Baron's Book Club...est January 1, 2023.

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I brought Jordan Peterson‘s book with me on this trip. I’m about 80 pages in for the second time through, and I can tell already that the book will be even better this time. 2+ years of world events, news, conspiracies that became true, my own life events, and my own thinking have made this book even more real and even more relevant.

I understand that it’s controversial to some but it’s a fantastic book. I love the way this man’s mind works.950196A3-71C7-4C52-AAF0-0D66471FD51E.jpeg
 
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aloyouis said:
I brought Jordan Peterson‘s book with me on this trip. I’m about 80 pages in for the second time through, and I can tell already that the book will be even better this time. 2+ years of world events, news, conspiracies that became true, my own life events, and my own thinking have made this book even more real and even more relevant.

I understand that it’s controversial to some but it’s a fantastic book. I love the way this man’s mind works.View attachment 14723
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I just did an 8 week class he did. Loved.
 
Shortly after I posted the pic our eldest grabbed the book and went up to the condo. I told him to skip the worthless forward. He did.

He texted me this: “Dad - page 55. Wow.” I’m pretty sure he was in the bathroom. 🙄. No matter.


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Over the last few years I've read regular books, kindles and listened to quite a few audiobooks. Sometimes I'll read one and if I like it I'll
listen to the AB because you can get a fresh perspective depending on the skill of the narrator, particularly if the narrator is a fine
mimic who can do accents or whatever naturally. It's sort of an underappreciated artistic ability, imo.

One reason standard books are still relevant, or better, is that it's simply easier to go back and find something, say a map a graphic
or photo, or even text in a real book than it is trying to remember what page it is on. Sometimes photos/graphics are just omitted
entirely. Of course, audiobooks don't have anything visual which sometimes matters, but I can listen to them while I'm doing something
else, like walking, raking leaves or anything that doesn't demand a lot of attention.

I think there is a place for all the above in my snow globe. Anything that can get you there; to the place where the window to a different
world opens up and you are somewhere else. Somebody else.

I'll also comment that I've been in a Book Club since the lockdown (we didn't see any reason to stop) and we do a zoom call once a month or so to discuss the
latest title. Our only rule is "no self-help books" because one of the guys really hates them. We've made an attempt to rotate the choices to cover different genres/topics
and it's always interesting to see why somebody did or didn't like something. I also find that I look at a book a little differently because I know I'll be discussing it with some
smart, opinionated people in a few weeks and I want my opinions to be solid.

I don't really like zooming, but the meetings are usually a good time, even if the book wasn't so hot. I'd have to check, but of the roughly two dozen books
we've read I'd call about 8 to 10 of them excellent and only a few that were a waste of time. The batting average of the Club selections is definitely better than
what I typically do on my own. We do a lot of voting and an odd number of odd members has helped a couple of times.

I've read some stuff that I never would have chosen for myself and that's been good. There are untold memorable, great reads out there to be found in every
genre and anything that can help me get to one that sinks it's hooks in me is a good thing and worth doing.
 
I prefer reading from pages because I find it much easier to envision what I am reading. When listening to a book or even an interview or story, it is much easier to be distracted by other forces. When I read a book and something else starts happening I put the book down. I like and need to concentrate on what I am reading.
 
I've been returning to my roots in literature lately.

The Enders Game series is phenomenal and one of them is where I got the idea to write under a bunch of different names from different perspectives and beliefs to get my point across the best.

It's a science fiction series which is wonderful in its enjoyment to read, its depth and deep reflections on our humanity. A foundational series for me.


View: https://www.amazon.com/Enders-Game-Ender-Quartet-Book-ebook/dp/B003G4W49C

I've read a ton of great books.

James A. Michener's Space is one of the best.


View: https://www.amazon.com/Space-James-Michener/dp/0449203794

Historical fiction about the US space program from WW II through the Space Shuttle.

One of the main characters, at different points in his life would reflect that this was the best day of his life, better than the last best day.

That's what life is all about.

My mom told me this was made into a mini series in the 80s. It's free on YouTube. Not sure it's possible to capture what the book is, but I'm watching it now. Anthem, Fountainhead, Atlas.

Yes.

This book is every bit as essential to my development.

View:
View: https://youtu.be/YwSpTDgqUdo
 
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If you enjoy history, this book is a must-read. Eric Vuillard's 'The Order of the Day'.

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It's about the infamous meeting in February, 1933, when twenty-four industrialists met the Nazi party and made a pact with them. Men whose names are inextricably linked to their companies,like Opel, Krupp and Siemens. They met Hermann Goring, before the upcoming elections on March 5th. They had their egos flattered, hands shaken, and they then met the new Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. If they would just give the Nazi Party money, the Nazis would ensure their existence with favourable terms, eliminate the unions etc etc. They later, of course also gave them slave labour. It's a great read, and it's not even very long.
 
Roberto71 said:
If you enjoy history, this book is a must-read. Eric Vuillard's 'The Order of the Day'.

