Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Crusader]

I loved World War Z, but that might just be because South Africa plays such a large, if slightly dubious, role.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Crusader

I loved World War Z, but that might just be because South Africa plays such a large, if slightly dubious, role.

As a South-African born Englishman, I too enjoyed that aspect. SA leading the world in policy and strategic planning .

[kennyc]

Just got autodelivered from Amazon: The Years Best SF 28th Annual Edition - Gardner Dozois

http://www.amazon.com/Years-Best-Sci...9863974&sr=1-2

The lead-off of Dozois's summation (a big reason to buy these) of 2010 is ebooks.

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

In The Language of God, physician-geneticist Francis S. Collins, who headed the Human Genome Project after Francis Crick left, puts forth his case that accepting the findings of science and being a Christian are not incompatible. Well worth reading, for both believers and non-believers. Those who don't like the theology will still find themselves fascinated by the science and challenged by the moral issues raised by it.

Now it's on to Decoding the Language of God by geneticist George Cunningham, who, in arguing that being a scientist and a Christian are incompatible, takes Dr. Collins to task for his claims.

Thanks for these. I not long ago read The Evolution of God by Robert Wright. It was very interesting and he raises a lot of interesting points an arguments. I feel all fundamentalist Christians should be required to read this if only to learn just how much of the Bible evolved in time changing over that time and how much of what is attributed to Jesus he almost certainly never said.

I found a few things annoying about the book though. The author several times seemed ready to acknowledge that there is no God, nor any life after death (there's an oxymoron), but always backed away from that edge. There were some spots in the book that became tedious as he belabored the same points over and over, but these being central to his main argument I guess that can be understood. There is a problem with his ultimate argument for the existence of God in that with out acknowledging it he has created an anthropomorphic God whose ultimate aim is the improvement of one species, on one planet, in one solar system, in one galaxy, in the entire universe. What the the author attributes to belief in this God, “non-zero sum outcomes,” is just what humans would attribute to their own invention. Another additional point of irritation, not unique to this author but common among many non-scientists attempting to mine physics for support of their arguments, is his use of quantum mechanics, most specifically the uncertainty principle and the wave-particle duality, to make arguments that this has no relevance to.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by cassidym

I did the same thing with The God Delusion. After I read that, I read Life After Death by Dinesh D'Souza. In the beginning he attacks Dawkins saying he had no scientific evidence for his conclusions although, in fact, Dawkins presented a lot of hard science as he also did in The Greatest Show on Earth.

Also D'Souza promised to present hard science proving there was life after death etc. But the only "science" offered was the near death experience some people have and he did not in any way use that to prove there is an afterlife.

Conclusion: Game, set and match to Dawkins.

I won't get into my personal assessment of the arguments put forward by Collins and Cunningham (the authors of the books I mentioned) in this thread, but if you'd like to discuss them, I'm open to starting a thread on the books in the Politics and Religion forums.

[Ditchleyportrait]

along with p + r

hardback library copy

[Ditchleyportrait]

good gosh darn book selection at this library what can I say

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by Crusader

I've finished Embassytown by China Mieville. It's a challenging, but rewarding read that's very different to any sci-fi I've read.

If you like language and its workings you'll love this.

Full review - http://worldsinink.blogspot.com/2011...bassytown.html

Please let me know if the review makes sense. It's one of those novels you have to have read to know what's going on.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It sounds like I'm going to love it. Then again, it's China Mieville - what of his haven't I loved?

[benham]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

You might like to take this over to the Religion and Politics forum. I don't think it's appropriate here.

As do many of the discussions on the last couple pages. IMO, of course.

[siraks]

just finished The Sisters Brothers last night. i looked on amazon and only the hardcover is available but the ebook is available at kobobooks. maybe because the author is canadian? i dunno.

on to The Heretic book 1 of the The Templar Chronicles.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by siraks

just finished The Sisters Brothers last night. i looked on amazon and only the hardcover is available but the ebook is available at kobobooks. maybe because the author is canadian? i dunno.

on to The Heretic book 1 of the The Templar Chronicles.

Will be interested to see what you think of The Heretic!

[Lucid_Dreamer]

I'm reading Just After Sunset by Stephen King. First few stories are OK, but it picks up around the midpoint of the book.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by caleb72

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It sounds like I'm going to love it. Then again, it's China Mieville - what of his haven't I loved?

Let me know once you have read it. He's one of those authors that challenge you immensely. I'm glad I persevered past those first 100 pages. Well worth it.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by benham

As do many of the discussions on the last couple pages. IMO, of course.

There is a significant difference in discussing books about religion and in proclaiming religious beliefs.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by benham

As do many of the discussions on the last couple pages. IMO, of course.

Originally Posted by kennyc

There is a significant difference in discussing books about religion and in proclaiming religious beliefs.

what kenny said. The other posts were reviewing the relative merits of the books. You just slagged off the author on religious grounds. NOT the same thing at all.

Back on topic: Currently reading Orpheus Rising:Love, Rockets & A Bloody Great Fish by Colin Bateman.