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1March-Hare
I've decided to give this challenge a go.
33 total books read in 10 categories
11,033 pages read
This is my first challenge, so even though I liked the idea of some sort of pyramid with related categories, I thought I would just keep it simple and pick 13 topical categories.
This is what I came up with:
1. sociology
2. ancient history
3. late roman history
4. classical literature
5. stoicism
6. early modern european history
7. early modern european state formation
8. german idealism
9. early german romanticism
10 foucauldian ethics
11. hegelian recognition
12. personality types
13. other
I knew I wouldn't be able to read 13 books in each category, so the next thing I did was steal the idea of rolling two six sided dice to determine the number of books I would read. I forgot about doing the +1 modifier which would give the potential for 13. This was a good thing because after about four rolls, to my horror, I realized I was generating a bell curve with most categories having eight books. (You will note there is no math category above.) I ended up with89 94 total, not including the "other" category which I left open to handle anything which doesn't fit anywhere else.
Now I had this (number of books in brackets):
1. sociology {6}
2. ancient history {8}
3. late roman history {8}
4. classical literature {3}
5. stoicism {8}
6. early modern european history {6}
7. early modern european state formation{8}13
8. german idealism {7} + bonus
9. early german romanticism {12} + bonus
10. foucualdian ethics{7}8 + bonus
11. hegelian recognition {8} + bonus
12. personality types{8}3
13. other {*}
Next, I established the ground rules. Since I was already in the deep end at89 94 books, I decided I would give myself a head start and begin the challenge in December for a total of 13 months. This is still steep for me at almost seven books per month, so I'm thinking about cheating even further and starting this month. We'll see if this comes to pass.
Given that I'm more of a dabbler than a completer, I liked the idea of reading so many pages in a year rather than so many books. In keeping with the 13 theme, I settled on 1300 pages a month for a total of 16,900 pages. This gives me two ways to complete the challenge. I can meet the pages goal or seize the ultimate triumph and also meet the books goal. The89 94 books is a real long shot, but it is a challenge after all. I hope I have the stamina to make a decent showing.
One final note, the dabbler in me is in dire and unending conflict with the compulsive list maker. I will feel compelled to diligently track what I've started and set aside. It could very well get ugly in here.
Encouraging comments are, well, encouraged.
Additions made 2/17:
added detour for Plato to Stoicism
added detour for Foucault/Habermas debate to foucauldian ethics
Addition made 4/20:
added category for essays to "other" category
Addition made 9/14:
books marked with an * are partial reads
33 total books read in 10 categories
11,033 pages read
This is my first challenge, so even though I liked the idea of some sort of pyramid with related categories, I thought I would just keep it simple and pick 13 topical categories.
This is what I came up with:
1. sociology
2. ancient history
3. late roman history
4. classical literature
5. stoicism
6. early modern european history
7. early modern european state formation
8. german idealism
9. early german romanticism
10 foucauldian ethics
11. hegelian recognition
12. personality types
13. other
I knew I wouldn't be able to read 13 books in each category, so the next thing I did was steal the idea of rolling two six sided dice to determine the number of books I would read. I forgot about doing the +1 modifier which would give the potential for 13. This was a good thing because after about four rolls, to my horror, I realized I was generating a bell curve with most categories having eight books. (You will note there is no math category above.) I ended up with
Now I had this (number of books in brackets):
1. sociology {6}
2. ancient history {8}
3. late roman history {8}
4. classical literature {3}
5. stoicism {8}
6. early modern european history {6}
7. early modern european state formation
8. german idealism {7} + bonus
9. early german romanticism {12} + bonus
10. foucualdian ethics
11. hegelian recognition {8} + bonus
12. personality types
13. other {*}
Next, I established the ground rules. Since I was already in the deep end at
Given that I'm more of a dabbler than a completer, I liked the idea of reading so many pages in a year rather than so many books. In keeping with the 13 theme, I settled on 1300 pages a month for a total of 16,900 pages. This gives me two ways to complete the challenge. I can meet the pages goal or seize the ultimate triumph and also meet the books goal. The
One final note, the dabbler in me is in dire and unending conflict with the compulsive list maker. I will feel compelled to diligently track what I've started and set aside. It could very well get ugly in here.
Encouraging comments are, well, encouraged.
Additions made 2/17:
added detour for Plato to Stoicism
added detour for Foucault/Habermas debate to foucauldian ethics
Addition made 4/20:
Addition made 9/14:
books marked with an * are partial reads
2March-Hare
1. sociology
This is the first category that I thought of because I have been meaning to read Weber's Economy and Society and Michael Mann just published volume 3 & 4 of the The Souces of Social Power. Serendipitously, I rolled a six so this category is filled. Added bonus, these are hefty volumes so they will help fill in the Mariana trench of 16,900 pages.
1. The Sources of Social Power Vol I 07/02/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
reading
The Sources of Social Power Vol II
on deck
Economy and Society
The Sources of Social Power Volume III
The Sources of Social Power Vol IV
This is the first category that I thought of because I have been meaning to read Weber's Economy and Society and Michael Mann just published volume 3 & 4 of the The Souces of Social Power. Serendipitously, I rolled a six so this category is filled. Added bonus, these are hefty volumes so they will help fill in the Mariana trench of 16,900 pages.
