What are you currently reading?

[LastPommerFan]

I'll probably hit up the local Goodwill or Amvets. I'm sure they have some copies that have been donated. Plus I like a book so I can highlight and sticky note, etc. If I'm going to read it, it's going to get well read. ;)

 

If i may make a suggestion, read the entire text at least once without any clarifying input. Just get the words into your brain one time before adding the 2-4 millennia of commentary that have both distilled and affected the meaning of the text.

 

At Notre Dame, all students were required to take 2 classes in theology and 2 in philosophy (that was probably the biggest reason I chose the school) My THEO 101 prof e-mailed the class a month before the semester started and instructed us to read the entire text, whichever translation we wanted before class started. Needless to say, it was summer and I was pissed at the homework. But once class started it was incredible the discussion that resulted from having 25 different interpretations of 25 different readings of the exact same text.

[darksabre]

If i may make a suggestion, read the entire text at least once without any clarifying input. Just get the words into your brain one time before adding the 2-4 millennia of commentary that have both distilled and affected the meaning of the text.

 

At Notre Dame, all students were required to take 2 classes in theology and 2 in philosophy (that was probably the biggest reason I chose the school) My THEO 101 prof e-mailed the class a month before the semester started and instructed us to read the entire text, whichever translation we wanted before class started. Needless to say, it was summer and I was pissed at the homework. But once class started it was incredible the discussion that resulted from having 25 different interpretations of 25 different readings of the exact same text.

 

I wish I had taken more classes of that sort when I was in undergrad. The more I learn in the Criminal Justice world and the sociology behind that, the more I want to discuss philosophy and theology as well.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I'll probably hit up the local Goodwill or Amvets. I'm sure they have some copies that have been donated. Plus I like a book so I can highlight and sticky note, etc. If I'm going to read it, it's going to get well read. ;)

 

Last thing you want to do is read cover to cover. You could go back and do so, but if you look at it like a project it will be a chore. I'd start with the New Testament. The Gospels read easy. The Old Testament is more Broad Street Bullies and the New King James version of the New Testament is more Soupy/Pommers after the lockout feel. I think you will get a lot of good out of it because you can see beyond the obvious in a lot of things.

 

I've got 7 books next to me and the only one I finished cover to cover that kept me going is Adam Carolla's "In Fifty Years We'll All be Chicks". He writes very well and it's his voice 100% of the way. Really good stuff.

 

The War For Late Night.......all about the NBC debacle. Pretty interesting. Pick it up a chapter or two at a time.

 

The Orthodox Church - Timothy Ware.....easy overview of the history and customs of the different branches. I like a lot of what the Orthodox do...letting priests marry is a good start.

 

Pat Buchanan - Suicide of a Superpower....haven't started it yet because I know I will want to go cover to cover and it is a decent size. If you read his books 20 years ago, he was bang on where we ended up.

 

I also just started the Darryl Hammond bio. Pretty decent. His voice as well and a look into his crazy mind with some good stories. Not a must have but could do worse.

[nfreeman]

Great thread.

 

I'm currently reading "Cold Mountain" -- civil-war-era fiction recently made into a movie. I'm not far into it but so far it's very good.

 

If anyone needs some lighter vacation/beach/pool reading, I've just read a few books in the Joe Pickett series by CJ Box (murder mysteries set in Wyoming with a game warden as the protagonist) -- pretty enjoyable.

 

I've also recently read "Freedom" and "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen -- outstanding contemporary US fiction.

 

Finally, if you're interested in really well written short stories about the immigrant experience, I recommend any of Jhumpa Lahiri's collections.

[darksabre]

Great thread.

 

I'm currently reading "Cold Mountain" -- civil-war-era fiction recently made into a movie. I'm not far into it but so far it's very good.

 

If anyone needs some lighter vacation/beach/pool reading, I've just read a few books in the Joe Pickett series by CJ Box (murder mysteries set in Wyoming with a game warden as the protagonist) -- pretty enjoyable.

 

I've also recently read "Freedom" and "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen -- outstanding contemporary US fiction.

 

Finally, if you're interested in really well written short stories about the immigrant experience, I recommend any of Jhumpa Lahiri's collections.

 

If anyone is looking for murder mystery series, I recommend the Mario Balzic books.

