What are you currently reading?

Started by Francisco Suárez, December 26, 2012, 09:48:56 PM

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Clare

Quote from: red solo cup on June 11, 2014, 05:02:22 AM
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson. Very accurate for something written in 1907.
The Dawn of All is worth reading too.

QuoteIN a former book, called Lord of the World, I attempted to sketch the kind of developments a hundred years hence which, I thought, might reasonably be expected if the present lines of what is called "modern thought" were only prolonged far enough; and I was informed repeatedly that the effect of the book was exceedingly depressing and discouraging to optimistic Christians. In the present book I am attempting—also in parable form—not in the least to withdraw anything that I said in the former, but to follow up the other lines instead, and to sketch—again in parable—the kind of developments, about sixty years hence which, I think, may reasonably be expected should the opposite process begin, and ancient thought (which has stood the test of centuries, and is, in a very remarkable manner, being "rediscovered" by persons even more modern than modernists) be prolonged instead. We are told occasionally by moralists that we live in very critical times, by which they mean that they are not sure whether their own side will win or not. In that sense no times can ever be critical to Catholics, since Catholics are never in any kind of doubt as to whether or no their side will win. But from another point of view every period is a critical period, since every period has within itself the conflict of two irreconcilable forces. It has been for the sake of tracing out the kind of effects that, it seemed to me, each side would experience in turn, should the other, at any rate for a while, become dominant, that I have written these two books.
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Pheo

Quote from: Clare on June 11, 2014, 09:34:14 AM
Quote from: red solo cup on June 11, 2014, 05:02:22 AM
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson. Very accurate for something written in 1907.
The Dawn of All is worth reading too.

Yep, both are great.
Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.

GeorgeT

Quote from: Clare on June 11, 2014, 09:34:14 AM
Quote from: red solo cup on June 11, 2014, 05:02:22 AM
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson. Very accurate for something written in 1907.
The Dawn of All is worth reading too.

QuoteIN a former book, called Lord of the World, I attempted to sketch the kind of developments a hundred years hence which, I thought, might reasonably be expected if the present lines of what is called "modern thought" were only prolonged far enough; and I was informed repeatedly that the effect of the book was exceedingly depressing and discouraging to optimistic Christians. In the present book I am attempting—also in parable form—not in the least to withdraw anything that I said in the former, but to follow up the other lines instead, and to sketch—again in parable—the kind of developments, about sixty years hence which, I think, may reasonably be expected should the opposite process begin, and ancient thought (which has stood the test of centuries, and is, in a very remarkable manner, being "rediscovered" by persons even more modern than modernists) be prolonged instead. We are told occasionally by moralists that we live in very critical times, by which they mean that they are not sure whether their own side will win or not. In that sense no times can ever be critical to Catholics, since Catholics are never in any kind of doubt as to whether or no their side will win. But from another point of view every period is a critical period, since every period has within itself the conflict of two irreconcilable forces. It has been for the sake of tracing out the kind of effects that, it seemed to me, each side would experience in turn, should the other, at any rate for a while, become dominant, that I have written these two books.

I read a few pages of that one. I love how his writing flows. Very smooth.

Right now, I'm reading Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffighan. Funny light reading. The pacing threw me off because I was reading it as If I was listening to his routine, but my eyes are faster than his delivery. Not the writer's fault. I got over it, though.
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Hector, Tamer of Horses

#348
The Day the World Discovered the Sun: An Extraordinary Story of Scientific Adventure and the Race to Track the Transit of Venus by Mark Anderson.  Eighteenth-century history AND space?  Count me in!

Picked it up at the Calico Cat Bookshop, if anyone knows Ventura.
"The world is not yet exhausted: let me see something to-morrow which I never saw before."

-Dr. Johnson, Rasselas

Jacob

The Fortune of War, book six of Aubrey-Maturin.
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kayla_veronica

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable,
most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God
be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored
and glorified in Heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God,
and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Amen.

Maximilian

Quote from: kayla_veronica on June 16, 2014, 02:29:54 PM
Sword of Honor by Evelyn Waugh.


Great book. Starts slowly, but builds as it goes along.

