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StrixNebulosa
Feb 14, 2012

You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

Mokelumne Trekka posted:

I've been on a war kick lately.

Is 1776 by David McCollough a solid choice on the American Revolutionary War? I prefer something as realistic and factual as possible, some honest criticism of America wouldn't hurt, and I want to steer clear of propaganda and liberal tropes. I guess I'm just a little suspicious of the book's popularity is all.

(I also happen to watching the HBO series John Adams based on the same author and I find it mostly good)

If you'll accept podcast recs instead of a book, the Revolutions podcast by Mike Duncan covered the Revolutionary War (USA) in really neat detail.

Can't comment on that book though, sorry.

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Mokelumne Trekka
Nov 22, 2015

Soon.

StrixNebulosa posted:

If you'll accept podcast recs instead of a book, the Revolutions podcast by Mike Duncan covered the Revolutionary War (USA) in really neat detail.

Podcasts work for me, thanks!

Kangxi
Nov 12, 2016

"Too paranoid for you?"
"Not me, paranoia's the garlic in life's kitchen, right, you can never have too much."

nadav posted:

This is broad, but does anyone have recommendations for learning about (20th century) Chinese politics/culture?

Check out Richard MacGregor's books on the Chinese Communist Party or it's foreign relations. He takes the party's internal politics and diplomacy seriously and he's a reputable source.

This isn't a book, but the three part documentary China: A Century of Revolution is a good overview.

TommyGun85
Jun 5, 2013
Any recommendations on the Byzantine Empire, particularly during the Komnenos Restoration?

TommyGun85 fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Jun 2, 2020

Hieronymous Alloy
Jan 30, 2009


Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!




Morbid Hound
https://twitter.com/alloy_dr/status/1267984944380469248?s=20

Fate Accomplice
Nov 30, 2006




Recommendations for nonfiction about con men, confidence games, swindlers, etc?

Specifically 19th-early 20th century if possible, nothing modern technology/finance related

funkybottoms
Oct 28, 2010

Funky Bottoms is a land man

ketchup vs catsup posted:

Recommendations for nonfiction about con men, confidence games, swindlers, etc?

Specifically 19th-early 20th century if possible, nothing modern technology/finance related

Didn't read these myself, but the owner of my old bookstore loved Maurer's The Big Con and Brock's Charlatan. The first is kind of the ultimate inside guide to con men from the 1940s and the other is a wild-rear end story of a dude who made bank literally giving dudes goat testicle transplants in the 20s and 30s.

Hieronymous Alloy
Jan 30, 2009


Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!




Morbid Hound

ketchup vs catsup posted:

Recommendations for nonfiction about con men, confidence games, swindlers, etc?

Specifically 19th-early 20th century if possible, nothing modern technology/finance related

Catch Me If You Can is probably the obvious pick.

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

Clifford Irving's Fake!, about the art forger Elmyr de Hory, was a good read.

regulargonzalez
Aug 18, 2006
UNGH LET ME LICK THOSE BOOTS DADDY HULU ;-* ;-* ;-* YES YES GIVE ME ALL THE CORPORATE CUMMIES :shepspends: :shepspends: :shepspends: ADBLOCK USERS DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY, DON'T THEY DADDY?
WHEN THE RICH GET RICHER I GET HORNIER :a2m::a2m::a2m::a2m:

ketchup vs catsup posted:

Recommendations for nonfiction about con men, confidence games, swindlers, etc?

Specifically 19th-early 20th century if possible, nothing modern technology/finance related

The Great Train Robbery

Hieronymous Alloy
Jan 30, 2009


Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!




Morbid Hound

Selachian posted:

Clifford Irving's Fake!, about the art forger Elmyr de Hory, was a good read.

That one is really good but especially interesting in context with Clifford Irving's history of fraudulence:

quote:

Clifford Michael Irving (November 5, 1930 – December 19, 2017) was an American novelist and investigative reporter. Although he published 20 novels, he is best known for an "autobiography" allegedly written as told to Irving by billionaire recluse Howard Hughes. The fictional work was to have been published in 1972. After Hughes denounced him and sued the publisher, McGraw-Hill, Irving and his collaborators confessed to the hoax. He was sentenced to 2˝ years in prison, of which he served 17 months.[1]

Irving wrote The Hoax (1981), his account of events surrounding the development and sale of the fake autobiography. The book was adapted as a 2006 biopic of the same name starring Richard Gere as Clifford Irving. He continued to write and published his later books as e-books available via Kindle and Nook.[2]

quote:

By 1958, millionaire Howard Hughes had become a recluse. In 1970, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Irving met with Richard Suskind, a longtime friend who was an author of children's books. They conceived a scheme to write Hughes' purported "autobiography". Irving and Suskind believed that, because Hughes had completely withdrawn from public life, he would never draw attention by denouncing such a book or filing a lawsuit for libel. Suskind took on the work of research in news archives. Irving started by enlisting the aid of artist and writer friends on Ibiza in order to create letters in Hughes' own hand, imitating authentic letters they had seen displayed in Newsweek magazine.[8]

Irving contacted his publisher, McGraw-Hill, and said that Hughes had corresponded with him, saying he admired Irving's book about de Hory. Further, Hughes had expressed interest in Irving's ghost writing the millionaire's autobiography. The McGraw-Hill editors invited Irving to New York, where the publishers drafted contracts among Hughes, Irving, and the company. Irving and his friends forged Hughes' signatures. McGraw-Hill paid an advance of US$100,000, with an additional US$400,000 to be paid to Hughes. Irving later bargained the sum up to US$765,000. McGraw-Hill paid by checks made out to "H. R. Hughes", which Irving's Swiss wife Edith deposited to a Swiss bank account which she had opened under the name of "Helga R. Hughes".[12]

The investigation
Learning of the planned book, representatives of Hughes' companies expressed doubts about its authenticity. Frank McCulloch, known for years as the last journalist to interview Hughes, received an angry call from someone claiming to be Hughes. But when McCulloch read the Irving manuscript, he became convinced that it was genuine.[13]

McGraw-Hill and Life magazine, which had paid to publish excerpts of the book, continued to support Irving. Osborn Associates, a firm of handwriting experts, declared the writing samples were authentic. Irving had to submit to a lie-detector test, which indicated inconsistencies but no lies.[14]

On January 7, 1972, Hughes arranged a telephone conference with seven journalists, whose end of the conversation was televised. Hughes claimed that he had never even met Irving.[15][16] Irving claimed the voice on the phone was an imposter, but it subsequently became clear that Irving was the fraud.[13]

Hughes' lawyer, Chester Davis, filed suit against McGraw-Hill, Life, Clifford Irving, and Dell Publications. Swiss authorities investigated the "Helga R. Hughes" bank account. The Irvings by this time had returned to their home on the Balearic island of Ibiza. The Swiss bank finally identified Edith Irving as the depositor of the funds, and the hoax was revealed.[citation needed]

Confession and trial
The Irvings confessed on January 28, 1972. They and Suskind were indicted for "conspiracy to defraud through use of the mails" and pleaded guilty on June 16. Irving spent 17 months in prison, where he stopped smoking and took up weightlifting. He voluntarily returned the US$765,000 advance to his publishers. Edith, a.k.a. "Helga", served prison sentences in the United States and in Switzerland.[17]

Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.

ketchup vs catsup posted:

Recommendations for nonfiction about con men, confidence games, swindlers, etc?

Specifically 19th-early 20th century if possible, nothing modern technology/finance related

You have a ton of recommendations but the world of Wine forgeries is pretty cool if you want con men of the more refined sort (and who exclusively con super rich dorks).

The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine is good, though only about half of it is about forgery. It'll teach you about the weird world of high end wine and what goes into it, which I thought was pretty interesting.

I've been recommended In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire too but haven't read it yet.

Nohearum
Nov 2, 2013
Anyone got anything that is light and will cheer me up?

Hieronymous Alloy
Jan 30, 2009


Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!




Morbid Hound

Nohearum posted:

Anyone got anything that is light and will cheer me up?

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

All Creatures Great and Small by James Heriott

Lex Neville
Apr 15, 2009
Leonard & Hungry Paul

StrixNebulosa
Feb 14, 2012

You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

Nohearum posted:

Anyone got anything that is light and will cheer me up?

PG Wodehouse's Jeeves novels and short stories

TommyGun85
Jun 5, 2013
Can anyone recommend any modern english fiction of Norse mythology, specifically about the Edda, Volsung Saga or Ring of the Nibelung?

Nohearum
Nov 2, 2013

Hieronymous Alloy posted:

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

All Creatures Great and Small by James Heriott


Lex Neville posted:

Leonard & Hungry Paul


StrixNebulosa posted:

PG Wodehouse's Jeeves novels and short stories

Thank you, added all of these these. Going to start w/ Bridge of Birds.

Fruits of the sea
Dec 1, 2010

buffalo all day posted:

If you want other space-based sci-fi, Becky Chambers's A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is well-liked around here. It's often described as "cozy" and feels a bit like the TV show Firefly.

