2009 Reading #40: On Revolution
Books 1-10.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Dôra, Doralina by Rachel de Queiroz.
32. The Mercenaries by Donald E. Westlake.
33. A Faint Cold Fear by Karin Slaughter.
34. Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart (Part One of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
35. Saint Paul: The First 150 Years by Virginia Brainard Kunz.
36. The Story of the Stone by Barry Hughart (Part Two of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
37. Planet of Exile by Ursula K. Le Guin.
38. Eight Skilled Gentlemen by Barry Hughart (Part Three of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
39. Tapping the Source by Kem Nunn.
40. On Revolution by Hannah Arendt. Sample thoughts that went through my head while reading this book:
- Man, I am so not in shape for this kind of reading. How many times have I re-read this paragraph? Just twice? If I get up to three on a consistent basis I may have to admit defeat.
- I guess I can understand why writers of a certain period all assume that everyone reads Greek and Latin, but would it kill a modern publisher to provide some translations? Footnotes, at least? I can figure out some of these Latin nouns and adjectives, but I sure as hell can't conjugate.
- I think I would feel better about some of these arguments about how great the American Revolution was if there was more of an effort to address the lack of moral authority of the Founding Fathers with respect to slavery, genocide, etc.
- That said, I need to read Jefferson and Adams and Paine.
- Am I crazy or does the way she talks about the Immortal Legislator, Constitution-worship, and the "new Rome" sound a bit like Eliade's axis mundi and the Eternal Return? Does a constitution have to be "dead" in order to guarantee stability?
- I need to read more of Arendt's stuff. But first my brain needs a rest.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Dôra, Doralina by Rachel de Queiroz.
32. The Mercenaries by Donald E. Westlake.
33. A Faint Cold Fear by Karin Slaughter.
34. Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart (Part One of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
35. Saint Paul: The First 150 Years by Virginia Brainard Kunz.
36. The Story of the Stone by Barry Hughart (Part Two of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
37. Planet of Exile by Ursula K. Le Guin.
38. Eight Skilled Gentlemen by Barry Hughart (Part Three of the Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox).
39. Tapping the Source by Kem Nunn.
40. On Revolution by Hannah Arendt. Sample thoughts that went through my head while reading this book:
- Man, I am so not in shape for this kind of reading. How many times have I re-read this paragraph? Just twice? If I get up to three on a consistent basis I may have to admit defeat.
- I guess I can understand why writers of a certain period all assume that everyone reads Greek and Latin, but would it kill a modern publisher to provide some translations? Footnotes, at least? I can figure out some of these Latin nouns and adjectives, but I sure as hell can't conjugate.
- I think I would feel better about some of these arguments about how great the American Revolution was if there was more of an effort to address the lack of moral authority of the Founding Fathers with respect to slavery, genocide, etc.
- That said, I need to read Jefferson and Adams and Paine.
- Am I crazy or does the way she talks about the Immortal Legislator, Constitution-worship, and the "new Rome" sound a bit like Eliade's axis mundi and the Eternal Return? Does a constitution have to be "dead" in order to guarantee stability?
- I need to read more of Arendt's stuff. But first my brain needs a rest.