Pheo

Just about done the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.

zork

#353
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Gardener

"Jesus Christ, Before He Became a Superstar" - James K. Fitzpatrick, published by Roman Catholic Books

"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother." - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Larry

The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by F.F. Bruce

and, for fun, The Secret History of Star Wars by Michael Kaminski
"At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love."-St. John of the Cross

Roland Deschain2

TCP/IP: Principles, Protocols and Architectures by Douglas Comer
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Michael Wilson

Quote from: Pheo on June 16, 2014, 03:24:21 PM
Just about done the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
Pheo,
how is this series?
I liked how Brandon was able to get the "Wheel of Time" series back on track and finish it.
"The World Must Conform to Our Lord and not He to it." Rev. Dennis Fahey CSSP

"My brothers, all of you, if you are condemned to see the triumph of evil, never applaud it. Never say to evil: you are good; to decadence: you are progess; to death: you are life. Sanctify yourselves in the times wherein God has placed you; bewail the evils and the disorders which God tolerates; oppose them with the energy of your works and your efforts, your life uncontaminated by error, free from being led astray, in such a way that having lived here below, united with the Spirit of the Lord, you will be admitted to be made but one with Him forever and ever: But he who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit." Cardinal Pie of Potiers

BigMelvin

Quote from: Clare on June 11, 2014, 09:34:14 AM
Quote from: red solo cup on June 11, 2014, 05:02:22 AM
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson. Very accurate for something written in 1907.
The Dawn of All is worth reading too.

QuoteIN a former book, called Lord of the World, I attempted to sketch the kind of developments a hundred years hence which, I thought, might reasonably be expected if the present lines of what is called "modern thought" were only prolonged far enough; and I was informed repeatedly that the effect of the book was exceedingly depressing and discouraging to optimistic Christians. In the present book I am attempting—also in parable form—not in the least to withdraw anything that I said in the former, but to follow up the other lines instead, and to sketch—again in parable—the kind of developments, about sixty years hence which, I think, may reasonably be expected should the opposite process begin, and ancient thought (which has stood the test of centuries, and is, in a very remarkable manner, being "rediscovered" by persons even more modern than modernists) be prolonged instead. We are told occasionally by moralists that we live in very critical times, by which they mean that they are not sure whether their own side will win or not. In that sense no times can ever be critical to Catholics, since Catholics are never in any kind of doubt as to whether or no their side will win. But from another point of view every period is a critical period, since every period has within itself the conflict of two irreconcilable forces. It has been for the sake of tracing out the kind of effects that, it seemed to me, each side would experience in turn, should the other, at any rate for a while, become dominant, that I have written these two books.

are these intended to be read in sequence?
I saw the sun go down, on dreams of a utopian evermore...

Modernism controls its victims in the name of obedience, thanks to the suspicion of pride which is cast on any criticism of their reforms, in the name of respect for the Pope, in the name of missionary zeal, of charity, and of unity."
– Fr. Roger Calmel OP, Letter of 8th August, 1973

"In reference to the created intellect, however, (and specifically to the human) things may be said to be false when by their appearances they invite misconception of their true nature"
H.D. Gardeil, O.P., Introduction to the Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Vol. 4: Metaphysics, 138.

Pheo

Quote from: Michael Wilson on June 19, 2014, 07:45:58 AM
Quote from: Pheo on June 16, 2014, 03:24:21 PM
Just about done the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
Pheo,
how is this series?
I liked how Brandon was able to get the "Wheel of Time" series back on track and finish it.

I have to come down on the side of most of its reviews - it's great.  I haven't read a ton of fantasy so I'm not sure how you'd classify it, but so far I prefer more poetic books along the lines of The Silmarillion.  The reason I mention that is because at times the tone was a little more on the teen fiction side than I would have liked, but that really didn't take away from the series very much.

What boggles my mind is how quickly he comes out with new books.  And these don't feel rushed...the man is really creative.  I found out he's Mormon, so part of that may be because he's regularly exposed to a lot of crazy fantasy (i.e. The Book of Mormon). I can see where his worldview might have influenced certain elements in the series...but certainly not in a dangerous way.
Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation.