What I have been reading lately...
Worst Cases: Terror and Catastrophe in the Popular Imagination by Lee Clarke
A decent survey covering the relationship between how society conceives of the possibility of various types of disasters and how we actually react when disaster strikes.
From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity by Leo Braudy
A fascinating overview of the history of warfare, covering diverse themes such as tactics, weapons and religion as reflected by the individual warriors and the cultures of the various combatants.
A Crack In the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 by Simon Winchester
The tragic story of the San Francisco earthquake is used as the peg upon which the author hangs a sprawling and entertaining investigation covering everything from the story of geology to the history of the Earth and the tale of the founding of California.
Love, Sex, Tragedy: How the Ancient World Shapes Our Lives by Simon Goldhill
An amazing overview exploring the legacy of the classical world, and how the culture, religion, and mores of ancient Greece and Rome have affected every aspect of modern life from how we fall in love to how we work out in the gym.
Rubble: Unearthing the History of Demolition by Jeff Byles
A fine mediation on the joys of decontruction, ranging from a history of urban renewal to a discussion of the cultural meaning behind "extreme demolition" as well as the founding of the historic preservation movement.
Coyote Frontier by Allen Steele
This book is the final installment in Steele's excellent and sprawling "Coyote" series about the near-future human exploration of an Earthlike planet 50 light years from home. A sense of discovery and wonder, tinged with conflict makes this one of the best sci-fi series of the past decade.
Worst Cases: Terror and Catastrophe in the Popular Imagination by Lee Clarke
A decent survey covering the relationship between how society conceives of the possibility of various types of disasters and how we actually react when disaster strikes.
From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity by Leo Braudy
A fascinating overview of the history of warfare, covering diverse themes such as tactics, weapons and religion as reflected by the individual warriors and the cultures of the various combatants.
A Crack In the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 by Simon Winchester
The tragic story of the San Francisco earthquake is used as the peg upon which the author hangs a sprawling and entertaining investigation covering everything from the story of geology to the history of the Earth and the tale of the founding of California.
Love, Sex, Tragedy: How the Ancient World Shapes Our Lives by Simon Goldhill
An amazing overview exploring the legacy of the classical world, and how the culture, religion, and mores of ancient Greece and Rome have affected every aspect of modern life from how we fall in love to how we work out in the gym.
Rubble: Unearthing the History of Demolition by Jeff Byles
A fine mediation on the joys of decontruction, ranging from a history of urban renewal to a discussion of the cultural meaning behind "extreme demolition" as well as the founding of the historic preservation movement.
Coyote Frontier by Allen Steele
This book is the final installment in Steele's excellent and sprawling "Coyote" series about the near-future human exploration of an Earthlike planet 50 light years from home. A sense of discovery and wonder, tinged with conflict makes this one of the best sci-fi series of the past decade.
posted by Mike at
2:58 PM
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