1. The Sources of Social Power Vol I 07/02/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
reading
The Sources of Social Power Vol II
on deck
Economy and Society
The Sources of Social Power Volume III
The Sources of Social Power Vol IV
3March-Hare
2. ancient history
I was initially going to go broad here, but now I'm thinking Peloponnesian War. Hmmmm... this category is filled too.
1. The Peloponnesian War 11/16/12
2. The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War 11/20/12
3. The Archidamian War 11/24/12
4. The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition 12/01/12
5. The Fall of the Athenian Empire 12/0/2012
6.
7.
8.
reading
The Landmark Thucydides
on deck
The Landmark Xenephon's Hellenika
The Origins of the Peloponnesian War
suggestions for further reading
The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives
Lysistrata and Other Plays
The Birds and Other Plays
I was initially going to go broad here, but now I'm thinking Peloponnesian War. Hmmmm... this category is filled too.
1. The Peloponnesian War 11/16/12
2. The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War 11/20/12
3. The Archidamian War 11/24/12
4. The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition 12/01/12
5. The Fall of the Athenian Empire 12/0/2012
6.
7.
8.
reading
The Landmark Thucydides
on deck
The Landmark Xenephon's Hellenika
The Origins of the Peloponnesian War
suggestions for further reading
The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives
Lysistrata and Other Plays
The Birds and Other Plays
4March-Hare
3. late roman history
This is going to be more of a grab bag. I've always been fascinated with liminal periods. What I mean by that is not just that insititutions and culture changed but people's thoughts about that society changed. How does that happen? This is going to be a theme in a lot of these categories.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
7.
8.
reading
on deck
How Rome Fell
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Empires and Barbarians
The World of Late Antiquity
The Rise of Western Christendom
Through the Eye of a Needle
Mohammed and Charlemagne
Framing the Early Middle Ages
This is going to be more of a grab bag. I've always been fascinated with liminal periods. What I mean by that is not just that insititutions and culture changed but people's thoughts about that society changed. How does that happen? This is going to be a theme in a lot of these categories.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
7.
8.
reading
on deck
How Rome Fell
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Empires and Barbarians
The World of Late Antiquity
The Rise of Western Christendom
Through the Eye of a Needle
Mohammed and Charlemagne
Framing the Early Middle Ages
5March-Hare
4. classical literature
I'm thinking this challenge thing is a long journey...The Odyssey!...epics, tragedies, the raw Dionysian power of art at the dawn of western civilization...then I rolled a three. Filled.
1.
2.
3.
reading
on deck
The Illiad
The Odyssey
Homer on Life and Death
I'm thinking this challenge thing is a long journey...The Odyssey!...epics, tragedies, the raw Dionysian power of art at the dawn of western civilization...then I rolled a three. Filled.
1.
2.
3.
reading
on deck
The Illiad
The Odyssey
Homer on Life and Death
6March-Hare
5. stoicism
OK. I know a minute ago I was writing about being fascinated by how things change. In this category I'm looking at how certain mentalities endure. So this is not just classical stoicism this is it's lingering effects into the early modern period. This will connect up at the tail end with category 7.
1. The Inner Citadel 12/29/12
2. Philosophic Pride: Stoicism and Political Thought from Lipsius to Rousseau 09/08/13
3. Neostoicism and the Early Modern State 09/14/13
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Detour
1. Plato and Europe 02/24/13
reading
on deck
Philosophy as a Way of Life
The Therapy of Desire
The Meditations
Epictetus Discourses Books I-II
Epictetus Discourses Books III-IV
OK. I know a minute ago I was writing about being fascinated by how things change. In this category I'm looking at how certain mentalities endure. So this is not just classical stoicism this is it's lingering effects into the early modern period. This will connect up at the tail end with category 7.
1. The Inner Citadel 12/29/12
2. Philosophic Pride: Stoicism and Political Thought from Lipsius to Rousseau 09/08/13
3. Neostoicism and the Early Modern State 09/14/13
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Detour
1. Plato and Europe 02/24/13
reading
on deck
Philosophy as a Way of Life
The Therapy of Desire
The Meditations
Epictetus Discourses Books I-II
Epictetus Discourses Books III-IV
7March-Hare
6. early modern european history
Somehow managed to obliterate this category when I was editing another post. Anyways, here is what I have read...
1. Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism 01/12/13
2. Lineages of the Absolutist State 01/24/13
3. The Crisis of the European Mind 1680-1715 *09/22/13
4.
reading
on deck
further reading
Somehow managed to obliterate this category when I was editing another post. Anyways, here is what I have read...
1. Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism 01/12/13
2. Lineages of the Absolutist State 01/24/13
3. The Crisis of the European Mind 1680-1715 *09/22/13
4.
reading
on deck
further reading
8March-Hare
7. early modern european state formation
This category is focusing mainly on the fiscal-military model of European state formation. As usual, I will throw in some stuff about the mentality that is correlated with the changes in institutional structures. This is where the book vertigo starts to set in. I'm already thinking of a bunch of other things I could read under this category. Nope, can't resist, I'm added another slot so I can read Weber's The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
1. The Disciplinary Revolution 01/06/13 09/15/13
2. World-System Analysis: An Introduction 01/13/13
3. The Civilizing Process* 09/22/13
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Sovereign State and Its Competitors
The Military Revolution
The Military Revolution Debate
The Military Revolution and Political Change
Discipline and Punish
The Birth of Leviathan
Coercion, Capital, and European States
The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The Modern World System I
The Modern World System II
The Modern World System III
The Modern World System IV
Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy
further reading
This category is focusing mainly on the fiscal-military model of European state formation. As usual, I will throw in some stuff about the mentality that is correlated with the changes in institutional structures. This is where the book vertigo starts to set in. I'm already thinking of a bunch of other things I could read under this category. Nope, can't resist, I'm added another slot so I can read Weber's The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
1. The Disciplinary Revolution 01/06/13 09/15/13
2. World-System Analysis: An Introduction 01/13/13
3. The Civilizing Process* 09/22/13
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Sovereign State and Its Competitors
The Military Revolution
The Military Revolution Debate
The Military Revolution and Political Change
Discipline and Punish
The Birth of Leviathan
Coercion, Capital, and European States
The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The Modern World System I
The Modern World System II
The Modern World System III
The Modern World System IV
Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy
further reading
9March-Hare
8. german idealism
This is my pet subject. Since I'm already adding slots, I'm already thinking about what my categories for next year's challenge could be. This one might be permanent. I'm going to go back and read some surveys that I've already read as well as some new ones that I haven't. Then next year I can drill further into the subject. Yes, there is another added bonus.
1. Spinoza and German Idealism 04/27/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Cambridge Companion to German Idealism
Between Kant and Hegel
German Philosophy 1760-1860
The Fate of Reason
German Idealism
The Twenty-Five Years of Philosophy
All or Nothing
This is my pet subject. Since I'm already adding slots, I'm already thinking about what my categories for next year's challenge could be. This one might be permanent. I'm going to go back and read some surveys that I've already read as well as some new ones that I haven't. Then next year I can drill further into the subject. Yes, there is another added bonus.
1. Spinoza and German Idealism 04/27/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Cambridge Companion to German Idealism
Between Kant and Hegel
German Philosophy 1760-1860
The Fate of Reason
German Idealism
The Twenty-Five Years of Philosophy
All or Nothing
10March-Hare
9. early german romanticism
Boxcars!! What luck!! There is something about the worldview of the early german romantics that really resonates with me. Of course, there is an added bonus. I need at least one category with 13.
1. Friedrich Schlegel and the Emergence of Romantic Philosophy 04/20/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
Natural Supernaturalism
The Roots of Romanticism
German Romantic Literary Theory
The Romantic Imperative
The Philosophical Foundations of Early German Romanticism
The Early Political Writings of the German Romantics
Classic and Romantic German Aesthetics
Enlightenment, Revolution, and Romanticism
German Romanticism and Its Institutions
The Romantic Conception of Life
The Course of Remembrance
Friederich Holderlin Essays and Letters on Theory
Boxcars!! What luck!! There is something about the worldview of the early german romantics that really resonates with me. Of course, there is an added bonus. I need at least one category with 13.
1. Friedrich Schlegel and the Emergence of Romantic Philosophy 04/20/13
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
Natural Supernaturalism
The Roots of Romanticism
German Romantic Literary Theory
The Romantic Imperative
The Philosophical Foundations of Early German Romanticism
The Early Political Writings of the German Romantics
Classic and Romantic German Aesthetics
Enlightenment, Revolution, and Romanticism
German Romanticism and Its Institutions
The Romantic Conception of Life
The Course of Remembrance
Friederich Holderlin Essays and Letters on Theory
11March-Hare
10. foucauldian ethics
Foucault's last period. We're touching on another theme here. My understanding is that what Foucault means by ethics is the techniques that people create for self-development. I'm fascinated by this. Another added bonus.
1. Foucault and Classical Antiquity 12/10/12
2. The History of Sexuality Volume I 12/12/2012
3. The History of Sexuality Volume II 12/15/12
4. The History of Sexuality Volume III 12/21/12
5. Foucault's Askesis 12/26/12
6. The Government of Self and Others 01/28/13
7. The Foucault Effect 02/09/13
8. The Courage of Truth 02/14/13
added bonus. Foucault: Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics 02/17/13
Detour
1. Foucault contra Habermas 02/24/13
2. Critique and Power 04/17/13
reading
on deck
further reading
The Hermeneutics of the Subject
Foucault's last period. We're touching on another theme here. My understanding is that what Foucault means by ethics is the techniques that people create for self-development. I'm fascinated by this. Another added bonus.
