Jonathan > Recent Status Updates

Aesthetically brilliant. Beyond that, not sure.

Difficult at times but just as rewarding; Joyce's mastery of language is often mind-boggling. However, I'll be darned if I know what ol' Odysseus has to do with it all.

I read Homer for the express purpose of understanding this; let's see if my not inconsiderable intellect is up to the task.

It's been too long since I've read any Dickens; time to remedy that.

Taking this to work; time for some more astrophysics.

Still catching this one up to the others. The authors are occasionally maddening as only textbook authors can be but still lots of good information, especially as I can skip over sections. I had been sticking mainly to the narrative history sections and skipping the culture, but as I draw near the close of the 1800's, the two become more intertwined.

On the brink of the Great War, which means it's time to reread The Guns of August.

Finally into the twentieth century... and almost half the book left to go.

Close to wrapping up the Iliad; it's been quite thought-provoking. Mankind hasn't changed as much in 3000 years as we'd like to think we have.

Moving slowly as this is rather dense; Robertson's close reasoning shows the absolute folly of any but a solidly biblical approach to hermeneutics.

Finished; thoroughly enjoyed it. Review soon.

Taking this to work for lunch breaks.

A Christmas present from my parents, this will be a preface to a more thorough study of the Prophets.

Reading Homer so that when I get to Joyce I'll understand the references. And, oh yeah, it's a timeless classic.

Autographed, first-edition copy! Sweet!

Reading this one at work. Churchill has a way with words; of all the linguists, perhaps the most cunning.

Current at-work book; comparisons to Faulkner are well warranted.

My current at-work book, this one has re-sparked my interest in quantum mechanics and, surprisingly, astrophysics. Lots of good articles on the history and philosophy of science.

Finished; I'll have a review up soon.

Getting back into the history overview after finishing Schama. Gonna try to keep the tempo high as I'd like to move on to other studies.

Steve Hackett made me read this book; here's hoping it's as good as his song.

Not sure what induced me to pull this off the shelf now but it's probably about time I got to it.

Reading this at work now; thoroughly enjoying it though I'll have much to say about Heinlein's philosophy.

Finished, working on a review but there's quite a bit to be said about this one.

Taking this one to work now that I've finished Anna Karenina. Quite a disparity, I know; we'll see how it goes.

Should be finishing this one soon. Curious to see how the American revolution grows out of Cromwellian and Restoration era politics.

After 700 pages of build-up and heavy foreshadowing, the actual moment still left me stunned and saddened. Such is the mark of greatness.

Brought this one to work to read during breaks. Very much enjoying it so far; Tolstoy share's Dostoevsky's gift for characterization.

This one's really got me thinking about the moral underpinnings of government and how those tasked with its execution should go about it.

Gonna fit this one in now, since I just finished this time period. Specifically looking for a good account of the British civil war.