On Paths Unknown discussion

Right, we seem to have established that our group contains many readers who have non-fic TBR piles as well.

Let's post our non-fic piles here, and we may find ones that co-incide!
We might also want to use this folder for discussions on things like human rights and slavery, etc, as we had started to in some of the other threads.

What I'm currently reading on the non-fic front:

What Is This Thing Called Science? byAlan F. Chalmers

The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction

Understanding Philosophy of Science

A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science

There are more, but I'm still working my way through that. I don't tend to read books like these from start to finish, which is why, more often than not, I won't officially mark them as "read".

Ruth's list:
: by Ruth
Nov 09, 2015 10:33AM

Not sure how I should write up this list. It won't be pretty like yours, Traveller. Anyway, here goes:

The march of folly by Barbara Tuchman
Civilization of the Middle Ages by Norman Cantor
The broken mirror by Phillips
The slave trade by Hugh Thomas
Women who run with wolves by clarissa Pinkola Estes
Thinking, fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman
An intimate history of humanity by Theodore Zeldin
Pornography by Andrea Dworkin
A brief history of time by Stephen Hawking

There, that's a start.

Heh, currently I am trying my best not to get mixed up between the Berlin Group, the Vienna Circle, and the Frankfurt School.
Oh, why so many Germans! :P

The rest of my list (as it stands now, subject to change at a moment's notice):

A Farewell to Windemere by John Mooers (on Hemingway)
J.P. by John Mooers (on JP Morgan)
Medieval lives by Norman Cantor
Life in a Medieval City by Joseph and Frances Gies
Blueprints: Solving the Mystery of Evolution by Edey and Johanson
Millennium by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto
A way of Being AND
On Becoming a Person both by Carl Rogers
Beyond Freedom and Dignity by BFSkinner

Our lists, oh goodness. I am currently trying to decide which nonfiction to attack next year. I am thinking of taking just one of my shelves and making a dent in it next year, and I'm currently leaning toward marine biology. Here is that list:

The Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins
Consider the Lobster and Other Essays
The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks
Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid
Octopus: The Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate
The Search for the Giant Squid: The Biology and Mythology of the World's Most Elusive Sea Creature
The Moon by Whale Light and Other Adventures Among Bats, Penguins, Crocodilians and Whales
A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth
Great White Shark
Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins
Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish
The Great Sperm Whale: A Natural History of the Ocean's Most Magnificent and Mysterious Creature
Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris
Spineless Wonders: Strange Tales from the Invertebrate World
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary

Erm, there are others, but that is enough for now.

I've seen a mention of "Killer Whales, Seaworld and the truth beyond Blackfish". I usually stay away from such books because I just know the content is going to be upsetting. Same kind of thing as avoiding books about whale hunting or slaughtering of dolphins to me. The Killer Whale is my favourite sea animal and they don't belong in captivity, especially not for entertainment. Just like wild animals don't belong in a circus.

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Our lists, oh goodness. I am currently trying to decide which nonfiction to attack next year. I am thinking of taking just one of my shelves and making a dent in it next year, and I'm currently lea..."

You list looks fishy to me! :D There's something fishy going on here. XD

Yolande wrote: "I've seen a mention of "Killer Whales, Seaworld and the truth beyond Blackfish". I usually stay away from such books because I just know the content is going to be upsetting. Same kind of thing as ..."

Yes, these things break my heart too. After I read The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, though, I decided I need to get educated on the ugly stuff too. Although that Sea World one will be down the list, well below some of the others. I'm particularly looking forward to Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins, as that was a book of the year for a bibliophile I respect a great deal a few years back, and also Soul of an Octopus, which I've seen about a good bit this year. Oh, and Consider the Lobster, of course, although that's going to depress me too.

Traveller wrote: "You list looks fishy to me! :D there's something fishy going on here. XD"

Very, very fishy! And let me just tell you, VANDERMEER IS NOT HELPING ME! I had to go and expand my 'octopi' shelf to include squid, darn him! And look at that real world history of ambergris! (It looks like it might not even be good, but there's nothing else like it, so now I have to read it. Argh!)

Love the list though, Marine Biology is one of my favourite subjects I casually peruse :)

Yolande wrote: "I've seen a mention of "Killer Whales, Seaworld and the truth beyond Blackfish". I usually stay away from such books because I just know the content is going to be upsetting. Same kind of thing as ..."

I totally agree with this; dolphins are my fave animals and I physically hurt when witnessing vids of whales being harpooned.

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Very, very fishy! And let me just tell you, VANDERMEER IS NOT HELPING ME! I had to go and expand my 'octopi' shelf to include squid, darn him! And look at that real world history of ambergris! (It looks like it might not even be good, but there's nothing else like it, so now I have to read it. Argh!) ..."

Oh boy... now I'll probably want to read it too... :s

I'll let you all know if The Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins is any good; it may be right up some of your alleys (there is a section on Killer Whales, apparently). And Traveller, I'll let you know about the history on ambergris :)

I recently heard an interview with the author of Soul of an Octopus. Fell in love immediately. :)

Thanks!
Ruth, you mentioned that you're still reading Europe by Norman Davies, which reminded me that I'm still reading The Penguin History of the United States of America and People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn; and in those books are also mention of the slavery issues.

In referral to the thread where Ruth mentioned Europe by Norman Davies:

Ruth wrote: "Yup, that's the one, and I will finish it. Grrrr...."

Ruth, Goodreads is driving me nuts. I have that book; have had it for a long time, but never considered reading from start to finish; more as just a reference book. ...but now you're making me think... if I read it, probably I won't have to read much else on Europe ever again.... @_@ errrr... hmm, and Norman Davies is a well-respected historian... but then there's also so many other thick tomes on Russia, for example, that I already own, and.... *pulls some hair out*

Oh btw! If you like biography and always wanted to know a bit more about the lead-up to WWI, this one is not too bad: George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I Miranda Carter.
Just saying...

Howard Zinn, ... I think I have something of his somewhere (wanders off to another office, nope, ... comes back to this office, nope) Somewhere, someday. :)

If you see it as a choice between Zinn and Davies, stick with Zinn. Europe is an amazing book but it does have some flaws, which is part of the fun for me of reading it (see if I can catch them), but that might not be your kind of fun. :)

I am interested in the time period before WWI if for no other reason than I am editing and fact-checking a book that takes place partly in that time period.

Ugh, GR is not playing nice with me again, so I'll redo my lost post later.... I had gone to all the trouble of linking to a few books on the period, and right at the end, GR stops responding.

Sigh, let me try all over again, while I have the books open....

These 2 come highly recommended:
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914

and The Proud Tower : A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 by Barbara W. Tuchman who is well-regarded.

Also: The Vertigo Years: Europe 1900-1914

and ..ok, that's it for now.

Cool! Thanks, Traveller! I'll keep my eyes open for them when next I am in the States :)

Still looking for Howard Zinn. Alex, too, is sure we have at least one. (not in the reference corner of the living room ... Maybe the hallway between the offices ... )

Ruth wrote: "I recently heard an interview with the author of Soul of an Octopus. Fell in love immediately. :)"

That is very encouraging, Ruth. Thanks.

I just finished a book of photos from colonial Africa which bears mentioning here, A Passage to Congo: Photographs by Doctor Émile Muller 1923 - 1938. There is very little text, but the photos are an amazing piece of the past.

I have started The Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins; I'll let you know how it goes.