My new readings

[JohnKleeb]

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Soleyethn
PT 109 by Robert Donovan
now tell me, am I a nerd or what :D.
My plan is to read Denisovich and then restart Gulag while reading PT 109 at the same time.

[terrya]

1. I don't think it's nerdy.

Solitzehin(sp) is an author I've never tackled. You can tell since I don't know how to spell his name.

I read two books at a time, sometimes. Usually fiction/nonfiction.

[JohnKleeb]

2. Yeah Ive been interested by Russia's history for awhile

I got PT109 because I read Tour of Duty about Kerry and loved it, so I Thought PT 109 must be great.

[gpandas]

3. best part of "ivan" for me

was when he gave up a meal (thin gruel) to be assured that his line was straight.

[JohnKleeb]

7. I havent started yet, I am gonna read it then Gulag

which is an american author's history of the gulags.

[gpandas]

9. i consider ivan a work of art...

please, post how you feel about it after reading.

[JohnKleeb]

11. I will, gotcha

[JimmyJazz]

4. We must be nerds together, then. I am reading

a collection of short stories/essays of Solzhenitsyn called "Under the Rubble." I find great satisfaction in reading books that require notes in the margin and a dictionary. Let us know how the reading goes!! :)

[bigwillq]

5. You a nerd, Kleeb

:P

[JohnKleeb]

6. I take a math class that sophomores take

Some nerd :D.

[bigwillq]

8. LOL!!

I guess I would never trust you with my money!!!

[JohnKleeb]

10. I never did want to be an accountant

but really, I am a senior taking Algebra II, not a bad thing but consider that some people actually think I am UVA, Va Tech material, I find it hilarious.

[bigwillq]

12. It's only one subject

I'm sure you do quite well in other subjects.

[JohnKleeb]

13. sorta

I did good in bio, and great in active physics which is like physics with little math, now chemistry as you have seen from me is my hated subject, though I failed it last year, I am off to a great start this year and the truth about math is though I hate it, I could be coming out of HS with 4 math credits, and I sucked at foreign language, now english and history and those electives, oh man I kick ass.

[bigwillq]

16. How about this: I failed science in college

twice!!!

what a waste of time and money.

But on the third try, I got a B+, I was so proud of myself.

[JohnKleeb]

17. which science was this?

[bigwillq]

18. The first time it was Geology

then the second time, I think it was called Natural Science or something like that.

Than finally on the third time, it was like Earth Science so it was pretty easy.

It was just like a 101 science and it was a required class but I am awful in science (as you can tell now).

But I have my degree and since that time, I haven't really had to use any of the science that I learned.

[JohnKleeb]

21. see I suck at math based sciences

I really didnt care what the hell a mole was heh in chemistry and I slept in class, mostly tired, it was at the beginning of the day and my teacher who I actually have now hated me heh, but Ive changed my ways and I think doing good in chem this year is my ultimate fuck you to the teacher who made me feel like crap.

[JimmyJazz]

19. You're a senior and you are reading Solzhenitsyn????

and it's not required? You rock. I was still reading Sidney Sheldon in High School.

P.S. I took Algebra II twice (I thought that's what the "II" stood for - take twice), once as a senior and I turned out okay. Just don't ask my parents to verify that statement as they are Republicans.

[JohnKleeb]

20. yeah two

Nope not required at all, first book we're reading in english is canterbary tales, I've long by intrigued by Russia and its history. I got enough math credits to pass, if I pass this time, I got 4, I wish I had passed chemistry last year so I'd had three, and had done better in foreign language.

[JimmyJazz]

22. That's impressive. I was never good at math and science, but loved

history and english. I read Canterbury tales in high school, but that was a long time ago. Are you planning to go to college and, if so, what will you study? Russian History?

[JohnKleeb]

23. yep history and english my loves

umm I actually plan to major in political science so I can get a jump start to my speechwriting dreams and maybe minor in psych or journalism. Russian history especially the era of Stalin is really intriguing, amazing that man, all the evil shit he did.

[JimmyJazz]

24. Yea to a fellow poli-sci major!!!

Stalin is intriguing albiet evil. We have friends who are originally from Russia and I love talking to them about their time in Soviet Russia. Have you read any of Leon Trotsky's writings? He's another fascinating figure in the history of the Russian Revolution and, in fact, was instrumental in forming the Red Army.

[JohnKleeb]

25. never read Trotsky

I saw a great feature on the history channel called "War of the Century", it was very touching, it was about the war in Russia from June 22, 1941 till the Russians liberated Warsaw about, kinda made me emotional because well I admire the Russians deeply for their sacriface. Irish history, thats another history branch I love to learn about, and it too gets emotional.

[JimmyJazz]

26. Yeah, I caught you in the naked twister post talking about being Irish...

I need to learn more about Irish history as well. I love the Celtic music and really love the Irish Drinking Music (translate: Pogues)

You have enough on your plate right now with your studies and your extra-cirricular reading, but if, down the road, you want some more good reading, give me a yell. Thanks and good luck to you.

[JohnKleeb]

27. I am only part heh

Irish that is, I got a German last name and dont look Irish but I am very passionate about what goes on. Yeah sure thanks, I got a lot of reading to do.

[skygazer]

14. I'm always reading a bunch of different books

Right now I'm reading

The Italian Boy: A Tale of Murder and Body Snatching in 1830's London

The Collected Short Stories of Mark Twain

The Civil War in three volumes by Shelby Foote (a sentimental favorite - I've read it a number of times)

and I just started

The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto - it's about Manhattan when the Dutch owned it.

I've never read Solzhenitsyn - started The Gulag Archipelago once but got sidetracked and didn't return. Read about a third of it and enjoyed it but it was deep.

Maybe I'm a nerd too but I don't much care. I like people who read. I like people who think. That's why I'm a democrat!

[JohnKleeb]

15. My plan on Solezeythn

is to read this, then read Applebaum's Gulag which is a history of the Gulag from Stalin to Gorbichev's closing of them. I've seen Foote's stuff but I read more about WWII than I do the civil war.

[Merrick]

28. I'm reading Gulag Archipelago right now

250 pages down, only 1,000,000,004 to go!

the commonalities between the SU at that time and what the US is becoming are striking.

[JohnKleeb]

29. and doesnt it have volumes?

The longest book I've ever read was Stephen E. Ambrose's D-Day, one of the best accounts of D-Day I've read though I love Corneilus Ryan's classic The Longest Day.

[Merrick]

30. 3 volumes - each of containing 600 or so pages

I'll probably break them up and read something else in between.