 

"He's a hard-boiled, streetwise small town police chief who zealously guards his home turf of Rocksburg, a dying industrial town in western Pennsylvania, and will do whatever he has to. He can be tough, he can be cranky as hell, he can be rude and profane, but he can also be surprisingly gentle and compassionate. But don't cross him, just in case."

 

http://www.thrillingdetective.com/balzic.html

[MattPie]

If anyone is looking for murder mystery series, I recommend the Mario Balzic books.

 

Speaking of police fiction, a friend was recently talking this up. He lent his copy to someone else, so I haven't had a chance to read it yet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yiddish_Policemen%27s_Union

[Ohiofan]

Oh this is a lovely thread.

 

I also usually have at least three books going at the same time. My mood dictates which one I reach for in the narrow end-of-day time frame that this busy working mother/wife/mom has available. In my younger days pre-family, I used to spend hours with a book. I don't think I will get to experience that pleasure again until the kids are out of the house and I'm retired.

 

With that said, the husband just put in two walls of floor to ceiling bookshelves in the den. We have two Nooks in the house, but...well...we hang out at Barnes and Noble a lot, and lets just say that books are our weakness.

 

Currently I am reading:

 

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. This was a suggestion from my youngest child. It's a teen read about everlasting life, and I find it not bad if a bit silly, but daughter was excited about it and wanted me to share it with her. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.

 

American Sniper by Chris Kyle. This is an autobiography of the "Most lethal sniper in U.S. military history". Mr. Kyle was a Navy Seal and very decorated. Not too far into it but I like it.

 

11/22/63 by Stephen King. I love him, he keeps me up at night. (can't wait for the new Dark Tower book coming in March).

 

Ariel by Sylvia Plath. I am not a huge fan of poetry, but this is a book I read when I'm pissed off at life. It lives on my nightstand.

 

And, like many of you, I have a legion in the queue.

[darksabre]

Speaking of police fiction, a friend was recently talking this up. He lent his copy to someone else, so I haven't had a chance to read it yet: http://en.wikipedia....cemen%27s_Union

 

Well that looks different. I'm going to spend a lot of time going through this thread in the future haha

[TheChimp]

Sorry for your loss.

I know how difficult it is to deal with the passing of a good friend / family member.

 

:) Thanks bro.

[Weave]

If we're going to talk about reading for entertainment I can't recommend Steven Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger series enough. It is the character that the Mark Wahlberg movie "Shooter" was based on. Hint, the Point of Impact novel was wayyyy better than "Shooter". Great reading if you are into action.

[spndnchz]

I have to say that Harry Potter were the only books I read straight through. Took me two and a half nights to read the last one. So much lost in the movie, like most, I guess I love sci-fi with a soap opera twist. B-)

[...]

I have to say that Harry Potter were the only books I read straight through. Took me two and a half nights to read the last one. So much lost in the movie, like most, I guess I love sci-fi with a soap opera twist. B-)

 

Before getting into the books currently on deck, I read the entire series to my kids. They're actually quite fun reads.

[Eleven]

I have to say that Harry Potter were the only books I read straight through. Took me two and a half nights to read the last one. So much lost in the movie, like most, I guess I love sci-fi with a soap opera twist. B-)

 

The aforementioned Picture of Dorian Grey, by Oscar Wilde, would be a really logical next step.

[biodork]

You guys are all putting me to shame. I was an avid reader all the way up until college, but between school/work, having 2 jobs for years, and then more school/work, I've had so little free time for reading. :( When I go on vacation I tend to finish (or nearly finish) a book between the outbound and return flights, but vacations are as rare as free time. And I'm afraid my selections are much less sophisticated than most mentioned here, since I primarily stick to sci-fi / fantasy and horror.

[TheChimp]

You guys are all putting me to shame. I was an avid reader all the way up until college, but between school/work, having 2 jobs for years, and then more school/work, I've had so little free time for reading. :( When I go on vacation I tend to finish (or nearly finish) a book between the outbound and return flights, but vacations are as rare as free time. And I'm afraid my selections are much less sophisticated than most mentioned here, since I primarily stick to sci-fi / fantasy and horror.

Fantasy and horror....you mean these boards?

