ScottW, let's have a nice, polite discussion

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
did you learn from it?

What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
it?

What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
it? Why or why not?

What book are you reading now?

Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
go?

What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
(More than three is OK too.)

Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

We can see that his complaints about not being able to have polite
discussions are empty.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Mar 31, 8:03*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > did you learn from it?
>
> > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > it?
>
> > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > it? Why or why not?
>
> > What book are you reading now?
>
> > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > go?
>
> > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > (More than three is OK too.)
>
> > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> We can see that his complaints about not being able to have polite
> discussions are empty.

I've tried to engage him in music and audio discussion, but he
refuses. He's here to troll.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 9:01*pm, Boon > wrote:
> On Mar 31, 8:03*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
> > > wrote:
> > > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > > did you learn from it?
>
> > > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > > it?
>
> > > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > > it? Why or why not?
>
> > > What book are you reading now?
>
> > > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > > go?
>
> > > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > > (More than three is OK too.)
>
> > > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> > We can see that his complaints about not being able to have polite
> > discussions are empty.
>
> I've tried to engage him in music and audio discussion, but he
> refuses. He's here to troll.

He's not very good at that either.

It looks like he's pretty worthless.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Mar 31, 9:12*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 9:01*pm, Boon > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 31, 8:03*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
> > > wrote:
> > > On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > > > did you learn from it?
>
> > > > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > > > it?
>
> > > > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > > > it? Why or why not?
>
> > > > What book are you reading now?
>
> > > > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > > > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > > > go?
>
> > > > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > > > (More than three is OK too.)
>
> > > > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> > > We can see that his complaints about not being able to have polite
> > > discussions are empty.
>
> > I've tried to engage him in music and audio discussion, but he
> > refuses. He's here to troll.
>
> He's not very good at that either.
>
> It looks like he's pretty worthless.

Considering how much time he spents on the Internet during working
hours, I bet his supervisors say the same thing.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 9:01*pm, Boon > wrote:
> On Mar 31, 8:03*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
> > > wrote:
> > > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > > did you learn from it?
>
> > > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > > it?
>
> > > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > > it? Why or why not?
>
> > > What book are you reading now?
>
> > > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > > go?
>
> > > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > > (More than three is OK too.)
>
> > > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> > We can see that his complaints about not being able to have polite
> > discussions are empty.
>
> I've tried to engage him in music and audio discussion, but he
> refuses. He's here to troll.

What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?

I'd say (off the top of my head) Anna Karenina, Catch-22 and maybe
David Copperfield. Little Big Man (great movie as well). Two Years
Before the Mast which gives an insightful look into California when
the white (not angry white, just white) population of that state was
probably in the low hundreds.

There are a few military-related books, for example Shelby Foote's
very readable history of the Civil War or "A Few Great Captains", that
are up there too. the Caine Mutiny and Mutiny on the Bounty. The list
goes on and on.

It's kind of funny. I don't think I could possibly stop at three and
ScottW cannot come up with one.

I wonder if ScottW would ever consider joining a friendly discussion
on literature.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Mar 31, 9:27*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?

That's an easy one for me, since my degree is in Literature, and I
specialized in 20th Century American Novelists.

I loved On the Road for much of my younger days, but I think I burned
myself out on Kerouac a few years ago. Still, I consider it my
favorite because it's connected to a very important time of my life. I
also love The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath, The Sun Also
Rises, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tobacco Road, The Sheltering Sky...crap,
that's more than three.

I revisit both Ulysses and Gravity's Rainbow every few years to push
myself. Of contemporaries, I enjoy T. Coraghessan Boyle, Thomas
McGuane, Peter Matthiessen, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick. (I don't
know if the last two qualify as contemporaries since they've passed
on, but I refer to the fact that their output was focused on the
latter part of the century.)

>
> I'd say (off the top of my head) Anna Karenina, Catch-22 and maybe
> David Copperfield. Little Big Man (great movie as well). Two Years
> Before the Mast which gives an insightful look into California when
> the white (not angry white, just white) population of that state was
> probably in the low hundreds.

I enjoy Catch-22. I have a first edition hardcover of it.

>
> There are a few military-related books, for example Shelby Foote's
> very readable history of the Civil War or "A Few Great Captains", that
> are up there too. the Caine Mutiny and Mutiny on the Bounty. The list
> goes on and on.

