What have you read lately?

[nebo113]

It's tattooing, I think, that is supposed to transfer the number of the Beast (666) to the forehead and hand of the anti-elect (my term) in John's Revelation (14:9).

I don't think they had micro-chipping then....

M.

My apologies if I'm incorrect, but I believe you'll remember Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" in the 70's, which was kind of a high water mark of sci-fi-ish speculations about historical mysteries and/or prophecies and what they "really mean" now. (Also, Hal Lindsey's stuff in conservative Christian circles.)

There was a little bit of stuff like that coming up to Y2K, and a bit more before "the end" of the Mayan calendar in 2012, but I don't think either of those quite compare...

First grad MA course in research methods used "Chariots" as text on misuse of "research."  I learned a great deal about analysis and interpretation of socalled "data."

[apl68]

It's tattooing, I think, that is supposed to transfer the number of the Beast (666) to the forehead and hand of the anti-elect (my term) in John's Revelation (14:9).

I don't think they had micro-chipping then....

M.

My apologies if I'm incorrect, but I believe you'll remember Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" in the 70's, which was kind of a high water mark of sci-fi-ish speculations about historical mysteries and/or prophecies and what they "really mean" now. (Also, Hal Lindsey's stuff in conservative Christian circles.)

There was a little bit of stuff like that coming up to Y2K, and a bit more before "the end" of the Mayan calendar in 2012, but I don't think either of those quite compare...

First grad MA course in research methods used "Chariots" as text on misuse of "research."  I learned a great deal about analysis and interpretation of socalled "data."

My adolescent interest in stuff like that led to the same thing.  Among other things, I read quite a bit on the Bermuda Triangle.  Then I read Lawrence Kusche's Bermuda Triangle Mystery:  Solved.  Kusche was a university research librarian who examined each Bermuda Triangle case one-on-one, comparing what the legend said about the case with what he was actually able to find.  Reading his deconstruction of the Triangle mystery in high school gave me an excellent education on critical thinking and the need to check your sources before drawing conclusions.  I'd love to see that book taught today.  Except that I think it's out of print, and today's students probably mostly don't know what the Bermuda Triangle was supposed to be.

I read some of Hal Lindsey's books when I was a kid as well.  Some of his interpretations of trends that he identified at the time seemed plausible enough.  But it's long since become clear that he was a dud as a prophet.  That taught me a few things about how inadvisable it is to get too dogmatic in one's interpretations of biblical prophecy.  That said, I can't help noticing that the world that climate scientists predict we're going to see in the next few decades bears an uncanny resemblance to some of the crises predicted in the Revelation of Saint John....

[mamselle]

I was in a campus fellowship that went as a  group to hear Hal Lindsey and Josh MacDonald in the late 70s.

That was indeed one of the sources discussing tattoos...and there may have been a sort of whoo-woo reference to the procedure that became microchipping--but the warning was about never getting a bank account that made you get your no. tattooed on your hand or forehead ( which, it turned out, was in fact being considered.

Given research I've assisted in for an author on 16th-18th c. European and British Reformation authors' commentaries on the Apocalypse, it is indeed hard not to fall into their same traps.

For them the Pope was identified as the Anti-Christ; now, well....

M.

[nebo113]

It's tattooing, I think, that is supposed to transfer the number of the Beast (666) to the forehead and hand of the anti-elect (my term) in John's Revelation (14:9).

I don't think they had micro-chipping then....

M.

My apologies if I'm incorrect, but I believe you'll remember Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" in the 70's, which was kind of a high water mark of sci-fi-ish speculations about historical mysteries and/or prophecies and what they "really mean" now. (Also, Hal Lindsey's stuff in conservative Christian circles.)

There was a little bit of stuff like that coming up to Y2K, and a bit more before "the end" of the Mayan calendar in 2012, but I don't think either of those quite compare...

First grad MA course in research methods used "Chariots" as text on misuse of "research."  I learned a great deal about analysis and interpretation of socalled "data."

My adolescent interest in stuff like that led to the same thing.  Among other things, I read quite a bit on the Bermuda Triangle.  Then I read Lawrence Kusche's Bermuda Triangle Mystery:  Solved.  Kusche was a university research librarian who examined each Bermuda Triangle case one-on-one, comparing what the legend said about the case with what he was actually able to find.  Reading his deconstruction of the Triangle mystery in high school gave me an excellent education on critical thinking and the need to check your sources before drawing conclusions.  I'd love to see that book taught today.  Except that I think it's out of print, and today's students probably mostly don't know what the Bermuda Triangle was supposed to be.

I read some of Hal Lindsey's books when I was a kid as well.  Some of his interpretations of trends that he identified at the time seemed plausible enough.  But it's long since become clear that he was a dud as a prophet.  That taught me a few things about how inadvisable it is to get too dogmatic in one's interpretations of biblical prophecy.  That said, I can't help noticing that the world that climate scientists predict we're going to see in the next few decades bears an uncanny resemblance to some of the crises predicted in the Revelation of Saint John....

I worked with Larry at the time the book was published.

[apl68]

It's tattooing, I think, that is supposed to transfer the number of the Beast (666) to the forehead and hand of the anti-elect (my term) in John's Revelation (14:9).

I don't think they had micro-chipping then....

M.

My apologies if I'm incorrect, but I believe you'll remember Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" in the 70's, which was kind of a high water mark of sci-fi-ish speculations about historical mysteries and/or prophecies and what they "really mean" now. (Also, Hal Lindsey's stuff in conservative Christian circles.)

There was a little bit of stuff like that coming up to Y2K, and a bit more before "the end" of the Mayan calendar in 2012, but I don't think either of those quite compare...

