753 books
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474 voters
“Perhaps the cause of our contemporary pessimism is our tendency to view history as a turbulent stream of conflicts – between individuals in economic life, between groups in politics, between creeds in religion, between states in war. This is the more dramatic side of history; it captures the eye of the historian and the interest of the reader. But if we turn from that Mississippi of strife, hot with hate and dark with blood, to look upon the banks of the stream, we find quieter but more inspiring scenes: women rearing children, men building homes, peasants drawing food from the soil, artisans making the conveniences of life, statesmen sometimes organizing peace instead of war, teachers forming savages into citizens, musicians taming our hearts with harmony and rhythm, scientists patiently accumulating knowledge, philosophers groping for truth, saints suggesting the wisdom of love. History has been too often a picture of the bloody stream. The history of civilization is a record of what happened on the banks.”
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Nonfiction Reading - Only the Best
— 729 members
— last activity 4 hours, 29 min ago
Welcome to Nonfiction Reading - Only the Best ... a group dedicated to discovering, discussing and sharing the best nonfiction books in a given subjec ...more
Non Fiction Book Club
— 5005 members
— last activity 12 hours, 58 min ago
This group is for anyone who enjoys Non Fiction. Genres discussed here include Histories, Autobiographies, Biographies, Memoirs, Science and Technolog ...more
What's the Name of That Book???
— 119584 members
— last activity 33 minutes ago
Can't remember the title of a book you read? Come search our bookshelves and discussion posts. If you don’t find it there, post a description on our U ...more
The Atheist Book Club
— 1655 members
— last activity Jul 21, 2025 02:56AM
In these gilded halls we shall discuss the presence of the atheistic viewpoint in the written form. Are you a fan of Douglas Adams' scientific view of ...more
Kay’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Kay’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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