I like books
-
In total there are 15 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 15 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
Most users ever online was 1086 on Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:03 am
Suggestions Wanted: Feb. & Mar. 2009 Non-Fiction Book
I would like to suggest The Pivot of Civilization by Margaret Sanger since I got some encouraging response from the thread I posted earlier. I just ordered a copy from Borders.com but it's also available for free online at Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1689
The book is about Sanger's belief that birth control is a human right and a contributing factor to peace, prosperity, and civilization. Sanger was a nurse in the early 20th century who saw many working class women and children suffering both in America and abroad. Distributing birth control information was considered pornographic and criminal. She was forward-thinking and passionate. The issues she spoke about are still relevant today but she is also controversial for her advocacy of eugenics and attitudes toward immigrants and African Americans.
Here's a quote from the introduction:
"Those critics who condemn Birth Control as a negative, destructive
idea, concerned only with self-gratification, might profitably open
the nearest dictionary for a definition of "control." There they would
discover that the verb "control" means to exercise a directing, guiding,
or restraining influence;--to direct, to regulate, to counteract.
Control is guidance, direction, foresight. It implies intelligence,
forethought and responsibility. They will find in the Standard
Dictionary a quotation from Lecky to the effect that, "The greatest of
all evils in politics is power without control." In what phase of life
is not "power without control" an evil? Birth Control, therefore, means
not merely the limitation of births, but the application of intelligent
guidance over the reproductive power. It means the substitution of
reason and intelligence for the blind play of instinct."
Here's an article on her when she was named one of the Time 100.
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leader ... anger.html
The book is about Sanger's belief that birth control is a human right and a contributing factor to peace, prosperity, and civilization. Sanger was a nurse in the early 20th century who saw many working class women and children suffering both in America and abroad. Distributing birth control information was considered pornographic and criminal. She was forward-thinking and passionate. The issues she spoke about are still relevant today but she is also controversial for her advocacy of eugenics and attitudes toward immigrants and African Americans.
Here's a quote from the introduction:
"Those critics who condemn Birth Control as a negative, destructive
idea, concerned only with self-gratification, might profitably open
the nearest dictionary for a definition of "control." There they would
discover that the verb "control" means to exercise a directing, guiding,
or restraining influence;--to direct, to regulate, to counteract.
Control is guidance, direction, foresight. It implies intelligence,
forethought and responsibility. They will find in the Standard
Dictionary a quotation from Lecky to the effect that, "The greatest of
all evils in politics is power without control." In what phase of life
is not "power without control" an evil? Birth Control, therefore, means
not merely the limitation of births, but the application of intelligent
guidance over the reproductive power. It means the substitution of
reason and intelligence for the blind play of instinct."
Here's an article on her when she was named one of the Time 100.
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leader ... anger.html
- Grim
-
- Brilliant
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:59 pm
- 15
- Has thanked: 17 times
- Been thanked: 21 times
AGAINST THE NEW AUTHORITARIANISM
http://www.amazon.com/Against-New-Autho ... 1894037235
or THE UNIVERSITY IN CHAINS both by the same highly respected author
http://www.amazon.com/University-Chains ... 573&sr=1-1
I think I would prefer to read The University in Chains
Listen to: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/suspec ... index.html
The books are mentioned in Suspect Society Part #2
http://www.amazon.com/Against-New-Autho ... 1894037235
or THE UNIVERSITY IN CHAINS both by the same highly respected author
http://www.amazon.com/University-Chains ... 573&sr=1-1
I think I would prefer to read The University in Chains
Listen to: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/suspec ... index.html
The books are mentioned in Suspect Society Part #2
- farmgirlshelley
-
Intern
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:29 pm
- 15
- Location: Kentucky USA
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 2 times
The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden (Paperback)
by William Alexander (Author)
this is a good book, and by the time we are done reading it, it will be time to start our own gardens.
by William Alexander (Author)
this is a good book, and by the time we are done reading it, it will be time to start our own gardens.
A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
- Chris OConnor
-
- BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
- Posts: 17034
- Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
- 22
- Location: Florida
- Has thanked: 3521 times
- Been thanked: 1313 times
- Gender:
- Contact:
Any additional suggestions for the next non-fiction poll?
Please review the suggestions your fellow members have made. If I don't see any follow-up posts about other peoples suggestions I am left to assume nobody but that person are interested in the book. Help us narrow down the poll choices please! Thank you.
Please review the suggestions your fellow members have made. If I don't see any follow-up posts about other peoples suggestions I am left to assume nobody but that person are interested in the book. Help us narrow down the poll choices please! Thank you.
Doidge Brain that Changes Itself.
How about Norman Doidge, The Brain that Changes Itself.