1. Foucault and Classical Antiquity 12/10/12
2. The History of Sexuality Volume I 12/12/2012
3. The History of Sexuality Volume II 12/15/12
4. The History of Sexuality Volume III 12/21/12
5. Foucault's Askesis 12/26/12
6. The Government of Self and Others 01/28/13
7. The Foucault Effect 02/09/13
8. The Courage of Truth 02/14/13
added bonus. Foucault: Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics 02/17/13
Detour
1. Foucault contra Habermas 02/24/13
2. Critique and Power 04/17/13
reading
on deck
further reading
The Hermeneutics of the Subject
12March-Hare
11. hegelian recognition
>19 March-Hare: for explanation. Yes, yes, there is another added bonus. It's the last one though.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Science of Knowledge
The Phenomenology of Mind
Recognition: Fichte and Hegel on the Other
Hegel's Ethics of Recognition
The Struggle for Recognition
The I in the We: Studies in The Theory of Recognition
The Pathologies of Individual Freedom: Hegel's Social Theory
The Pathologies of Reason: On the New Legacy of Critical Theory
Bound by Recognition
>19 March-Hare: for explanation. Yes, yes, there is another added bonus. It's the last one though.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
added bonus.
reading
on deck
The Science of Knowledge
The Phenomenology of Mind
Recognition: Fichte and Hegel on the Other
Hegel's Ethics of Recognition
The Struggle for Recognition
The I in the We: Studies in The Theory of Recognition
The Pathologies of Individual Freedom: Hegel's Social Theory
The Pathologies of Reason: On the New Legacy of Critical Theory
Bound by Recognition
13March-Hare
12. personality types
This is my guilty pleasure category. MBTI, enneagrams anything else even more arcane that you can come up with. I may also throw in some random works of Carl Jung. I'm really interested in getting deeper into the cognitive functions aspect of MBTI so if anyone has any recommendations, please have at it.
1. Quiet 01/05/13
2. Please Understand Me II 3/24/13
3.
reading
on deck
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
This is my guilty pleasure category. MBTI, enneagrams anything else even more arcane that you can come up with. I may also throw in some random works of Carl Jung. I'm really interested in getting deeper into the cognitive functions aspect of MBTI so if anyone has any recommendations, please have at it.
1. Quiet 01/05/13
2. Please Understand Me II 3/24/13
3.
reading
on deck
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
14March-Hare
13. other
I'll reserve this for any books I pick up to participate in group reads. Yes, I know. I'm getting delusional here.
1. The Making of Global Capitalism 01/21/13
2. The Democracy Project 06/15/13
3.The Critique of Economic Reason 07/09/13
4. Rembrandt's Eyes 11/10/13
reading
on deck
I'll reserve this for any books I pick up to participate in group reads. Yes, I know. I'm getting delusional here.
1. The Making of Global Capitalism 01/21/13
2. The Democracy Project 06/15/13
3.The Critique of Economic Reason 07/09/13
4. Rembrandt's Eyes 11/10/13
reading
on deck
15lkernagh
Welcome to the challenge! I hope you have fun with it. I like your categories - I will be very curious to see what you read for your categories. I love the page count idea myself.... I am seriously considering it for my 2014 challenge. I am curious: what is hegelian recognition?
to my horror, I realized I was generating a bell curve with most categories having eight books.
Freaky how that happens. ;-)
to my horror, I realized I was generating a bell curve with most categories having eight books.
Freaky how that happens. ;-)
16PawsforThought
Welcome!
I'm really impressed with your categories. I'm terrible at -isms and official naming of types of literature so I have absolutely no idea what categories my own read books would fall into. I can tell romanticism from realism but that's about it. So very much looking forward to seeing what ends up on your lists.
I'm really impressed with your categories. I'm terrible at -isms and official naming of types of literature so I have absolutely no idea what categories my own read books would fall into. I can tell romanticism from realism but that's about it. So very much looking forward to seeing what ends up on your lists.
17clfisha
Welcome and love the page idea. I wish I could do a word count one but that's so difficult to find out and I am *not* counting!
Hmm your categories remind me to get back to 30-Second Philosophies: The 50 Most Thought-provoking Philosophies by Barry loewer
Hmm your categories remind me to get back to 30-Second Philosophies: The 50 Most Thought-provoking Philosophies by Barry loewer
18mamzel
Encouraging comments are, well, encouraged.
We tend to do that rather well here. Welcome aboard! I will be interested to read your comments!
We tend to do that rather well here. Welcome aboard! I will be interested to read your comments!
19March-Hare
Thanks for the welcome(s). I'm already having a blast reading the other threads. I would almost use the word giddy.
Ikernagh,
Hegelian recognition in a nutshell--- Start with the idea that a person needs to express themselves in some objective form in order to really develop who they are. Now add the notion that a mere objective expression is insufficient. What is really needed is the recognition of that objective expression by another subject.
PawsforThought,
On further reflection, I'm a little concerned that my categories are too narrow and I'll start wandering. On the other hand, I usually have some sort of reading plan going and end up abandoning it. Maybe posting here will help me stick to it.
clfisha,
I confess to keeping a reading journal where I track page counts. The shame!
mamzel,
Indeed, I can see that. Hence, the giddiness.
