---

- Rory
- Owner of Neopoleon
- Monster in the sack

That sounds like a fun idea.   Who gets to choose the first book?

---

The mind plays tricks on you. You play tricks back! It's like you're unraveling a big cable-knit sweater that someone keeps knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting...

GuyIncognito:

That sounds like a fun idea.   Who gets to choose the first book?

I was wondering the same thing. I figured I'd first try to determine the level of interest in the idea, and then go about the process of selecting the book.

This wouldn't start until January, so we definitely have time to figure it out.

I was thinking about starting with something from a banned-books list, though. Just because there must be something worthy of discussion out there.

---

- Rory
- Owner of Neopoleon
- Monster in the sack

I'm feeling corrupted already.

If the books are as hard to fight through as the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test was for me, I'm scared. I've never been such a slow reader in my life. Here's hoping whatever is on this "banned book list" is more of a page turner.

Banned == Page Turner

I think that's how it works. How about the Satanic Verses? Is that a page turner?

I have access to that one.  I think I saw it on my father's bookshelf the last time I was home.

My fear is that they hype behind the book (and the ridiculous death threats on the author's life) is way more exciting than the actual content of the book.

That said, I'd be willing to give it a whirl...  

---

The mind plays tricks on you. You play tricks back! It's like you're unraveling a big cable-knit sweater that someone keeps knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting...

OK, I'll try (almost) anything once.

Assuming that your banned books are available this side of the Atlantic and I'm not expected to finish it by some strict deadline (I will not live my life by your dictations!). 

Maybe we should start with something easy like this book.  Went down a storm at my son's nursery. It's got the word 'poo' in it. And 'wee'. Very subversive (for two-year olds).

 

Herbie

 

 

 

---

Dr Herbie

I'm in, perhaps I can pass the books my Girlfriend's way as well. Given that last time she was in a book club she got so far ahead she's now forgotten everything from the book they're supposed to talk about. (That club involved getting books which had films to compare them.)


But I've read the Satanic Verses though, I honestly had difficulty seeing what everyone was so upset about.

You could start with almost any of Iain Banks' (no M.) books as an idea. Although I've read most of them too.

How do you recommend books you haven't read?

---

The one, the only, the undisputed king of the world.

Massif:

How do you recommend books you haven't read?

I was wondering the same thing.

I know that Will Durant put together a list of the 100 best books of all time. I'm not sure that he was qualified to do it, but it might be an interesting place to start.

Also, Amazon is pretty good about finding links between books. We could probably go with a book we already know a bit about and then see what other books Amazon would suggest based on what other customers bought when they bought the book we stuck in the...

Crap. It's late, I've been arguing about religion, and I can't seem to form a sentence right now.

But I think you know what I meant about Amazon :)

---

- Rory
- Owner of Neopoleon
- Monster in the sack

I'm in.

---

"If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic." - Tweedledee

In.

(Following Rory's Suggestion, and investigating Amazon a bit.)

How about C.S.Lewis' Mere Christianity.

Should be easy to find probably in your local library, and not too expensive otherwise. Would make an interesting counterpoint to some of the debates here.

Or, to swing away from faith, and settle more on rhetoric - On Bullshit.

---

The one, the only, the undisputed king of the world.

Heh, I'm actually reading On Bullshit right now.

---

"If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic." - Tweedledee

Rory:

I know that Will Durant put together a list of the 100 best books of all time. I'm not sure that he was qualified to do it, but it might be an interesting place to start.

My wife bought me a book called "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die". That might be a good starting point. At one point I considered counting how many I'd read, and then reading the best, but the threat of divorce put paid to that.

I'm currently reading "Tricks of the Mind" by Derren Brown (a UK magician/hypnotist/psychic debunker). He has a reading list at the back with lots of sceptical and anti-religious stuff, like Bertrand Russell's "Why I Am Not A Christian", but then if you're already that way inclined and want to broaden your mind, maybe it would be better to read pro-religious stuff.

olippold:

I'm currently reading "Tricks of the Mind" by Derren Brown (a UK magician/hypnotist/psychic debunker). He has a reading list at the back with lots of sceptical and anti-religious stuff, like Bertrand Russell's "Why I Am Not A Christian", but then if you're already that way inclined and want to broaden your mind, maybe it would be better to read pro-religious stuff.

So is 'Tricks of the mind' any good? I bought it for my dad for Christmas and have been having to fight the urge to read it before I give it to him. May have to buy a second copy and make DB even more rich.

 

Herbie

 

---

Dr Herbie