Tell me what to buy with $15 at the book store

[m-jean03]

And why. I prefer non fiction, current events or historical/anthropological. I have a gift card, but I can't make up my mind! That place drives me crazy (but I love it).

[Khephra]

1. **Khephra's MASSIVE Upcoming/Recent Books You Might Want To Get List**

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=111x19362

[m-jean03]

6. Thanks...though that makes me about as dizzy

as the "current nonfiction" shelf..:-) It's good to know those are all worth a read, though. Eeeny meeny mo might work.

[grannylib]

2. How about one of those itty bitty book lites so you can read without

an overhead or whatever??
Wellstone's "Conscience of a Liberal" would also be a good choice...I think that's about $17 maybe...

[meegbear]

3. Which bookstore?

If it's Barnes and Noble, they have a section of books they want to get rid of, overstocks, last of an edition, etc. that they sell for a couple of bucks each. Found some interesting reads in there.

[m-jean03]

7. It's a local, non-B&N bookstore...

eom

[Richardo]

4. I'm currently reading "Salam Pax" in soft cover...goes about $13.00

It's the transcripts of an Iraqi citizen's weblog during the buildup, execution and aftermath of the war. Amazing insider's perspective about Saddam, Bush, Islam, Arabs, everybody.

I'm only about 20% through and I already know it's going to be a staff rec at the NW Houston B&N...

[m-jean03]

9. Looks good --

is this the guy that posts on "Where is Raed?"

[Richardo]

10. Righto - I'm embarrassed I did not even know about him until 2 weeks ago..

...but I'm catching up. :D

[King of New Orleans]

12. Better watch the return lists

Just pulled our store copies yesterday. Of course it doesn't mean you can't reorder it.

[Richardo]

13. Weird- we just got an "advance copy" and the book's been out since October

I can't figure out the whole publisher return thing. :shrug:

[King of New Orleans]

15. Current Affairs is a hot section

right now, they've got to clear space for all those books on Kephra's list.

As for just now getting a reader's copy, that sounds like slack work by the publisher.

[hlthe2b]

5. If it's Barnes & Noble: Buyt 5 Venti Cappacinos from Starbucks, THEN...

sit down and SPEED READ your way through about 10 of your most desired political tomes. :evilgrin: (kidding, just kidding...)

[m-jean03]

8. Too funny!

Because that is practically what I have been doing as I try to decide what I want to buy! I think they might kick me out eventually, especially if I come in all muddy again, like I did yesterday after I fell off my bike. I have probably read through the first/second chapters of 10 or so different books. With coffee in me I'd be dangerous, unfortunately my stomach can't handle it.

[hlthe2b]

11. Well, I can't say I've never done that either....!

But, since I do often purchase their highly overpriced CDs and DVDs and the occasional book, magazine or two.... I figure I don't have to be too guilty...

A lot of books are so short, now, though. You really can skim through them and get the gist...

[BurtWorm]

14. The best nonfiction paperbacks I've read recently

Tariq Ali's The Clash of Fundamentalisms, a surprisingly comprehensive history of Islam in the modern world, with special focus on its alternating collusion/clash with Western imperialism/colonialism. Ali mixes personal history, literary allusion (with special emphasis on poetry) and a Marxist reading of history, I think very well. Some find his approach annoying, for some reason, probably because he's an unabashed "New Leftist" (in fact he's an editor at New Left Review). I think he's a superb writer and I learned quite a lot from his book. It changed the way I think of the Israel/Palestine conflict, for example: whereas I used to think of it as a mostly religious stalemate, I now see it as rooted in European colonialism.

Anthony Everitt's biography of Cicero provides a clarifying lens through which to look at the fall of the Roman Republic. Roman politics were extremely complex, and this book does a good job of sorting it all out. And Cicero was an interesting, complicated human being who led a full, dangerous, mostly principled, occasionally heroic life. But he wasn't perfect, by any means.

Closer to home, Louis Menand's The Metaphysical Club is a fascinating (if occasionally abstruse) intellectual history of mid-to-late nineteenth century and early twentieth century America. It's actually about how US intellectuals left metaphysics behind and turned to pragmatism. Sounds dull, perhaps, but the thinkers involved are Oliver Wendall Holmes, John Dewey, Jane Addams, William James, and a host of lesser known characters in Boston, Baltimore and Chicago, mainly. (Interesting how little New York enters into the picture, now that I think of it.) If you like thinking about how the Civil War resonated in American history, this is a good book for you.

[m-jean03]

16. Thanks!

Those definitely look worth checking out.