Last book you read/listened to

[3DOP]

On 4/25/2023 at 4:32 PM, Pyreaux said:

For the Non-fiction crowd: ... Well, seems you can read it for free.

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt

Homeschools should read this. You'll easily understand what's wrong with the world. Economic schemes to get something from nothing. Everything outside the free gifts of nature must in some way be paid for.

" the whole of economics can be reduced to a single lesson, and that lesson can be reduced to a single sentence. The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups."

It begins with the simple telling and explanation of the 'broken window fallacy' that money spent to repair a broken window, it's a mistake to think this represents an increase to the economy of a community as unused money spent benefiting the glass industry. However, an individual that paid for the window cannot now spend money on other productive goods, say a new suit. The community in reality lost business for a tailor, and a new suit, as that takes more imagination to think of what won't exist, and to not focus on just one group, or one area of the community, but all groups, all members of the community. The broken window fallacy is found in many other areas of economic thought, like how we are supposedly economically better off in war times than in peace. Like the Housing industry after WW2 was booming, but we're not considering it came at the cost of other industries. 

Hey Pyreaux. Good choice! If I may say, war breaks a lot of windows. I am not a pacifist. I believe just war is a necessary option for nations. But this fallacy, which I only vaguely recall, is perhaps part of why I never have bought into the idea that any war has ever "helped" any of the world's economies.

 My records show that I first finished Economics in One Lesson on Nov. 2, 1987.  

-----------

I have always regretted that I have never kept a journal or diary, but I always enjoy searching through the years to see what books I was reading at a particular time. 

The last book I have finished was on April 22nd last. It is called Intellectuals, by Paul Johnson, which I also finished reading for the first time on Oct. 19. 1989. I knew I had read it previously. I did not realize it was over 33 years ago.

If you read a lot and you are young...you will be glad when you are old if you can find every book you have ever read. A book record is only a poor substitute for a deliberate diary or journal...but it is an easy and pleasant substitute that is much, much better than nothing. 

Rory

edit to add: I don't want it to sound like a book record has been a laborious thing until now that I am older. I do appreciate it more than ever now. But it has always been fun for a lot of reasons. Young or old, start anytime! I doubt you will regret it.

 

   

Edited April 29 by 3DOP

[Emily]

On 4/26/2023 at 10:11 PM, bsjkki said:

That is not what I thought the 'broken window' theory was. I look at it like modern Denver. Five years ago it was the place to be. Now it is overrun with homeless people, car thefts, increased crime and they can't pay businesses to open. It smells like weed everywhere. Will it continue to slide? How do you stop the slide? The broken window theory, in my understanding was--prevent the decline by taking care of the small issues so they don't become big issues. Maybe I will have to read the book to understand their take on things. NYC was dirtier and smellier this year then in 2020. It made me more hesitant to go back even though I love Broadway. They truly have a horrific rat problem and now it also smells like weed everywhere. Boston was very nice. What are they doing differently? 

Probably the same name for two different scenarios. 

Edit: My husband looked it up and yes, the term is used for two different situations. It's a bit confusing, but the economic reference is an older parable that was probably only known in economic studies circles when the criminology term was coined.

I've personally only heard the phrase used in criminology while watching the TV show, "Blue Bloods." 

Criminology:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory

Economic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window

 

Edited April 29 by Emily

[Rain]

Laughing at this line in my current book, "she looks like a sorority sister here for a sleepover. Not one serial killer investigating another." - Look What You Made Me Do by Elaine Murphy.

Edited April 30 by Rain

[Saint Bonaventure]

I am reading St. Augustine's Expositions of the Psalms, and it's like I've finally learned how to read a book.

I read the Psalm in the morning. 

I look at a commentary or two over lunch.

In the evening I settle into a comfy chair, find a beverage, and delight in St. Augustine's insights.

Why have I not been reading like this my whole life?

 

[Rain]

2 hours ago, Saint Bonaventure said:

I am reading St. Augustine's Expositions of the Psalms, and it's like I've finally learned how to read a book.

I read the Psalm in the morning. 

I look at a commentary or two over lunch.

In the evening I settle into a comfy chair, find a beverage, and delight in St. Augustine's insights.

Why have I not been reading like this my whole life?

 

How do you normally read?

