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Grand unified books thread

Started by Syt, March 16, 2009, 01:52:42 AM

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Scipio

#30
March 22, 2009, 04:12:26 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on March 16, 2009, 04:44:09 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 16, 2009, 04:12:38 PMThat's true, but he survived seven years fighting nearly all of Europe. There's no way that was due to just luck.

As Napoleon's old maxim goes, "I'd rather fight allies than be one."  Frederick's "luck" of sorts was based rather heavily on the fact that the coalition aligned against him never had a unified goal, never a unified command, always had competing interests and, in many cases, political conflict between the commanders at the front and politicians at the back essentially guaranteed that he was never really all that pressured.

Add in the fact that Russia, at the peak of its success (and when Frederick was probably quite ready to commit suicide) had a few drastic foreign policy shifts from the Czarina dying, then the new Czar allying, then the new Czar being murdered and replaced with a neutral Russia, and you have a recipe for his state's survival.

If Elizabeth hadn't died precisely when she did, there would have been no Prussia.
What I speak out of my mouth is the truth.  It burns like fire.
-Jose Canseco

There you go, giving a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.
-Every cop, The Wire

"It is always good to be known for one's Krapp."
-John Hurt

Habbaku

#31
March 22, 2009, 04:15:54 PM
Quote from: Scipio on March 22, 2009, 04:12:26 PMIf Elizabeth hadn't died precisely when she did, there would have been no Prussia.

:yes:
The medievals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop. Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers.

Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people.
-J. R. R. Tolkien

Martinus

#32
March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?

FunkMonk

#33
March 22, 2009, 04:35:40 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?

What... is... fic-tion?  :o
Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.

Scipio

#34
March 22, 2009, 04:40:15 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?

The big difference between, say, me and you, is that I don't read books about fat Russian-American lawyer newlyweds living in Mississippi, whereas you are just aching to read books about closeted homosexual Polish lawyers.  Since none of us here are, in fact Frederick of Prussia, or Elizabeth of Russia, or any of those dead generals, I should think your comparison is inapposite, and in fact, technically speaking, fucking lame.
What I speak out of my mouth is the truth.  It burns like fire.
-Jose Canseco

There you go, giving a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.
-Every cop, The Wire

"It is always good to be known for one's Krapp."
-John Hurt

Martinus

#35
March 22, 2009, 04:43:56 PM
Quote from: Scipio on March 22, 2009, 04:40:15 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?

The big difference between, say, me and you, is that I don't read books about fat Russian-American lawyer newlyweds living in Mississippi, whereas you are just aching to read books about closeted homosexual Polish lawyers.  Since none of us here are, in fact Frederick of Prussia, or Elizabeth of Russia, or any of those dead generals, I should think your comparison is inapposite, and in fact, technically speaking, fucking lame.
Frederick of Prussia didn't have any sex. On the other hand, he was slim and apparently fit. So I can see how you can only partially identify with him.

jimmy olsen

#36
March 22, 2009, 04:44:14 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?
These "obscure" wars effect us to this day, how much do your "gay" books effect us?
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point

Ed Anger

#37
March 22, 2009, 04:46:46 PM Last Edit: March 22, 2009, 04:49:43 PM by Ed Anger
Quote from: Razgovory on March 22, 2009, 03:25:06 PM
Currently reading Beevor's book on the Spanish Civil war.  I was surprised how nasty the nationalists were.  I mean they were beating the Republic in warcrimes hand over first.

I never could finish that book. After about 100 pages of everybody is a dickhead, I just put it aside.

Of course on the internet, I support Franco, because that pisses off the greatest number of Euros.
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

The Minsky Moment

#38
March 22, 2009, 04:47:27 PM
Quote from: Scipio on March 22, 2009, 04:40:15 PM
The big difference between, say, me and you, is that I don't read books about fat Russian-American lawyer newlyweds living in Mississippi

Don't be so quick there - the concept there has real promise in a Grisham meets Ignatius J. Reilly sort of way.  You write it and I'll option the film rights.
The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.
--Joan Robinson

The Minsky Moment

#39
March 22, 2009, 04:49:42 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Books about Frederick are gay books about obscure wars.  How bout them apples.
The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.
--Joan Robinson

Martinus

#40
March 22, 2009, 04:50:51 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 22, 2009, 04:44:14 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Does anyone here ever read fiction?
These "obscure" wars effect us to this day, how much do your "gay" books effect us?
One of the acknowledged goals of literary fiction is to enrich our vocabulary, make our communication skills more robust and precise.

Of course, judging from your writing skills, I am willing to concede fine prose doesn't "effect" us at all.

Martinus

#41
March 22, 2009, 04:53:42 PM
Quote from: The Minsky Moment on March 22, 2009, 04:49:42 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:32:39 PM
It's funny how you guys ridicule me for liking "gay books" whereas all you read apparently are books about some obscure wars.  :D

Books about Frederick are gay books about obscure wars.  How bout them apples.
I'm just disappointed that hardly anyone here (maybe except the gays, Savonarola, Brazen and Malthus) seems to be reading fiction anymore. History books are all fine and dandy, but they are (with some notable exceptions) all about information, rather than literary skills.

Ed Anger

#42
March 22, 2009, 04:58:29 PM
I was thinking of cracking some fiction but since Marti is having a hissy fit, I'll read more non-fiction.
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

The Minsky Moment

#43
March 22, 2009, 05:00:15 PM
Quote from: Martinus on March 22, 2009, 04:53:42 PM
I'm just disappointed that hardly anyone here (maybe except the gays, Savonarola, Brazen and Malthus) seems to be reading fiction anymore. History books are all fine and dandy, but they are (with some notable exceptions) all about information, rather than literary skills.

I actually just started to read a bunch of fiction for the first time in years.  In large part b/c of the new Kindle.  Luckily I was able to extract recommendations from the old board right before it went down.
The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.
--Joan Robinson

jimmy olsen

#44
March 22, 2009, 05:07:18 PM
I read fiction, though I don't have much time to do so anymore. If I have time to read I'm usually reading history in order to prep myself for the next era we're going to go over in class.
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point
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