81JY0CIuolL.jpg


It's about the infamous meeting in February, 1933, when twenty-four industrialists met the Nazi party and made a pact with them. Men whose names are inextricably linked to their companies,like Opel, Krupp and Siemens. They met Hermann Goring, before the upcoming elections on March 5th. They had their egos flattered, hands shaken, and they then met the new Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. If they would just give the Nazi Party money, the Nazis would ensure their existence with favourable terms, eliminate the unions etc etc. They later, of course also gave them slave labour. It's a great read, and it's not even very long.
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Ordering it now.

Thanks.
 
Couple of books in this.

A writer friend and brother in philosophy who I met through my parents when we were defending property rights here in NH and beyond in the '90s.

The best of men.

Just now on Facebook.

Ken West

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Conversation on a Park Bench
A memory from years ago on the Boston Common…

I'm fifteen years old.

Am walking past Park Street and towards Boylston Street.

A guy in a brown leather jacket says "Hello" as I walk by.

I say "Hello" back to him and keep walking.

"Can I bum a cigarette off you?" he asks

"Sorry, I don't smoke," I answer.

"Bad habit anyway," he says.

He's probably in his late twenties. Good looking. Trim. He is sitting in the sun on the bench with one leg crossed. Looks relaxed, non-threatening.

"Nice day, but a little cool," he says.

"Yes, it is."

"You in a hurry?"

"No… I'm just taking a walk," I tell him.

"Well, rest your bones a bit," he says, pointing at the empty side of the bench.

I'm leery of strangers on the Common, but he has a confident and intelligent voice.

"You like taking walks?" he asks.

"Been doing it since I was a kid," I say. "My mother worked right over on Boylston Street. She was a waitress. Brought me in with her and let me walk around Park Square. I've loved the city ever since."

"Yeah, it's quite a place alright," he says without much enthusiasm.

"Where did your mother work?"

"It was Mcmannus's Restaurant." It's no longer there. I used to count her tips at the end of the day."

"I think I remember it. Busy place. I bet she made a lot of tips."

"Yeah, she was a good waitress - the best," I say.

"So, what do you do when you're not walking?"

"I'm in High School."

"Bet that's a mixed bag of fish," he says. "I hated High School. How about you?"

"It's OK, I guess - but I don't really like it. I'll be glad when I'm out."

"What are you going to do then?" he asks.

"Not sure yet. I'd like to travel."

"Where to?"

"Across the country. I read a book "Travels with Charlie." Made me want to do the same thing," I said.

"Who wrote that?" he asks.

"John Steinbeck."

"Ever read The Grapes of Wrath?" he asks me.

"No, not yet. Is it good?"

"Probably the best book he wrote," says the guy. "You read that book and it opens your eyes. By the way, what's your name?"

Even though the guy seemed OK, I decided to give him a made-up name.

"I'm Tom Shaughnessy," I tell him.

He holds out his hand. "Glad to meet you Tom, I'm Dan O'Hearn. Funny, you don't look Irish."

"Just on my father's side," I say. "My mother's English and Scottish."

"Bet their fighting all the time," he says with a smile.

"Yeah, sort of. You think it's the Irish against the English?"

"Always has been," he says. "It's destiny, that's all. What's dominant in you, the Irish or the English?"

"To tell you the truth, half my brain is Irish, and the other half is English, and they keep contradicting each other. Would have been better to be one or the other."

"Don't worry about it," he says in a brotherly sort of way. "Let them fight it out, and just keep your feet on the ground and take one step at a time."

As if to change the subject, he asks, "Where's the first place you want to go when you get out of High School?"

"New York city," I say.

"Don't get me going on the Big Apple," he says. "That's one mean, nasty place."

"How come?" I ask.

"The cops hassle you… everyone walks too fast, always in a hurry… and everything costs too much."

"Well, I'd like to go anyway. Been there for a few weeks. My aunt lives in Hoboken, New Jersey. I took the 99-Bus into the city every day. Loved the library. So many places to walk. So much to see like the Empire State Building and Central Park. I really loved it."

He smiled. "Yeah, if you've got the cash, it's good. Speaking of which, do you have a dollar you can spare?"

I was surprised. The guy didn't look like he needed money. I thought he just wanted to shoot the breeze with me.

“What do you need a dollar for?"

He seemed surprised by my question. "For Wine," he said, as if it should have been obvious. "I'm a wino."

I gave him a dollar, said my goodbyes and headed for Boylston Street, over to where my mother used to work.

Later, I realized that it was one of the best conversations I ever had with a stranger. I liked the guy. He had some sort or charisma… and it was hard to believe that he was just a wino looking for a buck.
 
foobahl said:
I prefer reading from pages because I find it much easier to envision what I am reading.
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This.

Sometimes when I'm really immersed in a book, it's as if there's a movie playing inside my head. I'm not even aware that I'm turning pages - people talk to me and I don't hear them.
 
TipRoast said:
This.

Sometimes when I'm really immersed in a book, it's as if there's a movie playing inside my head. I'm not even aware that I'm turning pages - people talk to me and I don't hear them.
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Yep.

My dad told me story about growing up listening to the Lone Ranger on the radio. Then when the TV show came out it was nothing like what he had imagined and his was far better

Same thing here, I think.
 
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