JOURNAL ENTRY #26
October 1, 2008
The other evening we were watching The Fall of the Roman Empire, a 1960's extravaganza with an All-Star cast, including Sophia Loren and James Mason, with Alec Guinness as Marcus Aurelius. That eventually sent me looking for my copy of the Meditations. But I couldn't find it, and it was just one more occasion of hunting all over the house for a book that had walked off. So I settled in to reorganize the library. In doing so, I came across a number of titles that I enjoyed, some recently, some long ago. In no particular order, here are a golden dozen:
- The Symbolic Species, Terrence W. Deacon (1997): The evolution of language, symbolic thinking, and the mind as something more than simply a glorified computer. One of those books that changed my perspective forever.
- The Game Is Afoot, edited by Marvin Kaye (1995): A thoroughly enjoyable collection of Sherlock Holmes stories by August Derleth, ZaSu Pitts, Poul Anderson, Bret Harte, O. Henry, Basil Rathbone, and lots of others. A gloriously good time.
- Across the Wide Missouri, Berbard DeVoto (1947): Next to using a time machine, this might be the best way to get a sense of life in the Rockies during the 1830's, and how it impacted the nation we eventually became.
- At Home in the Universe, Stuart Kauffman (1995): The universe organizes itself. Were we inevitable? Kauffman ranges over a wide range of topics, from complexity and the beginning of life to the logic of civilization. Another game-changer.
- A History of the Ancient World, Chester G. Starr (1983): A concise, comprehensive examination of the roots and early years of civilization. From paleolithic times through the Near East, to the halcyon years of the Hellenic World and the Glory that was Rome, and ultimately to her collapse.
- The Haunted Bookshop, Christopher Morley (1919): A remarkable second-hand bookshop in Brooklyn. One for the ages.
- A Devil's Chaplain, Richard Dawkins (2003): A biologist looks at civilization and the world, and asks some hard questions about our willingness to believe what people in authority tell us. No matter how unreasonable the assertions may be.
- Mark Twain Speaking, edited by Paul Fatout (1976): Mark Twain's lectures, interviews, and after-dinner speeches, from 1864 to 1909, in chronological order. I've always felt that Mark Twain's shorter work is his most compelling. I'd have liked very much to have been in the audience for one of these. Anyhow, endlessly entertaining.
- Not So!, Paul F. Boller, Jr. , (1995): 'Popular Myths About America from Columbus to Clinton.' Did Millard Fillmore really install the first bathtub in the White House? Did the Founding Fathers really believe in democracy? Did FDR know in advance the Pearl Harbor attack was coming? Are Americans more inclined to bash their presidents than in the old days? Get the facts in Boller's exhilarating and enlightening stroll through American history.
- Shield of the Republic, Michael T. Isenberg (1993). 'The US Navy in an era of cold war and violent peace, 1945-1962.' This one caught my eye at least partially because it covers my own years in the Navy. New technology, strategy, high drama and political fallout as we go eye-to-eye with the Soviets.
- Civilisation, Kenneth Clark (1969): An adaptation of the exquisite PBS TV series. The fragility and beauty of the civilized world, and the barbarians, who are always at the gates.
- Three-Upmanship, Stephen Potter (1950): This is actually three books in one: The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship, Some Notes on Lifemanship, and One-Upmanship. To provide a sense of the contents, the subtitle of the first book is 'The Art of Winning Games Without Actually Cheating.' One of the more memorable quotes: 'If you're not one up, you're one down.' Basically, it's a primer on ensuring that your opponent always plays with the sun in his eyes.
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Two new stories have just become available: "Molly's Kids" in Fast Forward 2, edited by Lou Anders; and "Welcome to Valhalla," cowritten with Kathryn Lance, in the current (Dec) issue of Asimov's. Two new stories have just become available: "Molly's Kids" in Fast Forward 2, edited by Lou Anders; and "Welcome to Valhalla," cowritten with Kathryn Lance, in the current (Dec) issue of Asimov's. Also, "Tweak" has been reprinted in The Best of Jim Baen's Universe.
Jack
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