I liked The Caine Mutiny as well. I also enjoyed From Here to
Eternity, the Naked and the Dead, and Tales of the South Pacific.

I'll tell you what's a great book...Deliverance by James Dickey.
Forget the movie (although it is a good movie). Dickey was a poet, and
Deliverance was his only novel. He has a fantastic gift for phrasing.

I also have a soft spot for short stories. Some of my favorite writers
in that form are Flannery O'Connor, John Updike and the aforementioned
Boyle.

Since I've spent the first forty-odd years of my life reading
literature, I've tried to expand my horizons with more non-fiction
over the last few years.

>
> It's kind of funny. I don't think I could possibly stop at three and
> ScottW cannot come up with one.
>
> I wonder if ScottW would ever consider joining a friendly discussion
> on literature.

I seriously doubt it. Engineers generally aren't fiction readers.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:
> On Mar 31, 9:27*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > wrote:

> > What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?
>
> That's an easy one for me, since my degree is in Literature, and I
> specialized in 20th Century American Novelists.
>
> I loved On the Road for much of my younger days, but I think I burned
> myself out on Kerouac a few years ago. Still, I consider it my
> favorite because it's connected to a very important time of my life. I
> also love The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath, The Sun Also
> Rises, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tobacco Road, The Sheltering Sky...crap,
> that's more than three.

Yeah, Steinbeck is a favorite. Believe it or not I haven't read Harper
Lee yet but I have Mockingbird here in my "to read" pile. Most of my
books are in storage.

While I liked "Old Man and the Sea" I confess to being outside the
norm. I remain predominately unmoved by Hemingway. Some of his short
stories were OK. I'll give him another go as I have a couple here.
Don't forget Fitzgerald or Sinclair Lewis.

Twain is another all-time fave. "A Connecticut Yankee" may be my top
one there.

> I revisit both Ulysses and Gravity's Rainbow every few years to push
> myself. Of contemporaries, I enjoy T. Coraghessan Boyle, Thomas
> McGuane, Peter Matthiessen, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick. (I don't
> know if the last two qualify as contemporaries since they've passed
> on, but I refer to the fact that their output was focused on the
> latter part of the century.)

P.G. Wodehouse, Vonnegut (I think I've read everything he's published)
Tim O'Brien (ditto), David Sedaris, Theodore Dreiser (these are not
all contemporaries either)...

> > I'd say (off the top of my head) Anna Karenina, Catch-22 and maybe
> > David Copperfield. Little Big Man (great movie as well). Two Years
> > Before the Mast which gives an insightful look into California when
> > the white (not angry white, just white) population of that state was
> > probably in the low hundreds.
>
> I enjoy Catch-22. I have a first edition hardcover of it.

I read it before I joined the military and again after. It was funny
both times but for different reasons. A brilliant book. I've read a
couple other Heller novels. He was really good.

> > There are a few military-related books, for example Shelby Foote's
> > very readable history of the Civil War or "A Few Great Captains", that
> > are up there too. the Caine Mutiny and Mutiny on the Bounty. The list
> > goes on and on.
>
> I liked The Caine Mutiny as well. I also enjoyed From Here to
> Eternity, the Naked and the Dead, and Tales of the South Pacific.

Mitchener's best IMO. Caravans was also very good and with the war in
Afghanistan pertinent today. I read it years ago though.

Irving Stone's "The Agony and the Ecstasy" gave me insight into and a
love of Michaelangelo which drove me to a 17-day tour of Italy. I've
never read any of his others though.

> I'll tell you what's a great book...Deliverance by James Dickey.
> Forget the movie (although it is a good movie). Dickey was a poet, and
> Deliverance was his only novel. He has a fantastic gift for phrasing.

I haven't read it. The Godfather was terrific too, and I think
important in the development of American fiction, though I wouldn't
put Puzo in the "poet" category. Didn't they come out at about the
same time?

> I also have a soft spot for short stories. Some of my favorite writers
> in that form are Flannery O'Connor, John Updike and the aforementioned
> Boyle.

Isaac Bashevis Singer and John Cheever too.

> Since I've spent the first forty-odd years of my life reading
> literature, I've tried to expand my horizons with more non-fiction
> over the last few years.

