This looks like fun, will be a good chance to see how broadly I actually read and will encourage me to explore new topics. My time limit for this challenge will be defined as follows: whenever I finish it (unlikely), get bored with it (likely), or die (certainly - but hopefully not for a long long long while). :) I am considering this more of a general and lifelong (as much as I can remember, or remain a LT member) reading list. I will be attempting to complete the one of each of the xxx categories, but won't go deeper into decimal territory - that's like contemplating infinity. To be clear, I won't start from scratch, and will include books I've already read (but not those on my tbr shelves).
I like how tututhefirst has organized her challenge, so this is my impersonation of mimicking her. The first post will be the overall Dewey Decimal System, and subsequent posts will be by category of 100s.
Progress
10/10 100%
48/100 48%
104/908 11.2%
Wikipedia listing of categories:
http://tinyurl.com/2mt52z
Message edited by its author, Oct 5, 2009, 2:16pm.
000-099 Computer Science, Information, and General Works2/84 2.4%003
Systems Linked031
Encyclopedias in American English The know-it-all-Missing 2nd levels:010s
020s
040s
050s
060s
070s
080s
090s
Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 11:35am.
700-799 Art and recreation711
Area planning Design of cities
741
Drawing and drawings Little Nemo779
Photographs Earth from above780
Music And you shall know us by the cover of our vinyl
Missing Second Levels:700s
720s
730s
750s
760s
790s
Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 11:43am.
900-999 History, Geography, & Biography909
World history Amazing adventures of the Jewish people
910
Geography and travel The river of doubt914
Geography and travel: Europe Munich and Bavaria917
Geography and travel: North America Undaunted courage: Merriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the opening of the American west
920
Biography, geneology, insignia Dearest Friend: a life of Abigail Adams940
General history of Europe Franklin and Winston946
General history of Europe: Iberian Peninsula and adjacent islands The Basque history of the world949
General history of Europe: Other parts of Europe Anne Frank: the diary of a young girl956
General history of Asia: Middle East (Near East) From Beirut to Jerusalem966
General history of Africa; West Africa & offshore islands Blood Diamonds968
General history of Africa; Southern Africa Long Walk to Freedom970
General history of North America 1491972
General history of North America; Middle America; Mexico I, Rigaberta Menchu: an Indian Woman in Guatemala
973
General history of North America: United States The American political tradition974
General history of North America: Northeastern United States The wordy shipmates976
General history of North America: South central United States Bayou farewell978
General history of North America: Western United States The worst hard time979
General history of North America: Great Basin and Pacific slope A crack in the edge of the worldMissing Second Levels:930s
980s
990s
Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 11:45am.
A couple notes:
I have diverged from my original formatting, since the tickers for each section of 100s were not correctly updating, and it's not worth it for me to fix it. I've added in the title of the topics because it interests me to know. I've gone to only counting one book from each number so that it's easier to see the list.
I found I've read several books in categories no longer used: particularly 308 and 574. Other books I've read in 574 include
Experiments in ecology: their logical design and interpretation using analysis of variance,
Biogeochemistry: an analysis of global change, and
Species diversity in space and timeI've also found a few books I would have categorized elsewhere. I would have thought
Elements of Style would have gone somewhere in the 400s, like 428 (Standard English usage) not 808 (rhetoric and collections of literature). Also,
Franklin and Winston and
Night are labeled 940 (General history of Europe), but these books are definitely not general and not really about Europe, per se. The former is rather specifically about the relationship and friendship of these two leaders. I'm surprised this didn't make it into the biography section (921-928). Also, I'm surprised that the biography section doesn't have a sub-section for national leaders (presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, etc.) or whatever and is just by last name. Night by Elie Wiesel is also in this category, which makes no sense either. The latter is of course an autobiographical escape from the Holocaust.
While I like the idea of using decimals as a categorization mechanism, I suppose I would have just done things slightly differently.
aaah! You read Dark Tide. That's been sitting on my shelf for a few months waiting for me. I'm so excited about that one.
:)
fundevogel, Go for it! I really enjoyed Dark Tide reading about this odd catastrophe. It read very quickly, and from the preface or introduction or something it sounded like the book came out of presentations the author has given at various times.
This message has been deleted by its author.