First grad MA course in research methods used "Chariots" as text on misuse of "research."  I learned a great deal about analysis and interpretation of socalled "data."

My adolescent interest in stuff like that led to the same thing.  Among other things, I read quite a bit on the Bermuda Triangle.  Then I read Lawrence Kusche's Bermuda Triangle Mystery:  Solved.  Kusche was a university research librarian who examined each Bermuda Triangle case one-on-one, comparing what the legend said about the case with what he was actually able to find.  Reading his deconstruction of the Triangle mystery in high school gave me an excellent education on critical thinking and the need to check your sources before drawing conclusions.  I'd love to see that book taught today.  Except that I think it's out of print, and today's students probably mostly don't know what the Bermuda Triangle was supposed to be.

I read some of Hal Lindsey's books when I was a kid as well.  Some of his interpretations of trends that he identified at the time seemed plausible enough.  But it's long since become clear that he was a dud as a prophet.  That taught me a few things about how inadvisable it is to get too dogmatic in one's interpretations of biblical prophecy.  That said, I can't help noticing that the world that climate scientists predict we're going to see in the next few decades bears an uncanny resemblance to some of the crises predicted in the Revelation of Saint John....

I worked with Larry at the time the book was published.

Wow!  What was it like working with him?  He's kind of a librarian hero of mine.

[ab_grp]

We decided to give The Player of Games (Banks) a whirl given the positive recommendations.  It was (in our opinion, which IIRC seems to match those here) way better than what we had read in Consider Phlebus.  It's much more coherent, introduces a lot less of the universe and a lot fewer (and more interesting) people, and has a really suspenseful plot.  It took a little bit to get into it, but we intrigued fairly quickly.  Some of the plot twists were easy to anticipate, but others were more complicated and cleverly constructed, and the whole thing worked well together.  Thanks for the encouragement to give it a try! We are now going back to Consider Phlebus because we have it on hand, and we're hoping that it will make at least a little more sense now that we are a bit more familiar with the overall context.  We decided to skip what we had previously read and just move forward.  The first chapter of our new reading session was more similar to TPoG (discussion between person and drone), so that helped.  I'm still a little lost on the big picture, but hopefully it will come more into focus.

[FishProf]

After finishing the Harry Potter Series, and the Hobbit, I am reading The Golden Compass to Smolt (and MrsFishProf.  I never read this series, so a second childhood of sorts.

[ab_grp]

After finishing the Harry Potter Series, and the Hobbit, I am reading The Golden Compass to Smolt (and MrsFishProf.  I never read this series, so a second childhood of sorts.

I really loved The Golden Compass and the following two! We read them a year or two ago.  I think they would be appealing to many ages, though there are some dark parts of the story.  They were very entertaining and touching overall, and some of the characters are favorites.  Please let us know what you think of the book and series!

[ergative]

After finishing the Harry Potter Series, and the Hobbit, I am reading The Golden Compass to Smolt (and MrsFishProf.  I never read this series, so a second childhood of sorts.

I really loved The Golden Compass and the following two! We read them a year or two ago.  I think they would be appealing to many ages, though there are some dark parts of the story.  They were very entertaining and touching overall, and some of the characters are favorites.  Please let us know what you think of the book and series!

Yes, that trilogy is very, very good and satisfying. Skip the new one that Pullman is currently writing. It's deeply disappointing and actively gross in places.

[FishProf]

Two Chapters in and I am intrigued.  I fear it may be too much for Smolt, however. She's 8

[ab_grp]

Ergative, thanks for the heads up about the new book.

Fishprof, you know your daughter best, but I would be hesitant to read those books to someone so young.  I am not sure I would consider them children's books... there are a lot of adult themes (mostly in terms of violence or frightening or very sad elements) from what I recall, and a feeling of loss of youth and innocence.  But, there are good aspects as well, friendship and love and fighting for justice.  Maybe you can pre-read some of it and see whether you wish to continue at this time? I started reading Stephen King when I was around her age, but I'm not sure that was a good thing.  On the other hand, the Pullman books have more positives to offer, especially if you are reading together and you can discuss things that come up or gauge how she is handling it.  Just my two cents.  Good luck.

[mamselle]

I have had a similar issue to deal with in working with the ADHD student I've supported over the past semester.

What was his teacher thinking of, assigning young middle-schoolers (6th grade) a story with two gang-related deaths by shooting and other assorted moments of violence?  (S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders," FYI). The chapter work was excellent, in using comparisons with other literary materials, etc., but the basic material worried me.

I know, I know they see it all the time in video games and streaming stuff, but it was a bit raw and I really worried at first about how it would affect him; he deals with a certain degree of emotional abuse from his dad (nothing physical that I'm aware of, but the bad-mouthy acid drip is bad enough, thankfully he only has short visits and lives primarily with his mom) and has serious ego-assurance issues as well, and he's not the only one in those classes who has such situations (I subbed in their school a few years ago, and was often assigned to the special-needs classroom, so I'm familiar with the setting).

So, I'm glad you're  keeping an eye out for Smolt in this regard.

M.

[FishProf]

How about Watership Down?  That's kid friendly, right?  Just some bunnies doing bunny things.....

[ab_grp]

How about Watership Down?  That's kid friendly, right?  Just some bunnies doing bunny things.....

Ha... I don't think I'm old enough to read that yet.

[Parasaurolophus]

How about Watership Down?  That's kid friendly, right?  Just some bunnies doing bunny things.....

Ha... I don't think I'm old enough to read that yet.

Me neither. I avoid it like the COVID.