Ikernagh,
Hegelian recognition in a nutshell--- Start with the idea that a person needs to express themselves in some objective form in order to really develop who they are. Now add the notion that a mere objective expression is insufficient. What is really needed is the recognition of that objective expression by another subject.
PawsforThought,
On further reflection, I'm a little concerned that my categories are too narrow and I'll start wandering. On the other hand, I usually have some sort of reading plan going and end up abandoning it. Maybe posting here will help me stick to it.
clfisha,
I confess to keeping a reading journal where I track page counts. The shame!
mamzel,
Indeed, I can see that. Hence, the giddiness.
20christina_reads
Welcome, and good luck with your ambitious challenge! I now feel kind of ashamed for having a chick-lit category. :)
21DeltaQueen50
Welcome to the challenge, March-Hare. Don't worry about your categories being too narrow, always remember it's your challenge and if you want to change or adjust your categories at any time - it's your decision.
23PawsforThought
The width of the categories is a personal thing. I like (and need) stricter and narrower categories. I usually open up my themes to include TV and movies (and sometimes other fields like music, food, etc. if applicable) and it helps if the categories aren't as wide as the Pacific.
But everyone has their way of doing a challenge and you should make your categories as wide or narrow as you feel comfortable with. And as DeltaQueen50 said above, you can make whatever changes you want to your own challenge.
To paraphrase Lesley Gore: It's your challenge and you'll change it if you want to!
But everyone has their way of doing a challenge and you should make your categories as wide or narrow as you feel comfortable with. And as DeltaQueen50 said above, you can make whatever changes you want to your own challenge.
To paraphrase Lesley Gore: It's your challenge and you'll change it if you want to!
24hailelib
Welcome to the group!
Everyone is different. I like broad categories but many like narrower ones. And lots of us do mid-challenge adjustments.
Everyone is different. I like broad categories but many like narrower ones. And lots of us do mid-challenge adjustments.
25LittleTaiko
Welcome! Happy reading!
26-Eva-
"You will note there is no math category above"
I had to LOL @ that!!
Welcome! Looking forward to following along in the battle between The Lister and The Dabbler - sounds like a great pair of superheores! :)
I had to LOL @ that!!
Welcome! Looking forward to following along in the battle between The Lister and The Dabbler - sounds like a great pair of superheores! :)
27rabbitprincess
Welcome aboard, said the rabbit to the hare ;) Looking forward to seeing what your history categories fill up with! Also, great idea to have two goals to shoot for!
28March-Hare
rabbitprincess,
I knew you would come.
I knew you would come.
29lkernagh
> 19 - Thank you for the explanation of Hegelian recognition. I am even more intrigued now to see what you read to fill that category!
30Tanglewood
Love, love your categories! I'm especially looking forward to your reads in Ancient History and Roman History. I've been dipping in and out of The Landmark Thucydides and Kagan's The Peloponnesian War since this summer. Well, I've actually been using Kagan's book to propel me through Thucydides, who I find a bit dry. I have The Odyssey up on deck for myself for my re-reads category. Welcome!
31March-Hare
Cool! I'm starting with Kagan and Thucydides. Let me know if you have any recommendations for further reading. I'm already thinking about categories for next year. I can see myself doing an Ancient History "The Greeks" Part II kinda thing.
I'm still figuring out how to tackle my categories. I'm leaning towards reading through one at a time. Tenatively, I was heading for the Odyssey next. If you remember, drop back in when you get around to reading it. I will read along with you if I haven't gotten to it yet.
I'm still figuring out how to tackle my categories. I'm leaning towards reading through one at a time. Tenatively, I was heading for the Odyssey next. If you remember, drop back in when you get around to reading it. I will read along with you if I haven't gotten to it yet.
32psutto
welcome aboard! he says belatedly after trying deperately to catch up on everyone's threads....
33March-Hare
Well, I've been at this for a few weeks so I thought I would post an update.
I'm well into Kagan's history of the Peloponnesian War (both the one and four volume versions). I read the one volume summary a few years ago and was not that impressed, but for some reason this time I became totally engrossed. Good fortune to start with this one because it got me off on the right foot. I'm not going to try to summarize or review these. I think I would need another read to sort it out enough to do that. All I'm going to say is that there is something about the interaction of the characters and the political/diplomatic situations that I found intriguing. Perhaps it's an artifact of the sources because Thucydides and Plutarch were both looking at it from this angle? I don't know. I read both of those so long ago. That was pretty much a stab in the dark. Now I feel like I at least need to add the relevant parts of Plutarch's Lives to my ancient history category. If I read that and complete Thucydides and Xenophon maybe I'll have more to say.
I'm also reading The Better Angels of Our Nature. I threw this into the other category because I'm reading it as part of a group. One word description here: dense. No, I need two words: ridiculously dense. I feel like I need to construct a flowchart just to follow the argument. Really, it's even worse than that. I mean, can someone please explain to me what the methodology is here? Now don't get me wrong. I'm the first person to cheer on someone who is zany enough to operate somehwere in the intersection of history, sociology and philosophy, but I feel that this one may not hang together all that well. Hopefully, I'll be able to sort this one out enough to post some sort of worthwhile comments a little later.
