What Are You Reading: The Sequel!

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Stole my line.

[scottydog]

^How is it compared to The First Mountain.

Good question. He's basically saying that the first mountain is what we think is important -- career, family, money, etc. Then a lot of us (me included) realize this first mountain that was supposed to promise us happiness is a red herring and we kind of get depressed until we figure out the second mountain, which is our real purpose.

[RJDiogenes]

First there is a mountain. Then there is no mountain. Then there is.

[Lupine]

And if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.

[RJDiogenes]

Why? Because it is there!

[scottydog]

I just finished reading With the Old Breed, E. B. Sledge's firsthand account of fighting in the Pacific during WW2. The reading was harrowing, brutal, and riveting.

[RJDiogenes]

^^ I'll bet. I was just watching a YouTube video recently on the Japanese invasion of China in WW2 and it was just grotesque. It was every bit as bad as what the Nazis were up to in Europe.

I forgot to mention that I finished Octavia Gone. It was just as good as you would expect from Jack McDevitt, although it had quite a downbeat ending compared to his usual stuff. Also, the main character dynamics have changed somewhat with his rescued uncle added to the mix, and we also have a bit of a Civil Rights theme going on involving the AIs.

[Lupine]

^That was kind of hinted at in Firebird.

[scottydog]

^^ I'll bet. I was just watching a YouTube video recently on the Japanese invasion of China in WW2 and it was just grotesque. It was every bit as bad as what the Nazis were up to in Europe.

In some ways, worse than Europe. The author talks about the great racial divide in the Pacific theater, which didn't exist in Europe. The Japanese had a racist hatred for us, and we had the same for them. That added to the venom and brutality.

[RJDiogenes]

^That was kind of hinted at in Firebird.

Turns out Alex and Gabe are very different, and run the business very differently.

In some ways, worse than Europe. The author talks about the great racial divide in the Pacific theater, which didn't exist in Europe. The Japanese had a racist hatred for us, and we had the same for them. That added to the venom and brutality.

Not just us. Did he go into the atrocities committed against the Chinese?

[scottydog]

Did he go into the atrocities committed against the Chinese?

No. After EB Sledge fought at Peliliu and Okinawa, he returned home to civilian life and became a college professor. He never went to China.

What book do you recommend for learning about the atrocities there? It's hard reading about man's inhumanity to man. But it must be read.

[RJDiogenes]

Here's a fairly short video from the Knowing Better channel on YouTube. There's a ton of great videos on this channel. This guy is one of the best-informed and even-handed commentators I've found on the Internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnAC-Y9p_sY

[RJDiogenes]

Did anybody else know that Ray Bradbury wrote mysteries. It was a mystery to me, until now. This oughtta be interesting.

In other news, I'm about three quarters of the way through Stranger In A Strange Land.

[Lupine]

Here's a fairly short video from the Knowing Better channel on YouTube. There's a ton of great videos on this channel. This guy is one of the best-informed and even-handed commentators I've found on the Internet.

Sorry I didn't see this video before. I always assumed that it was because Nazis were an organization and not a people or an actual nation. You don't chose to be a part of a culture or people, but you do chose to be part of an organization.
And another factor is that this is part of the price you have to pay sometimes for peace. On occasion you do have to let bad people walk. Not pretty but it happens.

Did anybody else know that Ray Bradbury wrote mysteries. It was a mystery to me, until now. This oughtta be interesting.

Actually I hadn't. Should give it a try.

In other news, I'm about three quarters of the way through Stranger In A Strange Land.

I haven't read that in ages.

[RJDiogenes]

Sorry I didn't see this video before. I always assumed that it was because Nazis were an organization and not a people or an actual nation. You don't chose to be a part of a culture or people, but you do chose to be part of an organization.

That could be part of it. But the Japanese have worked very hard to cover this all up.

And another factor is that this is part of the price you have to pay sometimes for peace. On occasion you do have to let bad people walk. Not pretty but it happens.

That's true. Compromise is frequently required.

Actually I hadn't. Should give it a try.

I read one last night, and it was good, of course. It had a Sci-Fi aspect to it, but according to the introduction not all of them do.

I haven't read that in ages.

My first time.