The military history arena is where I primarily fill up on nonfiction.
I also just read biographies of Edison and Gerald R. Ford.

McCulloch's (sp?) "John Adams" was good too.

A great one military book I'd wager most US officers haven't read is
The Memoirs of Marshal Zhukov.

> > It's kind of funny. I don't think I could possibly stop at three and
> > ScottW cannot come up with one.
>
> > I wonder if ScottW would ever consider joining a friendly discussion
> > on literature.
>
> I seriously doubt it. Engineers generally aren't fiction readers.

But I didn't specify fiction. What do engineers read besides trade
magazines and journal articles?

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

[MiNe 109]

In article
>,
"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:

> I've read a couple other Heller novels. He was really good.

Even his bad books were fun, for instance God Knows.

Stephen

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 10:37*pm, MiNe 109 > wrote:
> In article
> >,
> *"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:
>
> > I've read a couple other Heller novels. He was really good.
>
> Even his bad books were fun, for instance God Knows.

Is that the one with the talking portrait? If so I thought that was
hilarious.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 10:40*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 10:37*pm, MiNe 109 * > wrote:
>
> > In article
> > >,
> > *"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:
>
> > > I've read a couple other Heller novels. He was really good.
>
> > Even his bad books were fun, for instance God Knows.
>
> Is that the one with the talking portrait? If so I thought that was
> hilarious.

I just saw this on Wiki (regarding Catch-22): "The United States Air
Force Academy uses the novel to "help prospective officers recognize
the dehumanizing aspects of bureaucracy."

Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and
soldiers to read.

[GeoSynch]

Buffoon bumbled:

> Considering how much time he spents [sic] on the Internet

And yet another thought-process error by the bumbler.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Mar 31, 10:32*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:
>
> > On Mar 31, 9:27*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > wrote:
> > > What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?
>
> > That's an easy one for me, since my degree is in Literature, and I
> > specialized in 20th Century American Novelists.
>
> > I loved On the Road for much of my younger days, but I think I burned
> > myself out on Kerouac a few years ago. Still, I consider it my
> > favorite because it's connected to a very important time of my life. I
> > also love The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath, The Sun Also
> > Rises, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tobacco Road, The Sheltering Sky...crap,
> > that's more than three.
>
> Yeah, Steinbeck is a favorite. Believe it or not I haven't read Harper
> Lee yet but I have Mockingbird here in my "to read" pile. Most of my
> books are in storage.

My Big Three in college were Kerouac, Hemingway and Faulkner. My
thesis compared Kerouac and Hemingway and how their styles were
complete opposites, With Hemingway, you had to read between the lines
and really dig for meanings, while every word in Kerouac's brain
landed on the page.

>
> While I liked "Old Man and the Sea" I confess to being outside the
> norm. I remain predominately unmoved by Hemingway. Some of his short
> stories were OK. I'll give him another go as I have a couple here.
> Don't forget Fitzgerald or Sinclair Lewis.

I respect and admire The Great Gatsby, but I have three other
Fitzgerald novels that I haven't been able to get into. Sinclair Lewis
is great, as is Upton Sinclair. (I mix those two up all the time.)

>
> Twain is another all-time fave. "A Connecticut Yankee" may be my top
> one there.

I have first edition replicas of both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn with
the original illustrations. Beautiful, beautiful books.

>
> > I revisit both Ulysses and Gravity's Rainbow every few years to push
> > myself. Of contemporaries, I enjoy T. Coraghessan Boyle, Thomas
> > McGuane, Peter Matthiessen, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick. (I don't
> > know if the last two qualify as contemporaries since they've passed
> > on, but I refer to the fact that their output was focused on the
> > latter part of the century.)
>
> P.G. Wodehouse, Vonnegut (I think I've read everything he's published)
> Tim O'Brien (ditto), David Sedaris, Theodore Dreiser (these are not
> all contemporaries either)...
>
> > > I'd say (off the top of my head) Anna Karenina, Catch-22 and maybe
> > > David Copperfield. Little Big Man (great movie as well). Two Years
> > > Before the Mast which gives an insightful look into California when
> > > the white (not angry white, just white) population of that state was
> > > probably in the low hundreds.
>
> > I enjoy Catch-22. I have a first edition hardcover of it.
>
> I read it before I joined the military and again after. It was funny
> both times but for different reasons. A brilliant book. I've read a
> couple other Heller novels. He was really good.