I also have Quiet in currently reading status, but I'm really just carrying it around as my lunchtime read and since I'm busy at work I haven't yet cracked the cover.
I'm well into Kagan's history of the Peloponnesian War (both the one and four volume versions). I read the one volume summary a few years ago and was not that impressed, but for some reason this time I became totally engrossed. Good fortune to start with this one because it got me off on the right foot. I'm not going to try to summarize or review these. I think I would need another read to sort it out enough to do that. All I'm going to say is that there is something about the interaction of the characters and the political/diplomatic situations that I found intriguing. Perhaps it's an artifact of the sources because Thucydides and Plutarch were both looking at it from this angle? I don't know. I read both of those so long ago. That was pretty much a stab in the dark. Now I feel like I at least need to add the relevant parts of Plutarch's Lives to my ancient history category. If I read that and complete Thucydides and Xenophon maybe I'll have more to say.
I'm also reading The Better Angels of Our Nature. I threw this into the other category because I'm reading it as part of a group. One word description here: dense. No, I need two words: ridiculously dense. I feel like I need to construct a flowchart just to follow the argument. Really, it's even worse than that. I mean, can someone please explain to me what the methodology is here? Now don't get me wrong. I'm the first person to cheer on someone who is zany enough to operate somehwere in the intersection of history, sociology and philosophy, but I feel that this one may not hang together all that well. Hopefully, I'll be able to sort this one out enough to post some sort of worthwhile comments a little later.
I also have Quiet in currently reading status, but I'm really just carrying it around as my lunchtime read and since I'm busy at work I haven't yet cracked the cover.
34lkernagh
I am not afraid to admit that I had to Google "the history of the Peloponnedian War" to find out what exactly that was. Good on you for tackling something like this right off the bat!
I will avoid the "ridiculously dense" book The Better Angels of Our Nature as I need long stretches of uninterrupted time - i.e., vacation! - to even consider tackling something like that, so a double kudos from me for that one.
..... I am starting to think that your thread will scare me, but in a good way, as I am well aware of my reading limitations! ;-)
I will avoid the "ridiculously dense" book The Better Angels of Our Nature as I need long stretches of uninterrupted time - i.e., vacation! - to even consider tackling something like that, so a double kudos from me for that one.
..... I am starting to think that your thread will scare me, but in a good way, as I am well aware of my reading limitations! ;-)
35March-Hare
Oh boy! Didn't mean to scare anyone off.
Actually regarding The Better Angels book, the argument is dense, but the writing style is pretty straightforward so it reads quickly.
Actually regarding The Better Angels book, the argument is dense, but the writing style is pretty straightforward so it reads quickly.
36lkernagh
Ah.... good to know.... I am okay with dense books when the writing style is more straightforward. No worries, you haven't scared me away completely, I tend to be a glutton for punishment when it comes to books and reading! ;-)
37March-Hare
Some early observations on the challenge:
I thought filling in all my categories with specific books would be stifling, it's actually having the opposite effect. I'm forever making reading lists and not sticking to them. So far I'm sticking to this one. Not sure why yet.
I really like to reread books that I find worthwhile so I should have left "space" for that in the challenge. I'm not sure I want to alter anything yet because I may actually have a shot at hitting the 93 book total for the year. I took a detour into the Foucault category in the last week or so and read three books. That is a lot for me. There is hope.
I thought filling in all my categories with specific books would be stifling, it's actually having the opposite effect. I'm forever making reading lists and not sticking to them. So far I'm sticking to this one. Not sure why yet.
I really like to reread books that I find worthwhile so I should have left "space" for that in the challenge. I'm not sure I want to alter anything yet because I may actually have a shot at hitting the 93 book total for the year. I took a detour into the Foucault category in the last week or so and read three books. That is a lot for me. There is hope.
38March-Hare
I'm making my first category change.
I'm dropping 5 books out of my personality types category and shifting them into my early modern european state formation category in order to add Wallerstein's world-systems theory books. I cheated and added one more book so I could also add Barrington Moore's Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.
However, if someone should stumble in here--I'm still open to recommendations on books dealing with the cognitive function aspect of MBTI.
Back to lurking....
I'm dropping 5 books out of my personality types category and shifting them into my early modern european state formation category in order to add Wallerstein's world-systems theory books. I cheated and added one more book so I could also add Barrington Moore's Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.
However, if someone should stumble in here--I'm still open to recommendations on books dealing with the cognitive function aspect of MBTI.
Back to lurking....
39March-Hare
Well, my challenge basically collapsed in the past couple of months as other matters intervened. My reading was pretty dispersed so I didn't even keep track of page counts. Now even my "easy" goal of 16,900 pages is in doubt.
I'm looking to restart on June 1st. The good news (well, perhaps it's good news), is that with the goals out the window I will be reading slower and this may lead to me making some posts.
I'm looking to restart on June 1st. The good news (well, perhaps it's good news), is that with the goals out the window I will be reading slower and this may lead to me making some posts.
40christina_reads
Enjoy your reboot! :)
42March-Hare
Well, I'm officially throwing in the towel on this challenge. I just have too much going on right now to plow through my list.
