Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Monday, August 17. 2020

Book du Jour: Melville



Between now and Labor Day weekend, I have tried to schedule to post a book each day while I am semi-vacationing. These are books that have made an impression on me and stuck with me, for whatever reason. All sorts of books.


For starters, Melville's Billy Budd.


Yes, his cosmic magnum opus Moby Dick is a grand and ever-interesting American tale (the Great American Novel, if there is one), but Billy Budd gets to the heart of human nature and civilization.


No, not to read each day. Sheesh. It's just a personal book list.

Posted by The Barrister in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 14:55 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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Sounds like a good book. Isn’t a book a day kind of ambitious?
#1 LP on 2020-08-17 15:16 (Reply)
I agree. I wish I could read that fast. I don’t consider myself slow, but the last book I read cover to cover in one day was The Martian by Andy Weir. Most books just can’t hold my attention for one sitting. The Pionners by Scott McCullough, came close, but it bogged down towards the end. Very good book overall.
#1.1 B. Hammer on 2020-08-17 17:00 (Reply)
Not to read each day, just an ongoing list/
#1.2 the B on 2020-08-17 17:22 (Reply)
If you are reading Billy Budd, you might listen to this. NR Great Books: Episode 144: Billy Budd by Herman Melville
#2 Gringo on 2020-08-17 15:36 (Reply)
I probably wouldn't enjoy reading it again now at this time in my life, but in high school many decades ago Of Human Bondage (I can't seem to underline it) by W. Somerset Maugham. It gave me my first look into how difficult life could be in the past. Now I read mostly mystery and spy novels.
#3 JC on 2020-08-17 16:44 (Reply)

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