I tried reading God Knows, which Stephen just mentioned, but I wasn't
nuts about it. Catch-22 is spectacular. That reminds me of Philip
Roth, who I also enjoy. I'm a fan of Goodbye, Columbus. I still need
to read Portnoy's Complaint one day.

Also...Truman Capote. I've read In Cold Blood a few times and it's a
literary benchmark for me. Breakfast at Tiffany's is also a fun, fast
read.

>
> > > There are a few military-related books, for example Shelby Foote's
> > > very readable history of the Civil War or "A Few Great Captains", that
> > > are up there too. the Caine Mutiny and Mutiny on the Bounty. The list
> > > goes on and on.
>
> > I liked The Caine Mutiny as well. I also enjoyed From Here to
> > Eternity, the Naked and the Dead, and Tales of the South Pacific.
>
> Mitchener's best IMO. Caravans was also very good and with the war in
> Afghanistan pertinent today. I read it years ago though.

I went through a Michener phase when I was in my late teens...Hawaii,
Chesapeake, Centennila and a few others. My dad is a huge Michener
fan, so we share that.

>
> Irving Stone's "The Agony and the Ecstasy" gave me insight into and a
> love of Michaelangelo which drove me to a 17-day tour of Italy. I've
> never read any of his others though.
>
> > I'll tell you what's a great book...Deliverance by James Dickey.
> > Forget the movie (although it is a good movie). Dickey was a poet, and
> > Deliverance was his only novel. He has a fantastic gift for phrasing.
>
> I haven't read it. The Godfather was terrific too, and I think
> important in the development of American fiction, though I wouldn't
> put Puzo in the "poet" category. Didn't they come out at about the
> same time?
>
> > I also have a soft spot for short stories. Some of my favorite writers
> > in that form are Flannery O'Connor, John Updike and the aforementioned
> > Boyle.
>
> Isaac Bashevis Singer and John Cheever too.

John Cheever, definitely. I'm less familiar with Singer.

>
> > Since I've spent the first forty-odd years of my life reading
> > literature, I've tried to expand my horizons with more non-fiction
> > over the last few years.
>
> The military history arena is where I primarily fill up on nonfiction.
> I also just read biographies of Edison and Gerald R. Ford.
>
> McCulloch's (sp?) "John Adams" was good too.

I read his 1776 a couple of years ago and it was outstanding. I also
liked The March by E.L. Doctorow. Read those two back to back.

>
> A great one military book I'd wager most US officers haven't read is
> The Memoirs of Marshal Zhukov.

I've never heard of it.

>
> > > It's kind of funny. I don't think I could possibly stop at three and
> > > ScottW cannot come up with one.
>
> > > I wonder if ScottW would ever consider joining a friendly discussion
> > > on literature.
>
> > I seriously doubt it. Engineers generally aren't fiction readers.
>
> But I didn't specify fiction. What do engineers read besides trade
> magazines and journal articles?
>
> All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

And Scott can be deadly dull.

[GeoSynch]

Jilly pondered her fate:

> Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and soldiers
> to read.

So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 11:16*pm, "GeoSynch" > wrote:
> Jilly pondered her fate:
>
> > Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and soldiers
> > to read.
>
> So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)

Have you read any interesting books lately, Senator Sugar?

[Boon[_2_]]

On Apr 1, 12:07*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 11:16*pm, "GeoSynch" > wrote:
>
> > Jilly pondered her fate:
>
> > > Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and soldiers
> > > to read.
>
> > So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)
>
> Have you read any interesting books lately, Senator Sugar?

The installation guide for Windows 7, probably.

[GeoSynch]

Jilly purred:

>> > Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and
>> > soldiers to read.

> > So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)

> Have you read any interesting books lately

No, no time.

Buffoon, habitually unemployed, has nothing but time on his hands and Jilly, who
spends half her life in the brig, has all sorts of time to kill. Plenty of
reading time for the two of them.

[GeoSynch]

Buffoon bumbled:

> The installation guide for Windows 7, probably.

Close. SQL Server, Oracle, C#, VS.NET programming, that sort of stuff, but more
as reference than reading in their entirety.