Added 292, Edith Hamilton's Mythology, which I had read in high school and neglected to previously mention
I just finished
Purple Hibiscus, which I enjoyed, and thought I'd be able to knock off an African Literature section. I was surprised to find that according to LT, the call number was 823, English literature. Hmm. A story set in Nigeria by a Nigerian writer counts as English literature? I don't get it. I would have thought it should go under 892 - Afro-Asiatic Literatures.
Message edited by its author, Jun 9, 2009, 11:19am.
I am also nearly done with
Kafka on the Shore, so am including that as well. This gives me 895 for Literatures of East and Southeast Asia.
17>
The 800s are based on original language of the work, rather than on setting or nationality of the author. So, yeah, books by African writers that were originally in English go in 823. (That's annoyed me too.)
Message edited by its author, Jun 9, 2009, 12:18pm.
I am going to include
Blood Diamonds before I forget. I'll probably be able to finish it by the end of the week anyway. It's a really well written, if depressing and appalling, history and discussion of diamonds from Sierra Leone, including their mining and associated wars, war crimes, atrocities, direct links with small arms distribution and terrorists, illegal smuggling, money laundering, greed, power, and the De Beers diamond empire which has essentially created and controlled the diamond market for a century. Really amazing to see what havoc, destruction, and death these stones have caused, and that their value is essentially artificial, as they are much more common than commonly believed. I recommend the book, if you can stomach it (I couldn't get past the first chapter the first time around; it does tone down after that.)
966 - General history of Africa; West Africa & offshore islands
Message edited by its author, Jun 10, 2009, 7:51am.
I hesitated to see the movie for those reasons even though I heard it was well done because I didn't think I could stomach it. The real world is so darn depressing these days. I would like to hear how the book compares to the movie if anyone has done both.
#4: I've noticed the same thing. A lot of miscellaneous religions are put into the 100's as well, for some strange reason.
#20: I would like to hear how the book compares to the movie if anyone has done both.
Same here, varielle. I've only seen the movie; I wasn't even aware it was based on a book.
And I was not aware there was a movie. Though I can easily imagine there would be one.
As I go through Blood Diamonds, I am reminded of the movie Lord of War, with Nicholas Cage -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399295/ - which was about gunrunning and the small arms trade, with the focal point being the character Yuriy Orlov, based on the real-life Viktor Bout, aka Merchant of Death. Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun wrote
Merchant of Death about him. While I haven't read that one yet, needless to say, I would like to.
My crush Leonardo DiCaprio and Daiman Hanshou (sp?) looked like they did a terrific job just from the trailers I saw. I believe that movie got nominated for some award, but don't recall specifically.
#23: Was "Lord of War" any good? I remember seeing the trailer for it, but never got around to watching it. (I usually like most of Nicholas Cage's movies.) I had no idea his character was based on a real person either. I guess I need to pay more attention to the news. :)
#24: The movie was very good. I was on Wikipedia earlier and looked up the nomination info you were talking about: "The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actor (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor (Hounsou)," plus a whole bunch
more awards. Definitely check it (the movie) out when you can.
Message edited by its author, Jun 10, 2009, 2:53pm.
I really enjoyed the movie and thought it was the best thing Nicholas Cage has ever been in and that he was perfect for the role. Apparently the film won Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking by the National Board of Review in 2005. I saw this movie well over a year ago, and still remember and and think of it.
Lord of War was an excellent movie, but be prepared, it is very rough, i.e. violence. It will make you wonder what the world is coming to.
Sounds intriguing. I'm usually OK with violence (on TV at least; not in real life) as long as it pertains to the plot; but I'll still keep my eyes at half-squint just in case. Thanks, you two, for the input. I'm putting "Lord of War" on hold as I type.
I think one of the most important and interesting points made in Blood Diamonds is that the diamond wars and the connections with known terrorists is a case in point that is really should be impossible to ignore Africa any longer. Allowing terrorists to transfer wealth into quite mobile and smuggle-able diamonds doesn't make the world a safe place. It drives home the point that there is no such thing as 'regional conflict' anymore, that globalization is not just an economic term, and that ignoring Africa is harmful to international interests and even American interests of security etc. I don't know how, if at all, things have changed since the book was researched and published, or even if the arguments and claims were overstated to sell more books, but even still, it seems worthwhile to pay attention to how diamonds fit in with these other major events.
