Memage: 106 books
The meme is "The 106 books most often listed as unread by LibraryThing users." Which means one should note which books one actually owns and has not read, and not simply which books one has not read. So:
- Bold means I own it by intent; it does not include books kept at the behest of another member of the household.
- Underline means I've read it ( Read more... )
- Bold means I own it by intent; it does not include books kept at the behest of another member of the household.
- Underline means I've read it ( Read more... )
You should lower your expectations then go read Collapse - it's a fine book when it's not suffering by comparison.
GGS is Diamond exploring an idea he's kicked around for decades and being brilliant by accident. As with Freud, it may be that none of his ideas stand up to long-term scrutiny but also as with Freud, even if that happens he permanently changed the terms of the debate.
Collapse is Diamond trying to be brilliant and writing an interesting book. I think it would have been a better book had it been 20% smaller. The idea is very interesting, the historical studies worth reading, but the futurology a bit of a reach. But that idea!
My Quaker school just opened its renovated middle school. It's almost appallingly eco-friendly, with tons of reclaimed wood (from shipwrecks in old ports), graywater recycling through a fish pond, green roofs, slats to let winter sun in and keep summer sun out, ... the list goes on. During the dedication the Head of School made a big deal of Collapse. Why was it so important to him, as a Quaker, that the school was renovated eco-friendly? Not important to him as someone living on Earth, or as a parent, or a consumer, but as a Quaker?
Because reading Collapse, he realized that the end result of environmental degradation was war.
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