[Rain]

Finished "Mangos, Mambo and Murder".  I enjoyed it, but was annoyed at the main character some because of what she was believing and some because it became too predictable.

[Saint Bonaventure]

4 hours ago, Rain said:

How do you normally read?

With one hand on the handlebars, the other holding the book, careening through the intersection, from the first page through the final sentence.

Sometimes this approach is literal; other times it's just metaphorical.  

[bsjkki]

Just finished book two from Brandon Sanderson’s kickstarter. A light read and independent of the cosmere.

Edited May 14 by bsjkki

[Rain]

44 minutes ago, bsjkki said:

Just finished book two from Brandon Sanderson’s kickstarter. A light read and independent of the cosmere.

That looks like fun.

[bsjkki]

I tried the murder mystery series by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling. I enjoyed it. So much of the Harry Potter books were about solving a mystery. She is very good at this. I read book one, The Cuckoo’s Calling. It had a well formulated plot with a great weaving together of the clues for the reveal at the end. It’s about a washed up detective and his temp secretary. They get hired to prove a celebrity suicide was really murder. 

Edited May 24 by bsjkki

[Tacenda]

Reading (rarely do that these days) a book with "Friends" star Matthew Perry called "One Good Turn" he wrote. It correlates to my younger brother's alcoholism that he's battled for 25 years or more. He's been in rehab over and over, and was sober for a good year and a half until this past week. He has stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver and the doctor said if he drinks again he'll die soon. Well he's somewhere out there on the streets and his wife of several years has had enough, I don't think she'll take him back now.

[Calm]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Reading (rarely do that these days) a book with "Friends" star Matthew Perry called "One Good Turn" he wrote. It correlates to my younger brother's alcoholism that he's battled for 25 years or more. He's been in rehab over and over, and was sober for a good year and a half until this past week. He has stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver and the doctor said if he drinks again he'll die soon. Well he's somewhere out there on the streets and his wife of several years has had enough, I don't think she'll take him back now.

I am so sorry, Tacenda.  That must be heartbreaking. You likely were feeling hopeful too.

[Rain]

3 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Reading (rarely do that these days) a book with "Friends" star Matthew Perry called "One Good Turn" he wrote. It correlates to my younger brother's alcoholism that he's battled for 25 years or more. He's been in rehab over and over, and was sober for a good year and a half until this past week. He has stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver and the doctor said if he drinks again he'll die soon. Well he's somewhere out there on the streets and his wife of several years has had enough, I don't think she'll take him back now.

It's so rough to see loved ones go through this. Hard up and downs when you start to have more hope and then it falls again.

[Tacenda]

12 hours ago, Calm said:

I am so sorry, Tacenda.  That must be heartbreaking. You likely were feeling hopeful too.

 

9 hours ago, Rain said:

It's so rough to see loved ones go through this. Hard up and downs when you start to have more hope and then it falls again.

Thank you both. ❤️

 

[Rain]

I just finished Before I Called You Mine . I enjoyed it.  I was pretty curious how it would end because there was quite a choice to be made.  I liked the ending. 

[Rain]

@Tacenda

I just found out one of my library systems has "play kits".  "Play Kits are educational play sets with thematic accessories, books, and a resource guide for at-home learning. Materials are appropriate for children 3-5 years of age to enjoy with caregiver support. A guide is included with ideas for using the materials."  How cool is that!

[Tacenda]

6 minutes ago, Rain said:

@Tacenda

I just found out one of my library systems has "play kits".  "Play Kits are educational play sets with thematic accessories, books, and a resource guide for at-home learning. Materials are appropriate for children 3-5 years of age to enjoy with caregiver support. A guide is included with ideas for using the materials."  How cool is that!

Oh my, tending my 3 1/2 year old grand daughter, I'll check this out! Thnx!

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Oh my, tending my 3 1/2 year old grand daughter, I'll check this out! Thnx!

This is in AZ so I don't know if it will be there or not.  I hope it is!

[Tacenda]

11 minutes ago, Rain said:

This is in AZ so I don't know if it will be there or not.  I hope it is!

I called and they don't. They do check out a telescope though, haha. One per library. I remember years ago they checked out national park passes, no more.. 

