The Atlantic - Latest Comments in The Book List

Re: The Book List

sv — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:25:09 -0000

Humility, the mark of the truly educated.

Re: The Book List

CitizenE — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:49:22 -0000

From the vantage point of 62, I can tell you if you're lucky this perspective never changes. My latest project is to go through the world's greatest novels on cd while driving to work for the rest of my working days, which given what happened to my pension in the last seven months means pretty much till I die. For all the young people here who are into literature, I can whole heartedly say whenever you have a chance in this life, War and Peace, The Brothers Karamazov, are profoundly illuminating, moving, trasnsformative literary experiences.

Insofar as your role TN at this site, as with others who post here, I think of some lines from the Tao Te Ching:

"Neither to be one among many like jade

nor aloof like stone..."

and that other (thousand years in the making) compendium of wisdom from ancient China, the I Ching, which notes:

Life leads the thoughtful man on a path of many windings.

Now the course is checked, now it runs straight again.

Here winged thoughts may pour feely forth in words,

There the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence.

Re: The Book List

duffman — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:44:15 -0000

Great post. I know what you mean. I have been trying to read up on the makeup of the universe lately, which suffice it to say has dumbfounded me in how little I know and knew. It's humbling to know that there are over 100 billion observable galaxies and probably over 1 tillion planets. And it's also humbling to know that I will never understand most of what I am reading on this subject. Craziness.

Re: The Book List

thefoulness — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:29:24 -0000

Watch Coates kicks a hole in the speaker, pull the plug and then jet...

Re: The Book List

Somali Canuck — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:28:22 -0000

You just described the definition of Education: The more you learn, the less you know!

Re: The Book List

gjeffries — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:36:13 -0000

Damn T, these little blog missives of yours are starting to hit on some deep shit. Is it me or is your writing getting stronger. As a middle-aged white guy you definitely expand my world - which, I guess, is the point of this exercise (for both of us).

I was drawn to the Atlantic by your esteemed senior editor and stumbled across your little portal. Andrew has nothing on you. Take the ball and go to the house T.

Re: The Book List

DougEMI — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:35:37 -0000

Reading this reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode of the old man who survives the end of the world and can finally do what he wants most in the world, which is to read without a nagging wife or other duties.

I go to the library and often look through the music section. Since they are free, I like to take advantage to grab something I don't want to plunk down cash on, something outside my comfort zone and something I might enjoy but have long overlooked. Yet, given the large amount of choice, I usually punk out and get something safe.

Re: The Book List

blackink — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:25:57 -0000

Fam, this is the third time someone has recommended that book to me. I'm definitely gonna have to pick it up.

Re: The Book List

Bill — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:16:42 -0000

If you have not yet done so, you should read Eric Foner's "Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution." You should also read J. Morgan Kousser's "The Shaping Of Southern Politics" which is out of print.

Re: The Book List

Elyas — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:49:00 -0000

I used to be really into compiling what I thought were meaningful quotes, and my favorite was always this one from Socrates (though I'm not sure of the wording): The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

Re: The Book List

Stacy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:41:02 -0000

Speaking of book lists, and Freedarko; if you love the NBA, I strongly suggest buying their Macrophenomenal Professional Basketball Almanac. It's silly, over-indulgent, yet completely brilliant.

Re: The Book List

bianca — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:04:17 -0000

yes it can be quite overwhelming to realize the depths of what we don't know. i myself, am fired up, ignited, and inspired when i see people who stare into the abyss and jump right in. i want to be able to understand my world a little bit better and communicate a little bit stronger. your blogs have inspired me to understand my world a little bit more and communicate my feelings more precisely without being stuffy heavy-handed. here here to book lists and well-written blogs!

Re: The Book List

blackink — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:27:46 -0000

Church.

Dude, one thing about reading blogs (this one, in particular) and making a feeble attempt at doing one myself is that you realize how many smart people there are out there. To say nothing of the skillful writers. Like, once I considered myself to be a relatively smart person and good writer. But after taking a look around (TNC, hilzoy, Serwer, Yglesias, Sullivan, the cats that run Free Darko, PostBourgie, etc.), my lack of knowledge about so many things became so glaring.

And it can motivate you to try to close the gaps but the problem is you just can't. There isn't enough time to read or listen to it all. It can actually be overwhelming, a lot humbling and a little depressing.

Re: The Book List

Ta-Nehisi Coates — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:43:18 -0000

It really reminds me of my own mortality.

Truest shit ever. I've had that feeling. It's how you know your old--once you realize you will die without knowing all you wanted.

Re: The Book List

Stacy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:28:14 -0000

I've added so many books to my shopping list on Amazon from reading this blog, that I know there is no way I'll ever read them all. If you think about too much, it could drive you mad. But this Capitol Men seems to have affected you so profoundly that I think I'm going to bump it up the list.

There IS too much to know, and not enough time to ever learn it. There is too much good music to listen to without enough time to ever hear it all. It really reminds me of my own mortality.

Re: The Book List

Tonya — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:52:34 -0000

The more I learn the more I realize how little I actually know. I say this all the time to myself and to others. I think your ability to realize that is what attracts people to your writing.

Re: The Book List

Lee — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:29:22 -0000

I love reading your blog because you seem so open to learning about new things and critically evaluating your own opinions. More people should be like that... in fact, all of us should be like that. Cheers.