So taking my cue from mamzel, I'm making a short list of books to read for the rest of the year. First up will be a reread of two favorites from the first half-Foucault's Askesis and Foucault and Classical Antiquity. Then I will be working on The Illiad, The Odyssey, and Homer on Life and Death. That last one should be sufficiently autumnal.
So taking my cue from mamzel, I'm making a short list of books to read for the rest of the year. First up will be a reread of two favorites from the first half-Foucault's Askesis and Foucault and Classical Antiquity. Then I will be working on The Illiad, The Odyssey, and Homer on Life and Death. That last one should be sufficiently autumnal.
43-Eva-
Towel-throwing is quite legit over here. As is making a reading-list instead - hope you'll enjoy your picks!
44March-Hare
So, why Foucault's Askesis? I'll just let Foucault speak. This text is quoted in the introduction and comes from The Use of Pleasure page 8.
"As for what motivated me, it is quite simple; I would hope that in the eyes of some people it would be sufficient in itself. It was curiosity--the only kind of curiosity, in any case, that is worth acting upon with a degree of obstinancy: not the curiosity that seeks to assimilate what it is proper for one know, but that which enables one to get free from oneself. After all, what would be the value of the passion for knowledge if it resulted only in a certain amount of knowledgeableness and not, in one way or another and to the extent possible, in the knower straying afield of himself?....What is philosophy today--philosophical activity I mean-- if it is not the critical work that thought brings to bear on itself?...The essay-- which should be understood as the assay or test by which, in the game of truth, one undergoes changes...is the living substance of philosophy, at least if we assume that philosophy is still what it was in times past, i.e. an "ascesis," askesis an excercise of oneself in the activity of thought."
"As for what motivated me, it is quite simple; I would hope that in the eyes of some people it would be sufficient in itself. It was curiosity--the only kind of curiosity, in any case, that is worth acting upon with a degree of obstinancy: not the curiosity that seeks to assimilate what it is proper for one know, but that which enables one to get free from oneself. After all, what would be the value of the passion for knowledge if it resulted only in a certain amount of knowledgeableness and not, in one way or another and to the extent possible, in the knower straying afield of himself?....What is philosophy today--philosophical activity I mean-- if it is not the critical work that thought brings to bear on itself?...The essay-- which should be understood as the assay or test by which, in the game of truth, one undergoes changes...is the living substance of philosophy, at least if we assume that philosophy is still what it was in times past, i.e. an "ascesis," askesis an excercise of oneself in the activity of thought."
45March-Hare
So for the remainder of the year I've decided to do a test run of my 2014 challenge. The basic idea is that I will pick new books based on the bibliographies of the current books I'm reading. It will be weighted towards a thematic approach. My current challenge is really doing this anyway.
For example:
category 10>category 2
Foucault's ethical period>Foucault's reading of classical philosophy>crisis of Athenian democracy>history of the Peloponessian War
or
category 10>category 5
Foucault's ethical period>Foucault's reading of classical philosophy>philosophy as a "way of life">stoicism
I'm also going to be making an effort to post some thoughts on what I'm reading. I will be taking a notes to self approach.
For example:
category 10>category 2
Foucault's ethical period>Foucault's reading of classical philosophy>crisis of Athenian democracy>history of the Peloponessian War
or
category 10>category 5
Foucault's ethical period>Foucault's reading of classical philosophy>philosophy as a "way of life">stoicism
I'm also going to be making an effort to post some thoughts on what I'm reading. I will be taking a notes to self approach.
46March-Hare
It's the start of a new month and time to kick off my test run for next year's challenge. I'm starting with another re-read: The Disciplinary Revolution: Calvinism and the Rise of the State in Early Modern Europe. I picked this because I'm fascinated with the fiscal-military theory of state formation and the first chapter of this book has a good summary of the literature. There is also a useful critique of The Birth of Leviathan.
47March-Hare
I just finished Philosophic Pride: Stoicism and Political Thought from Lipsius to Rousseau. Not quite taken with this book. Basically, it was summaries of the writings of political thinkers in the 17th and 18th centuries interspersed with frequent references to secondary literature. It was a bit overwhelming and little out of step with my current tack which is more of a social history approach to early modern European state formation. The main idea (at least as I was able to follow) was that there was a three cornered struggle between the influence of Stoicism, Augustinianism and a sort of securlarized Augustinianism that veered towards Epicureanism.
What I found most interesting was the discussion of the Stoic notion of oikeiosis and its redeployment in Spinoza (mentioned more in passing) and Rousseau. I would return to these parts of the book if I decided to read further on the subject.
One thing is apparent. I have the right idea doing a bibliographic challenge next year. When I realize I don't know too much about something I find interesting I tend to get engrossed. Now I feel I need to read Quentin Skinner's The Foundations of Modern Political Thought and Richard Tuck's Natural Rights Theories: Their Origin and Development just to have the background for what I just read. I could also see myself following the notes in the sections on oikeiosis and ending up with four or five more books on my TBR pile.