[bluebell]

I'm ruining my kids lives by making them listen to me read to them for 30 minutes every week day at lunch.  We just finished James Howe's Bunnicula (a funny book, written by the family dog, about the family's cat's vendetta against the new bunny who the cat believes to be a vampire.  Best chapter is when he decides to drive a stake through the bunny's heart but tries to do it with a steak).  We've moved on to the next installment of the Monroe family pets with Howliday Inn.  After that we are doing The Celery Stalks at Midnight (where we circle back to the vampire bunny and chester the cat's crusade to keep all drained vegetables from coming back from the dead).

I'm hoping that we can also get through James and the Giant Peach, Where the Red fern Grows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Castle in the Attic, and The Indian in the Cupboard before the summer is out. That might be ambitious though.

[Calm]

3 hours ago, bluebell said:

I'm ruining my kids lives by making them listen to me read to them for 30 minutes every week day at lunch.  We just finished James Howe's Bunnicula (a funny book, written by the family dog, about the family's cat's vendetta against the new bunny who the cat believes to be a vampire.  Best chapter is when he decides to drive a stake through the bunny's heart but tries to do it with a steak).  We've moved on to the next installment of the Monroe family pets with Howliday Inn.  After that we are doing The Celery Stalks at Midnight (where we circle back to the vampire bunny and chester the cat's crusade to keep all drained vegetables from coming back from the dead).

I'm hoping that we can also get through James and the Giant Peach, Where the Red fern Grows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Castle in the Attic, and The Indian in the Cupboard before the summer is out. That might be ambitious though.

We read most of those save Red Fern. Add Wizard of Oz, Narnia, the Black Cauldron series and a few more.  My kids love looking back at that. My son borrowed my Oz books to read them to his kids. 

[bluebell]

9 minutes ago, Calm said:

We read most of those save Red Fern. Add Wizard of Oz, Narnia, the Black Cauldron series and a few more.  My kids love looking back at that. My son borrowed my Oz books to read them to his kids. 

I love the Oz books. Both those from L. Frank Baum and those written after his death. 

[Tacenda]

3 hours ago, bluebell said:

I'm ruining my kids lives by making them listen to me read to them for 30 minutes every week day at lunch.  We just finished James Howe's Bunnicula (a funny book, written by the family dog, about the family's cat's vendetta against the new bunny who the cat believes to be a vampire.  Best chapter is when he decides to drive a stake through the bunny's heart but tries to do it with a steak).  We've moved on to the next installment of the Monroe family pets with Howliday Inn.  After that we are doing The Celery Stalks at Midnight (where we circle back to the vampire bunny and chester the cat's crusade to keep all drained vegetables from coming back from the dead).

I'm hoping that we can also get through James and the Giant Peach, Where the Red fern Grows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Castle in the Attic, and The Indian in the Cupboard before the summer is out. That might be ambitious though.

You are the best mom! I don't remember a lot of when I was younger, but do remember my mom reading, "Little Women" to my sisters and I.

[Rain]

15 hours ago, bluebell said:

I'm ruining my kids lives by making them listen to me read to them for 30 minutes every week day at lunch.  We just finished James Howe's Bunnicula (a funny book, written by the family dog, about the family's cat's vendetta against the new bunny who the cat believes to be a vampire.  Best chapter is when he decides to drive a stake through the bunny's heart but tries to do it with a steak).  We've moved on to the next installment of the Monroe family pets with Howliday Inn.  After that we are doing The Celery Stalks at Midnight (where we circle back to the vampire bunny and chester the cat's crusade to keep all drained vegetables from coming back from the dead).

I'm hoping that we can also get through James and the Giant Peach, Where the Red fern Grows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Castle in the Attic, and The Indian in the Cupboard before the summer is out. That might be ambitious though.

I think Bunnicula is the book we did in a kid's birthday party theme once.  

[Rain]

Just finished my favorite fiction book again, "Small Change, the Secret Life of Penny Burford." I don't know how many times I've read it.  

It's an easy, short read. It's about a man who leaves his change all around the house and his wife who, one day, secretly starts picking up just a little of it and what she does with it. 

I've reccomend it for most of my book clubs and I've yet to find someone who didn't like it. 

Edit: just read Amazon reviews and figured I better give warning here.  There are a few instances of language/vulgarity.  3 or 4, I think and pretty mild.

Edited June 7 by Rain