Current Non-Fiction reads

[Cosimah2o]

Carnets du Vertige - Louis Lachenal .
Beyond the Mountain - Steve House .

​

 

[beer good]

The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence by Paul Davies. Written for the 50th anniversary of SETI, it's not merely a history of the search for alien intelligence, but also of the methodology that underlies it - both in terms of how we do it, and what we might feasibly search for. Just read a fascinating chapter on the topic of how likely life is, that asks the question "Well, do we know for sure that life only started once on Earth? Might there be life forms right here and now that aren't related to us in any way whatsoever?"

 

[Cosimah2o]

Montagnes d'une vie - Walter Bonatti .
Les Moulins de Glace : Mémoires d'un Glacionaute - Janot Lamberton .

 

[eclair]

The Revenge of Geography: What the map tells us about coming conflicts and the battle against fate by Robert Kaplan.
Heavy title. Kaplan puts forth that geography has dictated history and so it should play an important role in shaping American Strategy. There are analyses of Russia, Iran, India, China. I've not yet finished the last part, America's Destiny.
It's an interesting read but let down by generalisations and oversimplifications.

 

[sparkchaser]

I keep getting emails from Stratfor about that book. It looked interesting but after reading some reviews, I decided to not read it.

 

[eclair]

You're not missing out. Some of his observations almost feel dated.

 

[eclair]

Vulture's Picnic by Greg Palast.
'Expose' of the shenanigans of government agencies, oil comps and financial peoples. Fun but I can't answer to its reliability, he's not very consistent with source citation.

 

[Peder]

Half-way through The Particle at the End of the Universe by Sean Carroll, but so far it would be my nomination for Science Book of the Year. It's about the Higgs Boson, of course, but he simplifies (even oversimplifies) through metaphor and analogy until there is complete clarity -- a truly amazing achievement in popular science writing! Beats the Hawkings books all hollow. Brian Greene, too, now that I think of it.

 

[Cosimah2o]

Les Plus Belles Courses - Rocher, Neige, Glace et Mixte - Philippe Batoux .

 

[Zaiva]

I'm just finishing reading The Magdalene Legacy, it's been a great book so far.

 

[regdog]

I recently finished Blood on the Sea: American Destroyers Lost in World War II by Robert Sinclair Parkin. A very good but sad look at the lost Destroyers of WW2

 

[Cosimah2o]

À la recherche des Océans disparus dans les montagnes françaises - Christian Nicollet et Christine Laverne
Miradas sobre el Paisaje - Eduardo Martínez de Pisón .
Récoltes et Semailles - Alexander Grothendieck .

​

 

[beer good]

I'm reading Alan Sepinwall's The Revolution Was Televised on the side - basically a history of the massive changes in US TV drama during the 90s and 00s, starting with shows like Oz, The Sopranos and Buffy The Vampire Slayer and continuing through The Wire, Breaking Bad and Mad Men. Lots of fun. Very recommended.

 

[SFG75]

Reading Bob Dylan in America by historian Sean Wilentz. This book is more about his musical and musical writing influences. This book goes into the whole beat vs. folk controversy and documents the interesting friendship between Dylan and Allen Ginsberg. The hilsarious part is how Ginsberg hit on him early on.:lol: This is definitely a good page turner and TONS of references to folk-populist music to Guthrie and others of his era. A real treasure to read thus far.

 

[episkopos]

Reading the Art of Hearing by Dag Heward-Mills. Many voices influence our decisions and choices daily. This book expounds on what to do with what you hear and how to identify the different voices. I just can't put it down...

 

[eclair]

^Religious voices?

 

[Cosimah2o]

CIMES - Groupe de Haute Montagne .
Skieurs du Ciel : Une Histoire Du Ski Extrême - Dominique Potard .
Voyage dans les Glaces - Philippe Bourseiller , Luc Moreau , Alain Couté , Janot Lamberton .

​

 

[Mari Eileen]

Just over halfway through Monster of God by David Quammen. I'm really enjoying his writing style, and already have his other books in my wishlist on Amazon!

Mari
City TabulaRasa

 

[Andy.54Hawken]

Re-reading ADVENTURES IN MEXICO AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 1846-1847 by George Ruxton.
Ruxton was a young Englishman and former soldier who did more living in 27 years than most of us do in our whole lives.
He fought in Spain at the age of eighteen...then served in the English Army....traveled to Africia...and ended up in Mexico and the American Southwest.
Ruxton lived...worked....fought and loved just like the "mountainmen" he met in the Southwest.
He wrote two books about his adventures with them.....Adventures in Mexico and the Rocky Mountains is his journals....LIFE IN THE FAR WEST is the granddaddy of all mountain man novels...
Both are excellent reads...even if written in 1848 and 1849.....very straight forward and direct....
Andy

 

[SFG75]

Reading St. Augustine's Confessions. Not something you want to pick up if you are looking for a quick read. Don't know why, but this kind of thing has interested me as of late.