Comments on: What are you reading?

By: What We’re Reading: January 29, 2010 | Two Go Round-The-World

What We’re Reading: January 29, 2010 | Two Go Round-The-World — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:03:04 +0000

[...] Betsy from Married With Luggage asks “What are you reading?“. Check out some great reading suggestions [...]

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:35:26 +0000

I’ve just re-read those same passages today at lunch and it is just heartbreaking. And the way they justified it just makes my skin crawl. But at the time it was the conventional thought – who knows what people will look back on today and shudder at? (I have a few ideas…)

You may also like the book The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson. It is an alternate history written as if all white people were killed off during the plague and what happened to the world without us. One of the influential races in the book is a group of Native Americans with women elders and how their method of government is modeled for other countries. It is an interesting book, told in the stories of 2 souls who keep reincarnating throughout the centuries. I really enjoyed it and think you will, too.

By: Angela

Angela — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:06:59 +0000

Howard Zinn! My husband and I are huge fans. We have seen him speak about a world without war and it was both inspiring and moving.

The book changed my husband’s life and worldview. When he showed me the passages from Columbus’s diary showing his view of the natives- their character and what was to be done with them- for example, “they are so childlike and open they would make perfect slaves” – it made me cry. It was his own words- not described by Zinn. It made me realize what a crime it is to celebrate that man with a holiday. The whole thing was so tragic.

Anyway, great book.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:18:19 +0000

I’ll have to check out those books, Angela. I’ve heard of both authors but have not read them yet.

I just saw that Howard Zinn died this week (RIP) and I’m finally going to read his masterpiece, The People’s History of the United States. That one is going to take a while!

By: Angela

Angela — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:56:02 +0000

Shadow of the Wind is sitting on my nightstand pile- highly recommended by another friend in addition to you, so it’s on the short list for me.

Right now I’m in the middle of After the Flood, Margaret Atwood’s new sci-fi sequel to Oryx and Crake. Sort of sequel- she’s more of a literary writer than pulp, and so far I’m liking it.

Next will be The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, another of my favorite writers. Don’t know much about the plot.

Then on to Shadow of the Wind.