Hieronymus Longinus Rufus Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 I just read "The Tain," the national epic of Ireland. Wow, it's bad. If an intellectually precocious yet still emotionally immature adolescent had written a medieval tale of sword and sorcery, it would look a lot like this, I think. Are you English? Blimey! Poppycock and Codswallop! No. I'm a Yank who counts a few Irish as his ancestors. But I'm completely bored by the tale of an invincible man who can hold off an army all by his lonesome self. I haven't read it myself, but I cant see how it can be any more ridiculous than "Beowulf," the English national epic. (I'm an anglophile,btw. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 I don't know. It just seemed long and monotonous. Cu Chulain meets opponent. They exchange boasts and insults. They fight.. Cu Chulain wins. Repeat formula about 30 more times before the end. Mind you, I thought The Iliad was getting monotonous with the battle scenes, and I am someone who is otherwise fond of Greco-Roman mythology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieronymus Longinus Rufus Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 I don't know. It just seemed long and monotonous. Cu Chulain meets opponent. They exchange boasts and insults. They fight.. Cu Chulain wins. Repeat formula about 30 more times before the end. Mind you, I thought The Iliad was getting monotonous with the battle scenes, and I am someone who is otherwise fond of Greco-Roman mythology. Yup. Lots of testosterone on the loose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoCicero Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 I am wondering whether I should get a copy of Mein Kampf. I want to see Hitler's deluded thoughts more clearly, but I hear the book is horribly written. I don't suppose you guys have read it? I read the intro in a library in Japan because it was the only English book. I was turned off (not surprisingly) immediately, because Hitler was describing with impunity his boyhood "antics" as none other than a giant bully. I'd balance the measure with a copy of Aldous Huxley's The Island; the islanders' address this complex in their Utopian society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 A change of pace. I just finished, "Not in Front of the Servants" - 1973 By Frank Dawes "Whole armies of butlers, cooks and housemaids were employed in the great households of Victorian and Edwardian England. This book is a nostalgic study of this vanished world, recreated through interviews, memoirs and letters". Now I'm reading, "Autobiographies of Working People from the 1820 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trajan Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I'm reading the Simon Scarrow books. They're quite good, with mostly accurate historical facts and good stories. The characters are excellent. Has anyone read "Roma" by Steven Saylor? It looks like an interesting concept, but before I buy it I would like to know if its any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artimi Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I am readint The Antonines- the Roman Empir in Transition by Michael Grant. I am enjoying it which right now is the most important thing. But I am learning and like the writing style and physicality of the book. Old fashioned hardcover binding and it is mine mine mine!!. I do want to read Eragon by Paolini. I saw parts of the movie and enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noricum Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I'm still reading Livy's History of Rome on my lovely new Kindle - and I'm really enjoying it! When I'm reading about any history, I love looking at maps to find locations so I've also got a very old school textbook (my partner luckily has kept all his old school Latin books) - A History of Rome by M Cary,2nd edition reprinted in 1963 to help me with visualising where the action was! Along with this I'm also enjoying Adrian Goldsworthy's The Fall of Carthage - nothing like having a few books going at the same time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I'm still reading Livy's History of Rome on my lovely new Kindle - and I'm really enjoying it! I was thinking of giving this a read, but I heard it's quite big ~Currently reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noricum Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I'm still reading Livy's History of Rome on my lovely new Kindle - and I'm really enjoying it! I was thinking of giving this a read, but I heard it's quite big ~Currently reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. Yes, quite a few thousand pages but reading the Kindle is so easy! Give it a go - you'll enjoy it! Crime and Punishment!!! Wow, now that's heavy reading..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Yes, quite a few thousand pages but reading the Kindle is so easy! Give it a go - you'll enjoy it! Do you have one of those fancy new Kindles without the keyboard, Noricum? How are you finding it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinzia8 Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Yes, quite a few thousand pages but reading the Kindle is so easy! Give it a go - you'll enjoy it! Do you have one of those fancy new Kindles without the keyboard, Noricum? How are you finding it? I received a kindle several months before the "Fire" came out. I really love the ease of the kindle and downloading books is so quick and easy. I bought a leather cover with an LED light for reading at night (it pops out of the cover). However, I have a student who has the Fire and I am annoyed because it is even better. There is color and your books are displayed on a bookcase shelf. The touch option is great as well and resembles a mini ipad. <Sigh> I was thinking of trading mine in for the Fire, but seeing that I just got a kindle, I will let the Fire work out it's bugs and perhaps purchase a future generation. I'm currently reading A GAME OF THRONES. I'm a Sean Bean fan and saw him in the HBO debut series. I like Medieval and the fantasy element isn't too crazy. I'm enjoying it. Cinzia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noricum Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Yes, quite a few thousand pages but reading the Kindle is so easy! Give it a go - you'll enjoy it! Do you have one of those fancy new Kindles without the keyboard, Noricum? How are you finding it? Sorry about the late reply! Not a fancy new one but just the WiFi model, with the keyboard easy to bring up on the screen The main thing I like about the Kindle is not having to cart a book around - plus I have the font on a bigger size for easier reading Just having the choice a variety of books I've got on the Kindle is good too - the problem for me is not going crazy and buying every book I want when I go Kindle book shopping on Amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metella Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 I just finished reading the Troy Series ... I didn't mind the twist on the Iliad stories, I like the pace and nearly all of it. One thing I didn't like was the way the author infused his character's thoughts with modern morals. Seems trite, even seems unfair to those ancient people. Anyway - knowing I read all three, lets you know I thought they were just fine entertainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noricum Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Anyone here read any books by Mary Renault? I've just started reading a book by this author - The Persian Boy, which was recommended by a work colleague who has kindly lent it to me It traces the last seven years of Alexander the Great's life through the eyes of his Persian lover, the eunuch Bagoas - who is based on a real historical figure It's such a pain having to work - if only I could retire and read all the books I need to read before I fall off the perch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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