Hey, I recently read this, as well as A Closed and Common Orbit and Record of a Spaceborn Few. Any recommendations for books with a similiar vibe? It was a nice change of pace to read some sci-fi that was good-natured and focused on the small things.

Also, thanks to whoever recommended Bill Bryson's At Home earlier in the thread. It's super interesting and Mrs Beeton's insane 18th century housekeeping instructions have become a household joke.

Hieronymous Alloy
Jan 30, 2009


Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!




Morbid Hound

TommyGun85 posted:

Can anyone recommend any modern english fiction of Norse mythology, specifically about the Edda, Volsung Saga or Ring of the Nibelung?


Do you want a modern english version of the classic myths, or "inspired by" fiction? Because if you want "inspired by," I mean, get yë hence, to Second Breakfast Club

Sham bam bamina!
Nov 6, 2012

ƨtupid cat
I think the request is more for stuff like Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, which I cannot recommend in good conscience, due to my professor's deep distaste for him when I was studying folkloristics.

Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



What was that novel about Norse warriors that used to get recommended a lot around the forums? The one that was well written and read like a fantasy novel should, but dealt with real historical events?

Llamadeus
Dec 20, 2005
Sounds like Frans G. Bengtsson's The Long Ships

Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



Llamadeus posted:

Sounds like Frans G. Bengtsson's The Long Ships

That’s it, thanks

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

If you're okay with comics, P. Craig Russell's adaptation of the Ring Cycle is great.

TommyGun85
Jun 5, 2013

Hieronymous Alloy posted:

Do you want a modern english version of the classic myths, or "inspired by" fiction? Because if you want "inspired by," I mean, get yë hence, to Second Breakfast Club

sorry to clarify, I meant modern translations of those...

Selachian posted:

If you're okay with comics, P. Craig Russell's adaptation of the Ring Cycle is great.

read it and its fantastic but looking for novelizations.

A human heart
Oct 10, 2012

So you want a modern translation, of something that isn't a novel, that is a novelization?

TommyGun85
Jun 5, 2013

A human heart posted:

So you want a modern translation, of something that isn't a novel, that is a novelization?

i think youre been semantical or splitting hairs or whatever.

im looking for either a novelization or modern translation of the Edda, Wagners Nibelung or the Volsung Saga. Two of them Im unaware of the best english versions and the other I dont want to read a musical opera.

Hope that clarifies and thank you for any suggestions.

e: I meant novelization in the sense of not operas or graphic novels. Poems or prose please.

A human heart
Oct 10, 2012

You're not being very clear about what you want. The eddas(there are two of them) and the sagas aren't novels, so a modern translation of them won't be a novelisation. Wagner's ring is a cycle of operas, but it sounds like you're actually interested in the Nibelungenlied, which is the medieval german poem that Wagner used as source material. There are modern translations of this but because it's an epic poem they're not novels either.

TommyGun85
Jun 5, 2013

A human heart posted:

You're not being very clear about what you want. The eddas(there are two of them) and the sagas aren't novels, so a modern translation of them won't be a novelisation. Wagner's ring is a cycle of operas, but it sounds like you're actually interested in the Nibelungenlied, which is the medieval german poem that Wagner used as source material. There are modern translations of this but because it's an epic poem they're not novels either.

hmm let me try again....I would like to read the Edda or Volsung Saga in English. Either direct modern translations or novelizations are fine. Im not interested in the graphic novel as I have already read it. An english tranation or novelization of whatever Wagners opera was based on would be nice too. Im not looking for novels with loose inspiration like Gaiman's Norse Mythology or American Gods.

Anything based on the legends of the valjyries, Sigurd, Brunhild...that kind of stuff.

e:

Hieronymous Alloy posted:

Do you want a modern english version of the classic myths, or "inspired by" fiction? Because if you want "inspired by," I mean, get yë hence, to Second Breakfast Club

this in bold i guess

TommyGun85 fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Jun 7, 2020

regulargonzalez
Aug 18, 2006
UNGH LET ME LICK THOSE BOOTS DADDY HULU ;-* ;-* ;-* YES YES GIVE ME ALL THE CORPORATE CUMMIES :shepspends: :shepspends: :shepspends: ADBLOCK USERS DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY, DON'T THEY DADDY?
WHEN THE RICH GET RICHER I GET HORNIER :a2m::a2m::a2m::a2m:

I think it's pretty clear op wants a modern English prose version of Norse myths and sagas, regardless of whether the original source was prose or verse. Not sure how people are confused tbh.