For a similar theme try the Ralph Fiennes/Rachel Weiss movie The Constant Gardener. Most excellent. They drive their point home with the abuse of Africa by the drug companies and the perils of disease.
Received
A Fish Caught in Time from Bookmooch, and immediately jumped into it. It's a fun quick read and nets me 597 - Cold blooded vertebrates, fishes.
I loved
A Fish Caught in Time. They have a whole website devoted to it www.dinofish.com . I need the coelacanth t-shirt. Edited because I can't spell coelacanth.
Message edited by its author, Aug 7, 2009, 2:45pm.
Finished listening to
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas during the commute in this morning. Really really worth reading. Just an eloquent portrayal of the social conditions of the time, slavery, Frederick Douglas' life, and how he learned to read and his motivations for escaping. Brilliantly written, well spoken. And his denunciation of hypocritical and empty religiosity can ring as true today as then.
Highly highly recommended.
#33 I agree completely, and everyone else who has commented on this book has similar high praise. I think it should be required reading.
Frankly, I'm a bit surprised it wasn't required reading. It is clearer exposition than some of the other accounts of slavery we read in history class.
#35 Yes, and easier to read, too. I'm thinking about requiring my kids to read it, since their school doesn't.
I hadn't even noticed slavery had its own category. For some reason I expected it to be stuffed into one of the "Social problems & services" categories. I'm glad, the social problem categories seem like too much of a catch all to me.
Yeah, it seems to me that slavery would be a big enough 'social problem and service' to warrant its own category. Especially given the economic and political ramifications on top of the obvious horrid human condition and human rights issues. And then, too, there's the international sex trade and human trafficking that still goes on even today. There's a lot of different types of books that I imagine could be classified under this category. Plus, the 'emancipation' part of it opens up other angles as well.
Just about done with
The story of Chicago May, but guess I can't count it for this challenge, as I already have a 364 - Criminology book.
Will be finishing
Long Walk to Freedom this evening, which gives me another section of Africa covered. It's a really really good book as well, and I give it 5 thumbs up ;) - Nelson Mandela is a truly articulate man.
My full review:
Though Nelson Mandela wrote these words about his colleague Oliver Tambo, they are fitting to him as well: 'He too epitomized Chief Luthuli's precept: 'Let your courage rise with danger.''
Nelson Mandela's autobiography is simply a must read. Mandela's writing captures your attention and dares you to disbelieve that he is not in the room telling you these things himself. Though a thumper of a book at over 600 pages, it was impossible for me to read less than 50-75 at a time. I highly recommend it to everyone.
He wrote the first draft while in prison on Robben Island, and it eloquently and deftly tells his story: his noble birth and legal training, the rise of his political consciousness and activism, his struggles against the apartheid regime, his trials for treason and his decades of political imprisonment on Robben Island. No matter the challenge, Mandela's courage rises to meet it: going underground, representing fellow prisoners for grievances for color-blind food rations and clothing, and being separated from his wife and family with visitations separated by years.
Mandela recounts numerous anecdotes to point out lessons learned, disparities impossible to ignore, changing perceptions of the political and social world (both inside and outside prison), and what is required of a leader. “Like the gardener, a leader must take responsibility for what he cultivates; he must mind his work, try to repel enemies, preserve what can be preserved, and eliminate what cannot succeed.” His cognizance and candor about what his re/actions represent and symbolize to others amazes me. As a person who possesses the inner strength, self-control, and follow-through, Mandela fits the billing of a real-life superhero, on the scale of Gandhi and Moses.
Finished another! This time 972. Just need 971 975 977 to finish the 970s!
I, Rigaberta Menchu: an Indian woman in Guatemala“I’m still keeping secret what I think no-one should know. Not even anthropologists or intellectuals, no matter how many books they have, can found out all our secrets.” Indian society in Guatemala is filled with secrets. How many and what they are *about*, much less *are* is merely alluded to by Rigaberta as she recounts her life story and struggles. The narrative reads quite literally as if Rigaberta were telling her story directly to the reader. In so doing, she really tells us three stories: 1) Indian community life cycles, 2) Rigaberta’s life and work and 3) the history of the Guatemalan peasant revolution in the 60s-80s.
