Johnny > Recent Status Updates

I can't believe the level of research in this book. I'm absolutely delighted. Every page is worth considerable reflection.

This has the best summary of 18th and 19th century European miniatures wargames I've ever read.

This book is so carefully researched and drafted that I am continually amazed. I'm slightly further along in the book because I've read certain sections (with cross-references) out of order.

This is a brilliant book, not only showing the game experiences behind the history of adventure games, but also the genre fiction influences. Nice touch!

This is the point where Tracy moves from his insistence on the necessity of both manifestation and proclamation to his methodology for doing theology in public.

Tracy essentially argues for a public discussion of theological concerns based on an approach similar to our dialogue with art and literary classics. It is stimulating an insightful, but develops as slowly as if one is going through a full University of Chicago course under this academic great.

This book showing the evolution of simulation games into adventure games is a phenomenal history of playing at both the realistic and the fantastic. I can only read a few pages at a time without wandering into my own mental space of remembering people like Dave Arneson, Gary Gygax, and some of the great designers and editors who have died. This is better documented than anything on the subject I've seen!

I'm in the Russian campaign, now--the beginning of the end.

Reading about the German states during this era.

After leaving Italy during this era, I'm enjoying reading of von Metternich, Austria, and diplomatic double-crosses of which I was unaware.

I've made it to the Peninsula Campaign and learned things about Wellington I didn't know.

Just getting to Lord Byron after a long delay.

Reading about Coleridge's final days was quite a downer.

I didn't know that English med students in the early 19th century needed to go to Scotland because Cambridge and Oxford had no medical school.

The section on social-economic justice and reform in Britain is extremely interesting. I've learned a lot here.

I thought the section on French literature would be more interesting, but the Durants focus mostly on the literary figures vs. Nappy.

If you can tell a lot about people from their enemies, I'm more impressed with Nappy now than ever.

The chapter I'm currently reading deals with Napoleon and the arts--his desire to be like Augustus in terms of public works/art.

The Durants get personal with Bonaparte in this section, offering a lot of evidence that he might have had ADHD. My favorite quotation was his diatribe toward Talleyrand that he was "ordure in a silk stocking."

The last few pages have dealt with Napoleon's efforts to place his family in place to rule the conquered provinces. What a disaster!

It was interesting to read the account of Napoleon's coronation and Durant's perception of why he thought it was necessary.

The initial sixth of the book is about how the French Revolution paved the way for Napoleon's consulship. It is excellent.

Though obvious, there is power in Lonergan's observation that doctrines aren't just doctrines.

I love the material on history and history writing in this book.

This book is good for me as it challenges my epistemological assumptions and my methodology.

Why is it that we accept destroying an entire planet as a solution in space opera? Is it because it's less horrible than what is happening to the individual's planetside?

It's so dark I've really focused on other books this week.

Wow! I hadn't realized how very, very dark this trilogy was going to be when I started this first volume. It's disconcerting, to say the least.