuality, but it's fun to think about anyway.

Currently I am reading SPQR, by Mary Beard. Great history of Ancient Rome with really great pacing and details. Kind of pertinent to our modern times in some of the themes, and definitely I've been feeling less pessimistic about the American system after reading how batty the Romans could get.

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BottenFieldofDreams
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Re: Books!

Post by BottenFieldofDreams »

This book called 'Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam' and containing the line "if a man acts outrageously enough, disgrace is impossible" is more about goat testicles than Donald Trump, believe it or not.

It's a great book. And really cathartic for our time. I read both Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. are connected to play the subject in separate projects. There is an animated documentary about him called Nuts that is pretty good. But I thought the book was great.

Gashouse
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Re: Books!

Post by Gashouse »

Reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (and soon to be a movie!). I can't put it down.

Freed Roger
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Re: Books!

Post by Freed Roger »

I listen to podcasts with some performance/self-helpy/sciencey aspect all the time - but rarely get to a book like that - after hearing an interview with the author - this may be the one.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

About maximizing and mitigating natural rhythms we have as humans. According to interview, there is loads of data out there now that informs this. Supposedly starting school days early is scientifically dumb- as is cutting out recess, breaks, lunches. Ramifications in the workplace. I adhere to the breaks, obviously.

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Hoot45
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Re: Books!

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Freed Roger wrote:I listen to podcasts with some performance/self-helpy/sciencey aspect all the time - but rarely get to a book like that - after hearing an interview with the author - this may be the one.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

About maximizing and mitigating natural rhythms we have as humans. According to interview, there is loads of data out there now that informs this. Supposedly starting school days early is scientifically dumb- as is cutting out recess, breaks, lunches. Ramifications in the workplace. I adhere to the breaks, obviously.
Sounds very interesting. I went to see if SLPL had it and there are 18 holds on 2 copies. I'll be number 19. Thanks for the recommendation. Hopefully those fools in front of me read fast and return their books on time!

Lately I've been doing a lot of personal finance / lifestyle planning so I just finished Your Money or Your Life and The Millionaire Next Door. I don't love the writing style often found in these sort of books but the philosophies proposed are empowering.

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Re: Books!

Post by Freed Roger »

sighyoung wrote:Image


These were the four favorite books from the graduate class I taught this semester.
I read Pym. Since I'm lousy at finishing books these days, it must have been decent enough. I am probably not the target audience for this story. Even though author fills in the backstory of Poe and his Pym narrative, I'm not familiar enough for the satire to hit.

The fantasy/adventure story is a strange vehicle for commentary on the inherent racism in American literature (if that is what it was). But then again, no stranger than Poe's version of Pym (maybe that was the point.)

Anyhow. I just ordered Watershed by Percival Everett.

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Hoot45
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Re: Books!

Post by Hoot45 »

I'm currently reading What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength by Scott Carney. Has anyone read this or heard of the Wim Hof method? This book has really captivated me.

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heyzeus
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Re: Books!

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Image

Freed Roger
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Re: Books!

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Hoot45 wrote:I'm currently reading What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength by Scott Carney. Has anyone read this or heard of the Wim Hof method? This book has really captivated me.
I have read articles on Hof. Amazing stuff. Said that he is able to tap into body resources that people can rarely/never access -adrenaline or whatever. The method? -at least what he has shared - some sort of focused breathing to get his brain to control his body ?

The article I read seemed to theorize that his methodology may just be a placebo tool of sorts . I dunno. He believes in it and it works (for him).

You trying some of it Hoot?

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