3,141 books
—
3,668 voters


“I have a foreboding of America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time–when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all of the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; with our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.
And when the dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites now down to 10 seconds or less, lowest-common-denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.”
― The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
And when the dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites now down to 10 seconds or less, lowest-common-denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.”
― The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
“And I can see Russia from my house.”
―
―

“If you want to really hurt you parents, and you don't have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possible can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
― A Man Without a Country
― A Man Without a Country

Study and discussion of the important questions of ethical and political philosophy from Confucius and Socrates to the present. Rules (see also the ...more

Information about eras past in different parts of the world. Help for readers who may feel lost in an unfamiliar historical setting, may not understan ...more

We read Science Fiction from all ages, rotating group reads from Proto SF to the latest, & all authors from Abbott to Zelazny. ...more

This group is dedicated to an appreciation of important works of literature, both classic and contemporary... that happen to fall into the category of ...more
Jim’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Jim’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Art, Biography, Book Club, Classics, Cookbooks, Crime, Fiction, Historical fiction, History, Memoir, Music, Mystery, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics, Science, Science fiction, Sports, and Thriller
Polls voted on by Jim
Lists liked by Jim