Unofficial What are you Reading Thread?

[Cain]

Pariah, if you do not object to theft and ebooks:

http://thepiratebay.org/browse/601
http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/
http://gigapedia.com/ (register here)

[Pariah]

Pariah, if you do not object to theft and ebooks:

http://thepiratebay.org/browse/601
http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/
http://gigapedia.com/ (register here)

Thanks!

[Pariah]

First new book





Fairly interesting looking.

[Cain]

That and the other one you showed me via PM looked interesting.  As do the ones on the US=Mexico border conflicts, smuggling in SE Asia, War and Punishment, Thicker than Oil, The Rise of Eurocentrism and The Right War?: The Conservative debate on Iraq.

Among others.  They also all tend to update daily, so be sure to check back.  And the archives as well, since you can easily go back 50 or so pages and find working links.

[Xooxe]

Ah, Von Mises.  So crazy even Hayek thought he was scary.

So far it's not particularly crazy. I've just about finished volume 1 which is geared more towards philosophy than economics. It's not brilliant, plenty of naive assertions. There's a lot in there which I agree with, but I'm not getting where he's trying to go with it most of the time.

[Cain]

Ah, Von Mises.  So crazy even Hayek thought he was scary.

So far it's not particularly crazy. I've just about finished volume 1 which is geared more towards philosophy than economics. It's not brilliant, plenty of naive assertions. There's a lot in there which I agree with, but I'm not getting where he's trying to go with it most of the time.

His non-economic philosophy was just standard Austrian rationalism and empiricism, wasn't it?  I'm more familiar with his economic thinking, which was die-hard laissez faire.  Even Hayek conceded that things like the minimum wage, laws to protect the environment and legislation to protect people from dangerous working conditions might be needed, and that markets were contingent human constructions, not facts of nature.

[Pariah]

http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/history_military/Walking_Ghosts.html

This is the one I'm reading right now.
Really really interesting.

[BADGE OF HONOR]

I just finished Seven Days in the Art World, an ethnographical study of the contemporary art market.  It was fascinating.  Now I'm reading Empires of Time, a rather old but still interesting look at how people deal with time, from clocks to calendars.  I learned the significance of the dropping of the ball at Times Square: 

Up until the twentieth century, every respectable harbor city had its own time ball that fell every day at noon to send ocean navigators a precise visual time signal by which to adjust their chronometers...The famous New Year's ball in Manhattan's Times Square is a distinct survivor.

Awesome.

[Xooxe]

His non-economic philosophy was just standard Austrian rationalism and empiricism, wasn't it?  I'm more familiar with his economic thinking, which was die-hard laissez faire.  Even Hayek conceded that things like the minimum wage, laws to protect the environment and legislation to protect people from dangerous working conditions might be needed, and that markets were contingent human constructions, not facts of nature.

I don't believe his philosophy was based upon empiricism. I had quite a hard time understanding his overview of praxeology, which was a major part of volume 1, but he seemed to contrast it with the way in which history collects evidence and builds a world-view.

To be completely honest, most of it has left my memory. Volume 2 goes into the economics, and I was aware of his die-hard laissez faire stance. That was the reason why I was curious to read it.

But for now, I've started reading The Chemistry of Life by Steven Rose. I thought I'd take a little detour away from the biochemistry text books.

[Jasper]

Currently reading:

Guns, Germs, And Steel by Jared Diamond, which is a really interesting look at why advanced cultures developed faster in different areas of the world -- highly recommended.

I keep hearing it's a yawn.  Agree/Disagree?

[Cain]

His non-economic philosophy was just standard Austrian rationalism and empiricism, wasn't it?  I'm more familiar with his economic thinking, which was die-hard laissez faire.  Even Hayek conceded that things like the minimum wage, laws to protect the environment and legislation to protect people from dangerous working conditions might be needed, and that markets were contingent human constructions, not facts of nature.

I don't believe his philosophy was based upon empiricism. I had quite a hard time understanding his overview of praxeology, which was a major part of volume 1, but he seemed to contrast it with the way in which history collects evidence and builds a world-view.

To be completely honest, most of it has left my memory. Volume 2 goes into the economics, and I was aware of his die-hard laissez faire stance. That was the reason why I was curious to read it.

But for now, I've started reading The Chemistry of Life by Steven Rose. I thought I'd take a little detour away from the biochemistry text books.

Ah, I just read now. Yeah, synthetic a priori arguments.  Urgh. 

I keep hearing it's a yawn.  Agree/Disagree?

It can be, in places.  On the other hand, if you find prehistory interesting, its worth a read.  There are ebooks, if you want to check it out before committing cash.

[Cain]

Oh, I forgot to add, I'm reading The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Duelling Journalists and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth Century New York, by Matthew Goodman, and Waiter Rant - Thanks for the tip: The confessions of a cynical waiter, by "The Waiter".

[Xooxe]

Ah, I just read now. Yeah, synthetic a priori arguments.  Urgh. 

Yep, that's the one. Sometimes I wonder if me not understanding something is actually a case of the argument being bullshit instead of my comprehension taking a nose-dive.


Also...

Sweet buggery Christmas-tits! Lunar Man-Bats?!

[Cain]

I remember doing something on it, a long time ago.  A very long time ago...I never cared much for my logic classes, though.

And yes, its the greatest name for a book ever.  Doubly so since its a real book, in print.

[Z³]

I just finished with The Jokes Over: Bruised Memories: Gonzo, Hunter S. Thompson, and Me. By Ralph Steadman.

Worthwhile read for any fan of the good doctor, but very much tainted by Ralph Steadmans many personal biases both for and against Dr. Thompson. There are quite a few parts where Ralph comes off as overly accusatory, even whiny, but he does tell the story from his own point of view. Its a pretty quick read.