Grand unified books thread

[crazy canuck]

Thanks Sheilbh

[Savonarola]

I just finished the White Yajur Veda; which is a collection of liturgies for the various rites of the Vedic age.  It's more recent than the Rig Veda or the Samaveda so some concepts of modern Hinduism like the caste system and karma are more obvious and more defined.  There are some surprises in these rituals, like the horse-sacrifice ritual; but vegetarianism doesn't seem to be a widespread concept in the Vedic age.

There is (for Capetan Mihali) a somewhat better description of Soma in these rituals.  The plant needs to be dug up (rather than simply gathered), and has shoots.

[garbon]

So Martin has a book coming out this fall detailing all the history (aka back history) of his world?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EGMGGVK/ref=pd_csr_hcb_youra_b_i

[Eddie Teach]

The Monster at the End of This Book

[spoiler]It's Grover [/spoiler]

[Maladict]

Reading the autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini. It's pretty 'out there'.

[Josephus]

Dan Simmons' latest, Abominable.

Read it on the beach in Cuba.

I really enjoy Simmons' latest thriller/horror works, especially Terror which focussed on the doomed expedition into the NorthWest passage.

I'm a huge Everest fan (never climbed it, or ever will, but have read just about everyhting on it), so this book,which was about an unsanctioned climb up the mountain the year after Mallory's disappearance whetted my appetite.

It was kind of strange. The first two thirds read like a real Everest climb account. obviously well researched. It was only the final third that the novel strayed into "thriller" territory. --and it actually involved Hitler. A good read, but if reading about crampons, tents, icefalls, and general climbing history is not your cup of cold tea, then don't bother.

[Capetan Mihali]

Reading the autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini. It's pretty 'out there'.

I bet.   Is it worth reading?

[Maladict]

I bet.   Is it worth reading?

So far, definitely. But I'm not sure how much ego I can take.

[Ed Anger]

I'm re-reading A Distant Mirror.

[KRonn]

I'm re-reading A Distant Mirror.

I have that book, read some of it a while ago.

[The Brain]

I'm re-reading A Distant Mirror.

The blessing of growing old and demented. All those new books.

[Syt]

I could read "Proud Tower" again at some point, I think.

[Habbaku]

Currently reading House of Leaves by Danielweski.  A bit trippy, as expected, but the story format isn't nearly as bizarre as I had been lead to believe.

Next up : Richard Overy's The Bombing War.   

[Queequeg]

Currently reading House of Leaves by Danielweski.  A bit trippy, as expected, but the story format isn't nearly as bizarre as I had been lead to believe.

Next up : Richard Overy's The Bombing War.   

I was ultimately very disappointed by Leaves. 

[garbon]

I'm re-reading A Distant Mirror.

I have that book, read some of it a while ago.

While I liked the detail it provided on 14th century, I didn't care so much for the asides on the mentioned family or the attempt to tie it to 20th century conflicts. Felt a bit muddied.