Sham bam bamina!
Nov 6, 2012

ƨtupid cat

TommyGun85 posted:

hmm let me try again....I would like to read the Edda or Volsung Saga in English. Either direct modern translations or novelizations are fine. Im not interested in the graphic novel as I have already read it. An english tranation or novelization of whatever Wagners opera was based on would be nice too. Im not looking for novels with loose inspiration like Gaiman's Norse Mythology or American Gods.
The closest thing I can think of to a "novelization" of an epic poem is John Gardner's Grendel, a novel about the monster from Beowulf. I don't know if too many people have done that with Norse mythology or if you're even interested in that. The Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda are collections of poems. Norse Mythology is nothing like American Gods; it directly retells the Norse myths in Gaiman's words, like Roger Lancelyn Green's books of Greek myths for children. (It appears that Green also wrote a book of Norse myths, Myths of the Norsemen, so consider that a recommendation from me.) If you want modern English translations of epic poems, there is no shortage of them, although I am not the person to ask about specific choices. It seems like you have an idea of the specific sagas you want to read, so just compare English translations of them and pick the one you like the most.

Safety Biscuits
Oct 21, 2010

TommyGun85 posted:

hmm let me try again....I would like to read the Edda or Volsung Saga in English. Either direct modern translations or novelizations are fine. Im not interested in the graphic novel as I have already read it. An english tranation or novelization of whatever Wagners opera was based on would be nice too. Im not looking for novels with loose inspiration like Gaiman's Norse Mythology or American Gods.

Anything based on the legends of the valjyries, Sigurd, Brunhild...that kind of stuff.

Try asking the Religionthread and Norse Heathenry threads in A/T.

Prism Mirror Lens
Oct 9, 2012

~*"The most intelligent and meaning-rich film he could think of was Shaun of the Dead, I don't think either brain is going to absorb anything you post."*~




:chord:
Anyone know a book about neuroscience/neurobiology that’s neither a full-on textbook, nor just a self-help book or one of those “true tales of amazing brain surgery patients!” books? Like, one that’s focused on the science side of things but doesn’t go into the extreme technical details?

Safety Biscuits
Oct 21, 2010

Prism Mirror Lens posted:

Anyone know a book about neuroscience/neurobiology that’s neither a full-on textbook, nor just a self-help book or one of those “true tales of amazing brain surgery patients!” books? Like, one that’s focused on the science side of things but doesn’t go into the extreme technical details?

You're looking for On the Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, of course! :v:

I've heard good things about The Master and His Emissary, and a couple of Oliver Sacks' books are more scientific than others, especially Awakenings.

tuyop
Sep 15, 2006

Every second that we're not growing BASIL is a second wasted

Fun Shoe

Prism Mirror Lens posted:

Anyone know a book about neuroscience/neurobiology that’s neither a full-on textbook, nor just a self-help book or one of those “true tales of amazing brain surgery patients!” books? Like, one that’s focused on the science side of things but doesn’t go into the extreme technical details?

Have you read that neuroplasticity book, “The Brain That Changes Itself”? That one was fun!

regulargonzalez
Aug 18, 2006
UNGH LET ME LICK THOSE BOOTS DADDY HULU ;-* ;-* ;-* YES YES GIVE ME ALL THE CORPORATE CUMMIES :shepspends: :shepspends: :shepspends: ADBLOCK USERS DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY, DON'T THEY DADDY?
WHEN THE RICH GET RICHER I GET HORNIER :a2m::a2m::a2m::a2m:

Prism Mirror Lens posted:

Anyone know a book about neuroscience/neurobiology that’s neither a full-on textbook, nor just a self-help book or one of those “true tales of amazing brain surgery patients!” books? Like, one that’s focused on the science side of things but doesn’t go into the extreme technical details?

You might like Broca's Brain by Carl Sagan

Prism Mirror Lens
Oct 9, 2012

~*"The most intelligent and meaning-rich film he could think of was Shaun of the Dead, I don't think either brain is going to absorb anything you post."*~




:chord:
Thanks goons, I’ll check ‘em out. I do love bicameral mind theory (who doesn’t) so maybe I’ll actually read that too haha

Drone Jett
Feb 21, 2017

by Fluffdaddy
College Slice
The Ego Tunnel by Thomas Metzinger is a good philosophical take on the brain science stuff.

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Nehru the Damaja
May 20, 2005

I'm reading The Story of Man by Cyril Aydon and it's not bad but it's a bit too cursory. I'm looking for a book that covers the history of humanity from evolution in Africa to at least like the bronze age. That whole length of time is like less than 100 pages in this current book. I'd especially like to know more about the development of political authority centered around production of grain in Sumeria and China. Anything that ticks those boxes well?

Nehru the Damaja fucked around with this message at 14:52 on Jun 10, 2020

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