I'm tempted to start adding categories to my 2014 challenge but I'm not quite ready to give up on this one. If I read about 2,000 pages a month I may be able to hit my initial challenge of 16,900 pages read.
Now I just need to figure out if I stay on my current tack or veer off.
What I found most interesting was the discussion of the Stoic notion of oikeiosis and its redeployment in Spinoza (mentioned more in passing) and Rousseau. I would return to these parts of the book if I decided to read further on the subject.
One thing is apparent. I have the right idea doing a bibliographic challenge next year. When I realize I don't know too much about something I find interesting I tend to get engrossed. Now I feel I need to read Quentin Skinner's The Foundations of Modern Political Thought and Richard Tuck's Natural Rights Theories: Their Origin and Development just to have the background for what I just read. I could also see myself following the notes in the sections on oikeiosis and ending up with four or five more books on my TBR pile.
I'm tempted to start adding categories to my 2014 challenge but I'm not quite ready to give up on this one. If I read about 2,000 pages a month I may be able to hit my initial challenge of 16,900 pages read.
Now I just need to figure out if I stay on my current tack or veer off.
48March-Hare
Finished Neostoicism and the Early Modern State. This is a collection of essays. The first part covers Justus Lipsius's major works and their influence. The second part contains essays on the transformation of the notion of a covenant into a social contract and then finally a constitution. It also contains essays on the development of German constitutions. I probably wouldn't return to this unless some further reading drew me back to topics covered here.
49March-Hare
Finished my re-read of The Disciplinary Revolution by Philip Gorski. I love this book. It’s well structured, well written, and tightly argued. The basic idea is that theories of early modern European state formation are missing a key explanatory element by neglecting the influence of Calvinism in the development of social discipline. Specifically, he is arguing that although some writers have touched on elements of the influence, they have not captured the complete linkage stretching from religion through social discipline to state formation
The first chapter is a summary of the major theories of state formation and social discipline. The next two chapters present case studies of disciplinary revolutions; from below, in the Netherlands and from above, in Prussia. The last chapter reinforces the argument by following the influence of Calvinism in two key areas: the changing attitudes towards poor relief and the practice of venality. There is also a brief conclusion which discusses the role of religion in theories of state formation from a somewhat larger perspective.
What fascinates me is that the summaries provide a rich road map for further exploration. For example, in the first chapter the summary covers three intertwining approaches to the subject. First he discusses the difference between Marxist and bellicist theories of state formation, then he discusses the confessionalization interpretation of the Reformation, and finally, he discusses theories of social discipline in Weber, Hintze, Elias and Foucault. In the chapter on Prussia he again lays out the three main theories of Prussia’s transition to absolutism: a materialist theory, a bellicist theory, and an idealist theory. In the concluding chapter he briefly reviews six (!) theories of social discipline as it relates to changing attitudes towards poor relief in the 16th and 17th centuries.
This is one of those books that you are never quite finished with. I will keep coming back to this one.
(Oh, and yes, even though it is a re-read I’m counting the pages towards my challenge total.)
The first chapter is a summary of the major theories of state formation and social discipline. The next two chapters present case studies of disciplinary revolutions; from below, in the Netherlands and from above, in Prussia. The last chapter reinforces the argument by following the influence of Calvinism in two key areas: the changing attitudes towards poor relief and the practice of venality. There is also a brief conclusion which discusses the role of religion in theories of state formation from a somewhat larger perspective.
What fascinates me is that the summaries provide a rich road map for further exploration. For example, in the first chapter the summary covers three intertwining approaches to the subject. First he discusses the difference between Marxist and bellicist theories of state formation, then he discusses the confessionalization interpretation of the Reformation, and finally, he discusses theories of social discipline in Weber, Hintze, Elias and Foucault. In the chapter on Prussia he again lays out the three main theories of Prussia’s transition to absolutism: a materialist theory, a bellicist theory, and an idealist theory. In the concluding chapter he briefly reviews six (!) theories of social discipline as it relates to changing attitudes towards poor relief in the 16th and 17th centuries.
This is one of those books that you are never quite finished with. I will keep coming back to this one.
(Oh, and yes, even though it is a re-read I’m counting the pages towards my challenge total.)
50March-Hare
Well, I have my first "abandoned" entry since my restart. I'm dropping The Crisis of the European Mind and the The Civilizing Process.
"Crisis" is dealing with the precursors of enlightenment thought and I'm just not going there right now. Hazard's prose wasn't exactly grabbing me either. I do plan to return to Jonathan Israel's series on the radical enlightenment someday. I may pull this one out again at that point since it covers much of the same ground.
I found "Process" very interesting. I just don't have the time to dedicate to this one right now. (I'm moving soon so my personal space is in a bit of disarray).
"Crisis" is dealing with the precursors of enlightenment thought and I'm just not going there right now. Hazard's prose wasn't exactly grabbing me either. I do plan to return to Jonathan Israel's series on the radical enlightenment someday. I may pull this one out again at that point since it covers much of the same ground.
I found "Process" very interesting. I just don't have the time to dedicate to this one right now. (I'm moving soon so my personal space is in a bit of disarray).