[biodork]

Fantasy and horror....you mean these boards?

 

Nicely done.

[Claude_Verret]

It's mid February and the most popular threads are about books, breasts, hobbies, drinking and eating. Mr. Pegula, I implore you, it's time to clean house.

[TheChimp]

It's mid February and the most popular threads are about books, breasts, hobbies, drinking and eating. Mr. Pegula, I implore you, it's time to clean house.

Or at least fill the arena with hot babes selling hot dogs, beer, and instruction manuals for building bird houses....

[Neo]

I don't see any Flyer fans trolling THIS thread!

[Guest Sloth]

Have any of you read The Road? Thinking about picking it up, but would like to have a heads up.

 

 

[X. Benedict]

The Road is a haunting and beautiful novel.

 

Cormac MCCarthy is a little like blue cheese though. You'll either love it or hate it.

 

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Have any of you read The Road? Thinking about picking it up, but would like to have a heads up.

 

I read that during Christmas Vacation, I liked it. Some pretty creepy parts and it reminded me of Fallout 3, lol.

 

I usually read one book for entertainment value and I always have a history book on the go, usually WW2 related. I just finished "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and it was a fun read.

 

I am halfway through "The Third Reich at War" by Richard J. Evans. It is the third book in his series about the Third Reich, and it is very well documented. I am not sure that many people would want to read to entire series like I have, but if you want to give one of them a try I would say try the last one in the series it is what people would find most interesting/disturbing.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

In case some of you don't know what he means by PBUH, he's saying "Peace Be Upon Him".

 

I am curious about one thing: Did Muhammad have proof that the Scriptures of the Bible were intentionally distorted? If so, how did he come across that? I know that it could be said that this was revealed to him, but did he actually sit down and do the actual scholarship to show this? (As an aside, IIRC, this is exactly the same accusation that Joseph Smith, Jr. leveled against the Bible when he was in the process of writing The Book of Mormon, and I have not seen any evidence that Smith possessed the "ivory tower scholar" superior scholastic abilities of someone like Daniel Wallace, RC Sproul, or even Augustine.)

 

Thank you for the clarification of PBUH. I often forget that many would not know what that stands for.

 

Actually, Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was "unlettered". Our Imam here in Halifax prefers that term to illiterate, but it means that he could not read or write. That is one of the reasons Allah (God) selected him as one of His messengers. To help refute the assertions that Muhammad (PBUH) wrote the Qur'an.

 

So, in answer to your question Muhammad (PBUH) was not capable of doing any scholarship on the issue you raised, or any other for that matter. One of the first things revealed was that Allah was revealing the Qur'an to affirm the previous scriptures and to correct the parts of them that had been altered.

 

EDIT: WE MUSLIMS DO NOT ONLY SAY PBUH AFTER SAYING THE NAME OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD. WE SAY IT AFTER INVOKING THE NAME OF ANY OF THE PROPHETS. FOR EXAMPLE, JESUS (PBUH) WAS A GREAT MAN AND MESSENGER OF ALLAH.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Sabres Fan In NS

[TheChimp]

Thank you for the clarification of PBUH. I often forget that many would not know what that stands for.

 

Actually, Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was "unlettered". Our Imam here in Halifax prefers that term to illiterate, but it means that he could not read or write. That is one of the reasons Allah (God) selected him as one of his messengers. To help refute the assertions that Muhammad (PBUH) wrote the Qur'an.

 

So, in answer to your question Muhammad (PBUH) was not capable of doing any scholarship on the issue you raised, or any other for that matter. One of the first things revealed was that Allah was revealing the Qur'an to affirm the previous scriptures and to correct the parts of them that had been altered.

Interesting. That whole "Peace Be Upon Him" thing really makes it impossible to use his name in vain, doesn't it? Can't you just hear it?

 

"Mohammad Peace Be Upon Him dammit!!!" Got no ring to it whatsoever.

[fan2456]

If we're going to talk about reading for entertainment I can't recommend Steven Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger series enough. It is the character that the Mark Wahlberg movie "Shooter" was based on. Hint, the Point of Impact novel was wayyyy better than "Shooter". Great reading if you are into action.

Read um. You'll love Vince Flynn and his main character Mitch Rapp.