[Jenn[_2_]]

In article
>,
"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:

> On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:
> > On Mar 31, 9:27*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > wrote:
>
> > > What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?
> >
> > That's an easy one for me, since my degree is in Literature, and I
> > specialized in 20th Century American Novelists.
> >
> > I loved On the Road for much of my younger days, but I think I burned
> > myself out on Kerouac a few years ago. Still, I consider it my
> > favorite because it's connected to a very important time of my life. I
> > also love The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath, The Sun Also
> > Rises, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tobacco Road, The Sheltering Sky...crap,
> > that's more than three.
>
> Yeah, Steinbeck is a favorite.

The Steinbeck Center is just up the road a piece from me, on the way to
SF, but I haven't stopped there yet. It's on my list of stuff to do. I
do love going to Monterey and Cannery Row. Parts of it still have the
"vibe" of olden days.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 1, 12:32*am, "GeoSynch" > wrote:
> Jilly purred:
>
> >> > Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and
> >> > soldiers to read.
> > > So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)
> > Have you read any interesting books lately
>
> No, no time.
>
> Buffoon, habitually unemployed, has nothing but time on his hands and Jilly, who
> spends half her life in the brig, has all sorts of time to kill. Plenty of
> reading time for the two of them.

Don't knock it until you've tried it.

The confinement facility at Brigade 53 is pretty luxurious.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 1, 12:54*am, Jenn > wrote:
> In article
> >,
> *"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 31, 10:07 pm, Boon > wrote:
> > > On Mar 31, 9:27 pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > > wrote:
>
> > > > What three books would you say are your all-time favorites?
>
> > > That's an easy one for me, since my degree is in Literature, and I
> > > specialized in 20th Century American Novelists.
>
> > > I loved On the Road for much of my younger days, but I think I burned
> > > myself out on Kerouac a few years ago. Still, I consider it my
> > > favorite because it's connected to a very important time of my life. I
> > > also love The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath, The Sun Also
> > > Rises, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tobacco Road, The Sheltering Sky...crap,
> > > that's more than three.
>
> > Yeah, Steinbeck is a favorite.
>
> The Steinbeck Center is just up the road a piece from me, on the way to
> SF, but I haven't stopped there yet. *It's on my list of stuff to do. *I
> do love going to Monterey and Cannery Row. *Parts of it still have the
> "vibe" of olden days.

I was at the Naval Postgraduate School for a class a few years ago but
I didn't have time for much sightseeing.

I'd love to see it.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Apr 1, 6:53*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Apr 1, 12:32*am, "GeoSynch" > wrote:
>
> > Jilly purred:
>
> > >> > Some may wonder why the Army (and the USAF) encourages officers and
> > >> > soldiers to read.
> > > > So they don't end up as latrine-duty trollops like Jilly. ;-)
> > > Have you read any interesting books lately
>
> > No, no time.
>
> > Buffoon, habitually unemployed, has nothing but time on his hands and Jilly, who
> > spends half her life in the brig, has all sorts of time to kill. Plenty of
> > reading time for the two of them.
>
> Don't knock it until you've tried it.
>
> The confinement facility at Brigade 53 is pretty luxurious.

For someone who is "habitually unemployed," I sure do need a vacation
from all this work I have.

Again, the psychological profile for someone who creates fantasy
versions of imagined enemies (known as Wittevrongel-Krueger syndrome)
is quite revealing.

[GeoSynch]

Jilly luxuriated:

> > Buffoon, habitually unemployed, has nothing but time on his hands and Jilly,
> > who spends half her life in the brig, has all sorts of time to kill. Plenty
> > of reading time for the two of them.

> Don't knock it until you've tried it.

> The confinement facility at Brigade 53 is pretty luxurious.

Compared to latrine duty, I imagine it would be. :-)

[GeoSynch]

BaBoon looks to take a break:

>> > Buffoon, habitually unemployed, has nothing but time on his hands and
>> > Jilly, who spends half her life in the brig, has all sorts of time to kill.
>> > Plenty of reading time for the two of them.

> > Don't knock it until you've tried it.

> > The confinement facility at Brigade 53 is pretty luxurious.

> For someone who is "habitually unemployed," I sure do need a vacation from all
> this work I have.

Swinging through trees, foraging for bananas and endlessly swilling diet soda
would be enough to make anyone yearn for a vacation.

> Again, the psychological profile for someone who creates fantasy versions of
> imagined enemies (known as Wittevrongel-Krueger syndrome) is quite revealing.

More armchair psychology from a failed practitioner (who's also failed in every
other career choice he ever made) who dispenses his opinion as though it were
worth anything more than the aftereffects of a hill of beans.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 11:15*pm, Boon > wrote:
> On Mar 31, 10:32*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > wrote:
> > On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:

> My Big Three in college were Kerouac, Hemingway and Faulkner. My
> thesis compared Kerouac and Hemingway and how their styles were
> complete opposites, With Hemingway, you had to read between the lines
> and really dig for meanings, while every word in Kerouac's brain
> landed on the page.

One favorite college memory was from a 400-level lit class I took as a
freshman. After I signed up I wondered what I had done. I thought I'd
fail for sure.

We had to write a paper within the first few weeks of class. I chose
to write an explication on the symbolic usage of light and flame in a
story by Pär Lagerkvist. When the professor handed it back he said,
"I've been studying Lagerkvist for 20 years and I never saw it, but
now that you've pointed it out I'm sure you're right." I was floating
for days.

BTW, have you ever checked out any Scandanavian authors? "Hunger" by
Knut Hamsen is another one I'd recommend. He was also a Nobel winner.
You may have read Lagerkvist's "Barabbas" in school as it was required
reading at my high school.

> > > I enjoy Catch-22. I have a first edition hardcover of it.
>
> > I read it before I joined the military and again after. It was funny
> > both times but for different reasons. A brilliant book. I've read a
> > couple other Heller novels. He was really good.
>
> I tried reading God Knows, which Stephen just mentioned, but I wasn't
> nuts about it. Catch-22 is spectacular. That reminds me of Philip
> Roth, who I also enjoy. I'm a fan of Goodbye, Columbus. I still need
> to read Portnoy's Complaint one day.

Another author I haven't read. I never read "God Knows".

> Also...Truman Capote. I've read In Cold Blood a few times and it's a
> literary benchmark for me. Breakfast at Tiffany's is also a fun, fast
> read.

I read "In Cold Blood" earlier this year and I agree that's it's
excellent.

> > McCulloch's (sp?) "John Adams" was good too.
>
> I read his 1776 a couple of years ago and it was outstanding. I also
> liked The March by E.L. Doctorow. Read those two back to back.

What is "The March" about?

> > A great one military book I'd wager most US officers haven't read is
> > The Memoirs of Marshal Zhukov.
>
> I've never heard of it.

Most haven't. It's a truism that the winners write history. After the
war we ignored Russia's contributions for ideological reasons. All we
heard about was Patton's race across Europe, Montgomery beating Rommel
in North Africa, etc.

Zhukov's book is an excellent history of the Eastern Front in WWII as
well as a pretty honest self-appraisal. I think it is a book written
by a military professional for military professionals. Whereas
Montogomery and Patton were quite full of themselves (I can hardly
stand to read Montgomery though I've tried a couple of times) Zhukov
candidly admits where he made mistakes and the results thereof.

I was worried when I started reading it that there would be a lot of
"And the Great Party this, and Our Wonderful Party that" in it. The
mentions of the Communist Party struck me as afterthoughts. "Oh, and
BTW the party was doing this." He is one of the great generals of
history IMO but has never gotten his due in the West.

If you have time read his wiki entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgy_Zhukov

and the book is described here:

http://www.easternbookcorporation.com/moreinfo.php?txt_searchstring=15276

> > All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
>
> And Scott can be deadly dull.

Now, now. This is an inclusive and poilte thread.

ScottW, I totally affirm your right to be deadly dull. You can be as
dull as you choose to be and nobody can stop you.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Apr 2, 1:14*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 11:15*pm, Boon > wrote:
>
> > On Mar 31, 10:32*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > wrote:
> > > On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:
> > My Big Three in college were Kerouac, Hemingway and Faulkner. My
> > thesis compared Kerouac and Hemingway and how their styles were
> > complete opposites, With Hemingway, you had to read between the lines
> > and really dig for meanings, while every word in Kerouac's brain
> > landed on the page.
>
> One favorite college memory was from a 400-level lit class I took as a
> freshman. After I signed up I wondered what I had done. I thought I'd
> fail for sure.
>
> We had to write a paper within the first few weeks of class. I chose
> to write an explication on the symbolic usage of light and flame in a
> story by Pär Lagerkvist. When the professor handed it back he said,
> "I've been studying Lagerkvist for 20 years and I never saw it, but
> now that you've pointed it out I'm sure you're right." I was floating
> for days.