At the time of the telling, Rigaberta had only been speaking Spanish for three years, and deliberately learned it to better unite separate Indian communities with distinct languages and dialects against her and their common enemies: the Guatemalan government and rich finca landlords, who readily practiced discrimination, hostility, rape, land takeovers, massacres, and torture. She was never trained to read or write.
I expect that this (effective) primary source will be excellent fodder for many secondary sources that may make it more digestible. I recognize the need for Rigaberta’s voice to come through, but perhaps it could help broaden her audience by having a professional writer or biographer assist with smoothing the organization and clarity and such.
The raw power and emotion evident by what Rigoberta has to say makes this an important resource in bringing these issues to the international community. Though many secrets are still kept, this book is rich for curiosity seekers, social scientists, folks interested in labor and peasant movements, Latin American Indians, etc.
Since, I'm planning on finishing this book today, I'm going to list it here now.
920 -
Dearest Friend - actually, I'm surprised that this is my first 920, and that this number is not a repeat for me. But that's ok.
I liked this book. Aside from the occasional typo, it was a really fun biography of Abigail Adams, that really gave a sense of what it was like to live in those times, and to see the Revolution and early formation of America from the eyes of someone who was watching it closely, and *indirectly* rather than directly involved. Actually, I thought some of the passages were some of the most memorable descriptions of some well-discussed events that I've read, for instance the Battles of Bunker and Breeds Hills, which Abigail observed first hand with John Quincy from nearby Penn's Hill. The discussions of the Adams' estate was well done, though I admit I have benefitted by having visted the Adams Historical Park in Quincy earlier this year before reading this book - it was great putting the book and the visit together in context. The author did a good job of relying heavily on personal letters and diaries of Abigail and John, as well as their daughter Nabby. There was less detail on her relationship with John Quincy though, than I expected. Anycase, my earlier gripe about the lack of footnotes should be squelched because there are quite adequate endnotes which I hadn't realized previously. Silly me. I would recommend this book, it reads fairly quickly, and is a good story in additon to good history.
Oh hey! 920 gave me a new _x_! And it looks like 921-928 are only optionally used for biographies. Hmm... looks like I'm that much closer!
and I only need a history of the Ancient World, South America, and 'Other Areas' (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica...) to round out the 900s.
#43 That's amazing! Congratulations!
Random comments from earlier, that I'm reposting here to clean up my listings:
Hmm.. Christianity seems to dominate the 200s. Other/Comparative religions share a mere 10 numbers of the 100. Judaism gets one of those, and Islam shares its number, 297, with Babism and Bahai (The latter I've heard of, the former I'm unfamiliar with). Buddhism and Hinduism are merely implied. Kinda seems unevenly distributed given the global populations of people following these various faiths, if you ask me.
It seems to me that Marine ecological processes is very poorly categorized. There really is no mention of metallurgy in this text book. Perhaps the closest would be consideration of metals in marine processes... But really this is an ecology text book. It belongs up in 577 (Ecology).
#43, sjmccreary, thanks, but don't know that I deserve that quite yet, as they aren't actually done yet.
I've cleaned up my listing and noted missing second levels to be clearer. In so doing, I noticed that actually, I am closest to finishing the second levels of the 800s (need Latin and Classical Greek literature), and the 500s (Paleontology/Palaeozoology, and Plants).
Further, I need 3 books in 2nd level categories for the 300s (General Statistics, Education, and Commerce/Communication/Transport) and the 900s (History of Ancient World, History of South America, and History of 'Other' Areas)
So, with 10 books I can knock out 4 top level categories!
45>
Christianity seems to dominate the 200s
Which is why I'm basically ignoring the 200s. :) Dewey seems to share the view of world religions with Chief Wiggum in that old Simpsons episode -- "Christian, Jewish, and miscellaneous".
It seems to me that Marine ecological processes is very poorly categorized.
I agree, and personally I wouldn't be happy counting something that was obviously misclassed, but YMMV. (Looking on Worldcat, the closest public library to me that has it calls it a 577.7)
what is YMMV?
Sorry, Your Mileage May Vary.
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