What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk II
If it can be read, it can be discussed here.
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Re: What book are you reading now?I totally agree but I guess at A2 you don't want every statistic concerning every event. Analytically, the book is one of the strongest I've read about the Cold War. So many Cold War books are large but don't contain the analysis that Gaddis forms. I find that his analogies with tigers etc. really do help as well!(Original post by velocet)
Just started reading it the other day. Only a third of the way through but I'm not enjoying it too much due to the fact it's too brief. To be fair, I should've expected it from when he explained the difficulty of summarising the Cold War in under 300 pages. Determined to finish it though since it will be a nice recap from A2 History.
In addition, reading Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell. -
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk II(Original post by SirMasterKey)
I'll be starting on one of the Sherlock Holmes stories or The Two Towers come Tuesday night.
The Holmes' novels or short story collections? I personally read them chronologically; you have a better overview and understanding of the character/relationship development of Holmes - so much so you'd probably appreciate whichever case in hand more than picking a story out of the blue. 
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk IIPost 10000 on the previous incarnation of this thread was a real let down! In days gone past they'd be a post frenzy to get the top spot!(Original post by Phalanges)
Now that the last thread has been filled, it's time for a new one! Previous thread can be found here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=100193
I am currently reading Scorsese by Ebert. Pretty damn good read.
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk IIShort stories, I'm reading them in the order in the book I have. I just need to pick it up to tell you which one I'm on(Original post by crazyferret)
The Holmes' novels or short story collections? I personally read them chronologically; you have a better overview and understanding of the character/relationship development of Holmes - so much so you'd probably appreciate whichever case in hand more than picking a story out of the blue.
I've read Study in Scarlet and Sign of the Four and I know I'm now past Spectled Band. I can't really imagine reading them in any other order if it is in order. I mean it would be a bit like (but not as much of course) reading the last Harry Potter book first. I like it with the developing characters.
I'm onto Silver Blaze, just checked. -
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk IIIs that any good?(Original post by crazyferret)
Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression by Sally Brampton. -
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk III've not finished it but, with respect to your question, yes and no. It's very much a personal account, it gives the reader a quite...raw insight into the author's personal experience of depression.(Original post by laut_biru)
Is that any good?
It depends on why you're reading it tbh? For an outsider looking in you'd get a sense of the personal feelings, turmoil at time, the mind of someone with quite frankly severe depression experiences.
In that respect it succeeds on giving someone who isn't dogged by The Black Dog (as termed by Churchill) a startling insight into the depressive's mind. I personally found her account somewhat visceral in parts. She however succeeds in steering clear of the self-help crap a lot of similiar authors end up focussing on. Emotional, engaging, far removed from regular academic literature in that respect. Worth a read, if you're interested.Last edited by crazyferret; 30-05-2011 at 23:29. -
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk IIOut of interest, are you reading it from an non-depressives perspective?(Original post by crazyferret)
I've not finished it but, with respect to your question, yes and no. It's very much a personal account, it gives the reader a quite...raw insight into the author's personal experience of depression.
It depends on why you're reading it tbh? For an outsider looking in you'd get a sense of the personal feelings, turmoil at time, the mind of someone with quite frankly severe depression experiences.
In that respect it succeeds on giving someone who isn't dogged by The Black Dog (as termed by Churchill) a startling insight into the depressive's mind. I personally found her account somewhat visceral in parts. She however succeeds in steering clear of the self-help crap a lot of similiar authors end up focussing on. Emotional, engaging, far removed from regular academic literature in that respect. Worth a read, if you're interested.
I have to say, I can't claim the same thing, which is more the basis of my interest (that probably seems odd..). -
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Re: What Book Are You Reading Now? Mk IIHmmm, well depression could clinically be classified as a chemical imbalance in the sufferer's brain (hence why we prescribe SSRI's amongst other things) yet, it's obviously so much more. Yes, genetically people can be predisposed to depression. But aren't emotions, love for example, a chemical change/imbalance at times per se? We use drugs to dull the symptoms of depression but the underlying cause remains (hence why going off meds can be problematic). It brings up the question that perhaps the depressive state of mind is what in fact characterises the sufferer, we only treat it as it's not wholly compatible with living life (as non-depressives deem it). But what about being misanthropic? There's a huge grey area around all of it.(Original post by laut_biru)
Out of interest, are you reading it from an non-depressives perspective?
I have to say, I can't claim the same thing, which is more the basis of my interest (that probably seems odd..).
The book was good in the respect that you can explore someone's midset with severe depression. I read the book, personally, to get an idea of what someone with quite severe depression experiences.