That's a great feeling. When I handed in my first paper in my freshman
comp class in college, the professor told me to send me a dozen roses
to my high school English teacher because she taught me well. That was
nice.

>
> BTW, have you ever checked out any Scandanavian authors? "Hunger" by
> Knut Hamsen is another one I'd recommend. He was also a Nobel winner.
> You may have read Lagerkvist's "Barabbas" in school as it was required
> reading at my high school.

Other than reading a few plays by Ibsen, no. You've got me curious
now.

>
> > > > I enjoy Catch-22. I have a first edition hardcover of it.
>
> > > I read it before I joined the military and again after. It was funny
> > > both times but for different reasons. A brilliant book. I've read a
> > > couple other Heller novels. He was really good.
>
> > I tried reading God Knows, which Stephen just mentioned, but I wasn't
> > nuts about it. Catch-22 is spectacular. That reminds me of Philip
> > Roth, who I also enjoy. I'm a fan of Goodbye, Columbus. I still need
> > to read Portnoy's Complaint one day.
>
> Another author I haven't read. I never read "God Knows".

Roth was very set on the Jewish experience in the 50s, 60s and 70s and
crossed many taboos concerning sex. Portnoy's Complaint was very
controversial in its day, but is now considered a classic.

>
> > Also...Truman Capote. I've read In Cold Blood a few times and it's a
> > literary benchmark for me. Breakfast at Tiffany's is also a fun, fast
> > read.
>
> I read "In Cold Blood" earlier this year and I agree that's it's
> excellent.
>
> > > McCulloch's (sp?) "John Adams" was good too.
>
> > I read his 1776 a couple of years ago and it was outstanding. I also
> > liked The March by E.L. Doctorow. Read those two back to back.
>
> What is "The March" about?

Sherman's March. It's a novel but told from the POV of several
Southerners affected by the approaching Union soldiers.

I read Ragtime by Doctorow when I was in my teens and I still remember
many of its passages in detail.

>
> > > A great one military book I'd wager most US officers haven't read is
> > > The Memoirs of Marshal Zhukov.
>
> > I've never heard of it.
>
> Most haven't. It's a truism that the winners write history. After the
> war we ignored Russia's contributions for ideological reasons. All we
> heard about was Patton's race across Europe, Montgomery beating Rommel
> in North Africa, etc.
>
> Zhukov's book is an excellent history of the Eastern Front in WWII as
> well as a pretty honest self-appraisal. I think it is a book written
> by a military professional for military professionals. *Whereas
> Montogomery and Patton were quite full of themselves (I can hardly
> stand to read Montgomery though I've tried a couple of times) Zhukov
> candidly admits where he made mistakes and the results thereof.
>
> I was worried when I started reading it that there would be a lot of
> "And the Great Party this, and Our Wonderful Party that" in it. The
> mentions of the Communist Party struck me as afterthoughts. "Oh, and
> BTW the party was doing this." He is one of the great generals of
> history IMO but has never gotten his due in the West.
>
> If you have time read his wiki entry
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgy_Zhukov
>
> and the book is described here:
>
> http://www.easternbookcorporation.com/moreinfo.php?txt_searchstring=1....
>

Thanks! Sounds very interesting. I have to admit that 1776 piqued my
interest about military history, but i've also heard that few write
with the talent of McCullough.

> > > All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
>
> > And Scott can be deadly dull.
>
> Now, now. This is an inclusive and poilte thread.
>
> ScottW, I totally affirm your right to be deadly dull. You can be as
> dull as you choose to be and nobody can stop you.

Somehow I don't think he's waiting for your tacit approval.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 2, 10:04*am, Boon > wrote:
> On Apr 2, 1:14*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"

> > ScottW, I totally affirm your right to be deadly dull. You can be as
> > dull as you choose to be and nobody can stop you.
>
> Somehow I don't think he's waiting for your tacit approval.

