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What should RD read next?
Fiction 9 (42.9%)
Non-Fiction 12 (57.1%)
Total Votes: 21
Ask the Forum: Fiction or Non-Fiction
Topic Started: Oct 17 2009, 10:19 PM (412 Views)
Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

I just finished the book I was reading in my spare time. I'm curious as to whether you guys think I should read some fiction or some non-fiction next? Depending on the poll results, I might pick something; I might even make a second poll with specific choices after that.
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Abnar
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Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the lurkiest of them all?
Depends, is Solzhenitsyn fiction or non-fiction? One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is awesome, if you haven't read it yet.
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Al Araam
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Demigod of Death & Inactivity

I like fiction. Because I like it.
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

Well, Solzhenitsyn was a great man, among the greatest of the twentieth century, and I will certainly read that at some point. However, I have a few works in each category that are on my "reading list" currently. My plan was to make them a second poll after this initial one is complete, but I realize now that that is likely not the most efficient manner of conducting a poll.
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Porcu
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"Work is the curse of the drinking classes."

Voted for Non-Fiction. I find history/historical events to be just as inspiring or wonderful or amazing as any fiction work.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Science and Industry
Porcu
Oct 18 2009, 12:42 AM
Voted for Non-Fiction. I find history/historical events to be just as inspiring or wonderful or amazing as any fiction work.
I dare you to say that about this 200-page treatise on the economic depression of 1819.

http://mises.org/rothbard/panic1819.pdf
Edited by Tristan da Cunha, Oct 18 2009, 12:47 AM.
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Al Araam
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Demigod of Death & Inactivity

Or a 150-page ethnography of the Rashaayda Bedouin of Eastern Sudan. No, I think I've had quite enough non-fiction, thank you.
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

Al Araam
Oct 18 2009, 12:51 AM
Or a 150-page ethnography of the Rashaayda Bedouin of Eastern Sudan. No, I think I've had quite enough non-fiction, thank you.
That one actually sounds rather fascinating :unsure:
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Al Araam
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Demigod of Death & Inactivity

It would have been interesting to read over the course of a month or so, I think. I've never been one to enjoy reading for deadlines. And the second half became a bit tedious, since the amount of new material introduced was minimal. Could have been worse though, I suppose.
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lebowski2123
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Resident?
I just finished reading Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis, about his experiences in investment banking in the 1980s, and the collapse of Salomon Brothers. Light read, extremely interesting, as he spends a portion of the book explaining the origins of the mortgage bond, and the logic behind the trading of these bonds (which has lead us to our present day "mortgage crisis")
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New Harumf
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Bloodthirsty Unicorn
A very good read I would like to suggest:

Posted Image
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Menhad
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ET2(IDW)
I would suggest Memories of a Fighting Captain, an autobiography of Lord Admiral Thomas Cochrane. Very interesting.
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NRE
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Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman

Having to read a lot for my seminar (on witchcraft of all things) at the moment and can't say I can think of any good reads off the top of my head. Well no I take that back...

The Marrow of Tradition is a good historical novel. It's a fictional account of the race riots that took place here in my hometown, arguable the only successful coup d'etat in American history.

Of course (for my seminar paper) I could suggest a few good books on demonic possession and exorcism :lol:
Edited by NRE, Oct 18 2009, 09:32 PM.
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East Anarx
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Anarchitect

I voted fiction, and I must reiterate my recommendation of "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" by Robert A. Wilson.

But for non-fiction, I suggest "Organization Theory: A Libertarian Perspective" by Kevin Carson.
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

Esternarx
Oct 20 2009, 11:31 AM
I voted fiction, and I must reiterate my recommendation of "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" by Robert A. Wilson.

But for non-fiction, I suggest "Organization Theory: A Libertarian Perspective" by Kevin Carson.
I still do plan to get to your recommendation of Wilson's trilogy. Don't worry; I haven't forgotten! Sadly, with law school consuming much of my reading energy, my backlog has grown quite a bit over these last few years :(

Carson sounds familiar - I think I may have read some material of his online. Does he have a website?
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Sedulius
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Field Marshal
I voted nonfiction. I figure its better to fill your head with useful facts than useless fiction.

Of course, I'm not really that heartless.
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

Sedulius
Oct 20 2009, 03:47 PM
I voted nonfiction. I figure its better to fill your head with useful facts than useless fiction.

Of course, I'm not really that heartless.
I don't think I've ever read any useless fiction (well, I have when younger, but I tend to avoid it now, rather). I read useful fiction and useful facts.
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Sedulius
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Field Marshal
Not to argue, but what is useful about fiction? I do know some relevance to it, but I'd like to know what you think.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Science and Industry
Reading good fiction improves the spirits.
Edited by Tristan da Cunha, Oct 20 2009, 04:00 PM.
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

A lot actually. Often more than much non-fiction. Fiction is full of ideas, of character observations, of hard decisions and consequences, of the foundations of cultures, of mindsets, and pretty much everything else you would want on a personal level. Reading a self-help book, for example, is near worthless when compared to reading classic fiction. Fiction isn't all the same, and making broad statements about "fiction" makes little sense, as little if we talked about every type of non-fiction as the same. Good fiction cultivates mind and character, just like good writing of any other type, whether non-fiction or poetry, or anything else. To be honest, I don't even understand how fiction could not be seen as useful.
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Nag Ehgoeg
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The Devil's Advocate

Rhadamanthus
Oct 20 2009, 03:56 PM
Reading a self-help book, for example, is near worthless when compared to reading classic fiction.
Doesn't even have to be classic fiction. Satanic Bible did more good for me than any self-help book and that's "(not very good) modern fiction" if anything...

Yeah, I know, I'm going to bed. Stupid six o'clock starts...
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New Harumf
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Bloodthirsty Unicorn
Anyone besides me wanna read the "new" Shakespeare play??
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Deleted User
Deleted User

ok guys, I need to pick a non-fiction book of essays for my Ap English class, the problem is, all of the books on the recommended lists are super liberal. Do any of you have a good Non-fiction book of essays you would suggest to me?
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Tristan da Cunha
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Science and Industry
"Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays"

ISBN 0-945466-23-4
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Deleted User
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Tristan da Cunha
Oct 20 2009, 07:58 PM
"Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays"

ISBN 0-945466-23-4
Quote:
 
About the Author:
Murray N. Rothbard (1926-1995) distinguished himself as an economist, writing a major treatise on theory, several important economic histories, and a highly praised history of economic thought. But he was also known as the pioneer thinker of libertarianism, the political philosophy that roots freedom in private property ownership and decries the state as inherently contrary to the ethics of a free society. Writing from this perspective, he gained a reputation as the most provocative and influential contributor to the anarchist tradition in our century.
Yeah, how about no.
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