Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language by Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman. So far a very good read.
Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age by Steve Knopper. I haven’t read it yet, but from listening to an interview with the author it seems like it will be a good read.
My one and only gift (I asked to not get any) was Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open. I loved it. One of the most interesting sports bios I have read.
The Conquest of New Spain, by Bernal Diaz del Castillo.
From Amazon: “Vivid, powerful and absorbing, this is a first-person account of one of the most startling military episodes in history: the overthrow of Montezuma’s doomed Aztec Empire by the ruthless Hernan Cortes and his band of adventurers. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, himself a soldier under Cortes, presents a fascinatingly detailed description of the Spanish landing in Mexico in 1520 and their amazement at the city, the exploitation of the natives for gold and other treasures, the expulsion and flight of the Spaniards, their regrouping and eventual capture of the Aztec capital.”
And all five seasons of The Wire. Which is only $89 on Amazon, if that tickles your fancy.
Are you watching for the first time? If so, I envy you. Not to mention the bargain. There’s a Wire book too. Not quite a companion book but sorta. It’s worth getting.
I got The Complete Far Side Collection.
I got Richard Dawkins’s The Greatest Show on Earth.
And lots of chocolate.
We are watching for the second time. I figure if we’re going to go around telling people it’s the best show in TV history, we should have watched it at least twice.
Breathless by Dean Koontz and Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton.
I got a Mad Bathroom Attendant, which will prove useful.
Wife got Nabakov’s Pale Fire, which she has compared to “The X-Files” episode, 'Jose Chung’s ‘From Outer Space.’" All I know is that a daughter started it and asked, “Is this preface real?”
“Maybe.”
“Is this forward real?”
“Maybe.”
“Is ANYTHING real?”
“Maybe.”
I spent this Christmas with my college buddy’s family in Vegas and ended up participating in this holiday gift exchange present-stealing thing. I ended up with a Barnes & Noble giftcard with which I purchased
The Screwtape Letters: C.S. Lewis
Roots: Alex Haley
Topper: Thorne Smith
The Innocents Abroad: Mark Twain
All in all a good haul.
Thanks to Eutychus in this thread, The Completely Mad Don Martin: 1956–1988.
It’s still on sale at Daedalus Books — regularly $150, it’s being sold for $29.98!
SPROING!
I love Thorne Smith books!
This one. Hope it’s good!
I got Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth, a graphic novel detailing the quest for a solid foundations of mathematics through the viewpoint of one of its most ardent pursuers, Bertrand Russell. It may seem a bit abstract, but there’s a lot of essential humanity in it; I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Pratchett’s Nation and Unseen Academicals. Finished the latter, halfway through former, but my new Wii is competing for my attention.
I got: Buda’s Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb
My In-Laws give weird gifts.
My wife got me Alton Brown’s Gear For Your Kitchen. I was going to guess that, but wasn’t sure enough.
I got Open, by Andre Agassi (autobiography) and The Men Who Stare At Goats by Jon Ronson.
I haven’t seen the movie (Men-Goats) yet, so I’m looking forward to reading the book … if that makes sense.
Also, I’d just bought myself *Pygmy *by Chuck Palahniuk just before the holidays, so I’m flush.
I got Shutter Island for myself.
C.G. Jung’s posthumous (masterpiece?) The Red Book.
One of the coolest books I own, just paging through it. I haven’t had time to absorb anything out of it yet.