Books: Book(s) you are Currently Reading | Part 3

Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
41V97ihFfoS._AC_SY780_.jpg

Author read all the Marvel comics from the early 60s thru 2017 (excluding Marvel series that didn't feature Marvel-created characters, like Star Wars & GI Joe, etc), then cataloged their collective, overarching themes. Some cool pics in here too of classic Marvel covers & characters. Lookin' forward to reading more..
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
85,418
139,444
Bojangles Parking Lot
41V97ihFfoS._AC_SY780_.jpg

Author read all the Marvel comics from the early 60s thru 2017 (excluding Marvel series that didn't feature Marvel-created characters, like Star Wars & GI Joe, etc), then cataloged their collective, overarching themes. Some cool pics in here too of classic Marvel covers & characters. Lookin' forward to reading more..

That's an incredible passion project. Is it a light read or a heavy one? Not sure I want to invest tons of time into it, but I'd be down for a quick read.
 

Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
That's an incredible passion project. Is it a light read or a heavy one? Not sure I want to invest tons of time into it, but I'd be down for a quick read.

It is wild how much research went in to this.. but it's not dry & academic. Lots of pictures, and it's broken up in to themes & individual comic synopses. So far it doesn't feel long & run-on. It's 300 pages, but with all the artwork, I'd say it's a medium length read. I collect a lot of books, so I bought this one, new & hardcover. Think it was about 25 bucks on Amazon..
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
85,418
139,444
Bojangles Parking Lot
It is wild how much research went in to this.. but it's not dry & academic. Lots of pictures, and it's broken up in to themes & individual comic synopses. So far it doesn't feel long & run-on. It's 300 pages, but with all the artwork, I'd say it's a medium length read. I collect a lot of books, so I bought this one, new & hardcover. Think it was about 25 bucks on Amazon..

Huh... think I'll actually see if I can find a copy.
 
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Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
Huh... think I'll actually see if I can find a copy.

Just finished it (All of the Marvels).. I thought it's strength was highlighting some of the older (& obscure) Marvel' series. And it's weakness was when the author condemned the cultural values of past artists. I'm not a fan of Monday morning moralizing, especially in relation to artwork. There was also a throw-away chapter at the end, where he boasted about his son's (inherited, but differing) interest in comics. I'm a parent, I get wanting to talk about your kids, but just seemed like a couple pointless pages. /peace
 

Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
51i2ia21dBL.jpg

Profiles of famous hermits, and the eremitic lifestyles from different cultures/religions thru history (Middle East, Europe, India, etc).
More I've learned about social anxiety, I've wondered if a lot of hermits & monks were driven to seclusion more from anxious dispositions than inspiration.. who knows. It's still interesting to me.
 
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Thucydides

Registered User
Dec 24, 2009
8,153
845
51i2ia21dBL.jpg

Profiles of famous hermits, and the eremitic lifestyles from different cultures/religions thru history (Middle East, Europe, India, etc).
More I've learned about social anxiety, I've wondered if a lot of hermits & monks were driven to seclusion more from anxious dispositions than inspiration.. who knows. It's still interesting to me.

Does this include any info about “the hermit of gully lake”. I grew up in the community where he was - he was deep in the woods , and would sometimes come down to the only store where people would leave him potatoes, veggies , etc.

I believe he was a Vietnam draft dodger.

interested in your take on the book.
 

Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
Does this include any info about “the hermit of gully lake”..
interested in your take on the book.

The book is ok, I'm about 60 pages in.. my disappointment is that I was looking for a collection of first hand accounts from the hermits themselves. How did eremitic lifestyles benefit & enlighten them, etc. And this book is more just a catalog and chronology of famous/historically significant hermits. Does have some brief, quoted writings & bibliography.. so I'll do more of a deep dive off this read.
Didn't see your guy mentioned, but I looked him up, interesting..
This book mostly refers to hermits who left behind writings, or were referred to by other religious writers.
 

Hippasus

1,9,45,165,495,1287,
Feb 17, 2008
5,617
346
Bridgeview
A hermit or a monk is one who escapes some material constraint or overstimulation. This sounds similar to ascetic ideals by Nietzsche. This is from the third and longest essay in On the Genealogy of Morals.
 
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Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
81F6mF9efaL.jpg

I may have read this as a teenager, but it's been long enough that it feels new..
 
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Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
51kGAoD1dML._AC_SY780_.jpg

Jeffers wrote some seriously long poems. This hardcover is over 700 pages. I'm cherry picking what to read..
 
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Babe Ruth

Don't leave me hangin' on the telephone..
Feb 2, 2016
1,441
616
698224.jpg

I guess there's a gap in the Biblical record, between Paul's conversion, and his reappearance as a letter-writing missionary. This book is a hypothetical accounting of Paul's missing time. Written by Biblical scholar Ben Witherington..
 

ItsFineImFine

Registered User
Aug 11, 2019
3,543
2,268
Finished The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie and a couple other by her so far this year. Quite a convoluted ending on that one but works well as usual. There's an awful John Malkovich BBC adaptation of it but a decent David Suchet 90s TV one too.

She has spoiled me though tbh whenever I read another writer including other contemporaries of hers like like Marsh/Sayers, I just can't get into them the same way.
 
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