Seems like it might be a great source for ideas about keeping our brains in shape. Brain plasticity seems the buzzword.
for a short article with his views see
http://newhumanitst.org.uk/1899
[gee its frustrating not to be able to paste into this post]
Perpetual Student
Seems like it might be a great source for ideas about keeping our brains in shape. Brain plasticity seems the buzzword.
for a short article with his views see
http://newhumanitst.org.uk/1899
[gee its frustrating not to be able to paste into this post]
Perpetual Student
- Raving Lunatic
-
All Star Member
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:23 am
- 15
- Robert Tulip
-
- BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
- Posts: 6503
- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:16 pm
- 18
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 2730 times
- Been thanked: 2666 times
- Contact:
Death From the Skies by Phil Plait
People may like to consider Death From the Skies by Phil Plait.
http://www.amazon.com/Death-Skies-These ... 0670019976 says "Plait, an astronomer and author of the popular Web site badastronomy.com, presents in loving detail the many, many ways the human race could die, from temperature extremes and poisonous atmosphere to asteroid impacts and supernovae explosions. Such a state of destruction existed some 65 million years ago, when a giant meteoroid struck Earth, sending up so much flaming debris that the whole planet caught fire and the dinosaurs were wiped out. Solar flare activity could bring on another Ice Age. Worse yet would be a gamma ray burster, a collapsed star whose radiation would be comparable to detonating a one-megaton nuclear bomb over every square mile of the planet. Plait discusses insatiable black holes, the death of the Sun and cannibal galaxies
http://www.amazon.com/Death-Skies-These ... 0670019976 says "Plait, an astronomer and author of the popular Web site badastronomy.com, presents in loving detail the many, many ways the human race could die, from temperature extremes and poisonous atmosphere to asteroid impacts and supernovae explosions. Such a state of destruction existed some 65 million years ago, when a giant meteoroid struck Earth, sending up so much flaming debris that the whole planet caught fire and the dinosaurs were wiped out. Solar flare activity could bring on another Ice Age. Worse yet would be a gamma ray burster, a collapsed star whose radiation would be comparable to detonating a one-megaton nuclear bomb over every square mile of the planet. Plait discusses insatiable black holes, the death of the Sun and cannibal galaxies
- President Camacho
-
- I Should Be Bronzed
- Posts: 1655
- Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:44 pm
- 16
- Location: Hampton, Ga
- Has thanked: 246 times
- Been thanked: 314 times
That sounds like a great read!
I'm really in the mood for something a little more down to earth (hyuk hyuk), but I think this would be interesting. I would participate in the discussion of this book, for sure.
The books value as educational shock entertainment would be its biggest draw. I can't see the discussions getting too deep because the information is scientific, probably over most of our head's, and probably won't tug at anyone emotionally enough to want to discuss what was read. People would probably just absorb it and comment, "Wow, I didn't know."
Non fiction books that stir our emotions should probably be read more often than not on a forum like this. This is a perfect outlet for people to truly say what they feel because they have some anonymity. I think, on average, people are more apt to be less politically correct and more honest. They are less likely to abide group-think and would question every posting rather than settle because of a person's title, religion, race, or special interests.
A book like this would be wasting the forum's ability to do this. It would probably be very entertaining but it would probably fair worse than Your Inner Fish did. At least that book was going against the grain of religion.
I think we need to find the books that cater to the virtues of this forum. We need to find something controversial - something we can discuss with fervor, anger, excitement, and vigor. A book that we probably wouldn't discuss with our next door neighbor.
I'm not saying the books I've suggested fit this mold. They're only what I would like to read.
If there aren't any suggestions along these lines, or if they're not interesting enough for me to read and vote for, I will be voting for the space book.
I'm really in the mood for something a little more down to earth (hyuk hyuk), but I think this would be interesting. I would participate in the discussion of this book, for sure.
The books value as educational shock entertainment would be its biggest draw. I can't see the discussions getting too deep because the information is scientific, probably over most of our head's, and probably won't tug at anyone emotionally enough to want to discuss what was read. People would probably just absorb it and comment, "Wow, I didn't know."
Non fiction books that stir our emotions should probably be read more often than not on a forum like this. This is a perfect outlet for people to truly say what they feel because they have some anonymity. I think, on average, people are more apt to be less politically correct and more honest. They are less likely to abide group-think and would question every posting rather than settle because of a person's title, religion, race, or special interests.
A book like this would be wasting the forum's ability to do this. It would probably be very entertaining but it would probably fair worse than Your Inner Fish did. At least that book was going against the grain of religion.
I think we need to find the books that cater to the virtues of this forum. We need to find something controversial - something we can discuss with fervor, anger, excitement, and vigor. A book that we probably wouldn't discuss with our next door neighbor.
I'm not saying the books I've suggested fit this mold. They're only what I would like to read.
If there aren't any suggestions along these lines, or if they're not interesting enough for me to read and vote for, I will be voting for the space book.
- farmgirlshelley
-
Intern
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:29 pm
- 15
- Location: Kentucky USA
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 2 times
THE CASE AGAINST HOMEWORK
The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Children and What Parents Can Do About It (Paperback)
by Sara Bennett (Author), Nancy Kalish (Author)
this book will cause some very lively discussion. I would LOVE to discuss this one.
by Sara Bennett (Author), Nancy Kalish (Author)
this book will cause some very lively discussion. I would LOVE to discuss this one.
A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.