I was just being polite.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 2, 10:04*am, Boon > wrote:
> On Apr 2, 1:14*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > wrote:
> > On Mar 31, 11:15*pm, Boon > wrote:
>
> > > On Mar 31, 10:32*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > > wrote:
> > > > On Mar 31, 10:07*pm, Boon > wrote:

> > > I read his 1776 a couple of years ago and it was outstanding. I also
> > > liked The March by E.L. Doctorow. Read those two back to back.
>
> > What is "The March" about?
>
> Sherman's March. It's a novel but told from the POV of several
> Southerners affected by the approaching Union soldiers.

Thanks for the tip. I'm always looking for interesting reads.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

So, Scott, what do you say? Are you ready for some polite discussion,
or are you merely here to troll and fling mud?

[Jenn[_2_]]

In article
>,
"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:

> On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > wrote:
> > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > did you learn from it?
> >
> > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > it?
> >
> > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > it? Why or why not?
> >
> > What book are you reading now?
> >
> > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > go?
> >
> > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > (More than three is OK too.)
> >
> > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> So, Scott, what do you say? Are you ready for some polite discussion,
> or are you merely here to troll and fling mud?

I offered the same in the past. He lasted about 2 posts before he
started slinging.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 4, 4:05*pm, Jenn > wrote:
> In article
> >,
> *"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" > wrote:

> > On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> > > wrote:

> > > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > > did you learn from it?
>
> > > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > > it?
>
> > > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > > it? Why or why not?
>
> > > What book are you reading now?
>
> > > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > > go?
>
> > > What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> > > (More than three is OK too.)
>
> > > Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.
>
> > So, Scott, what do you say? Are you ready for some polite discussion,
> > or are you merely here to troll and fling mud?
>
> I offered the same in the past. *He lasted about 2 posts before he
> started slinging.

Scott is no hypocrite, of that we can be sure.

He has said so himself numerous times.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

[Clyde Slick]

On Apr 1, 12:15*am, Boon > wrote:

>
> I went through a Michener phase when I was in my late teens...Hawaii,
> Chesapeake, Centennila and a few others. My dad is a huge Michener
> fan, so we share that.
>

I recommend John Barth "The Sotweed Factor"

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Apr 17, 7:31*pm, Clyde Slick > wrote:
> On Apr 1, 12:15*am, Boon > wrote:

> > I went through a Michener phase when I was in my late teens...Hawaii,
> > Chesapeake, Centennila and a few others. My dad is a huge Michener
> > fan, so we share that.
>
> I recommend John Barth * "The Sotweed Factor"

Thanks. I'll look that one up. I'd never heard of it. The wiki article
about it is interesting.

[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> did you learn from it?
>
> What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> it?
>
> What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> it? Why or why not?
>
> What book are you reading now?
>
> Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> go?
>
> What three books would you recommend as "must reads" to somebody?
> (More than three is OK too.)
>
> Here are several nice, polite discussion starters for you.

Still waiting.

Or do you admit that you're nothing more than a dull troll who cannot
offer any meaningful conversation? I'm OK with that outcome too.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Apr 20, 10:20*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
> wrote:
> On Mar 31, 2:18*am, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not? What
> > did you learn from it?
>
> > What book that you've read is your favorite? What did you learn from
> > it?
>
> > What was the last place you visited outside of the US? Did you like
> > it? Why or why not?
>
> > What book are you reading now?
>
> > Where haven't you been that you would most like to travel to outside
> > of the US? And within the US where haven't you been that you'd like to
> > go?

I like this question. I haven't traveled extensively outside of the US
yet, but I'm making plans to do so as we speak. I may be traveling to
Florence, Italy later this summer with a group of local visual
artists. So far I've made a couple of trips to Canada and Mexico and
that's it. I drove around the Toronto area a few years ago and found
the countryside absolutely beautiful. My list of foreign places to
visit are, in no particular order: Finnmark, Tasmania, Costa Rica,
Argentina, Barbados, Tahiti, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Scotland and
Ireland.

Within the US, I've been just about everywhere (46 states and
counting). Places I'd like to visit again: Outer Banks of North
Carolina (my favorite place in the world), Nashville, Bellingham WA,
Kauai, coastal Maine and this section of Northwestern Nebrasks where
there's sand dunes and grasslands for miles. I'm headed to NYC in a
few weeks, so I'm looking forward to that.