Category: book

DiMortuiSunt April Book Giveaway! #1

My review for Sacramento Book Review:

I found it troubling and eerie at how much of today I see in the world Jackson Lears relates in his newest book Rebirth of a Nation, which chronicles the history of the United States from the end of Reconstruction to the end of World War I. Lears makes the similarities between then and now a theme throughout the book, pointing them out when they are especially telling. Rebirth of a Nation is not an important book because it paints a vivid picture of early modern American culture; it is a brilliant book because it reminds of how and why we have the federal government we do and the headaches and troubles earlier Americans faced to get us here. Various government institutions and policies (the FDA, for example) which we take for granted today, or worse denigrate, are explained in the context of which they were created, enlightening such issues as modern banking and its regulation, the Federal Reserve, the eight-hour workday, unions, a mixed economy, and more. Lears wraps all of that radical change in an American desire, both individual and societal, for a rebirth into a state akin to grace whether through war, social justice, or labor. Rebirth of a Nation is a must-read for lovers of American history.

If you’re a fan of history or the United States this is a great book that covers a pivotal period in US History as the country shifted from its original rural agrarian base to a urban industrial one.

So, if you’d like a free book. Just make a comment down below and you’ll be entered. One person, chosen at random, will win it next Friday.

The DiMortuiSunt Book Giveaway!

Everyone Likes Free Stuff!

I get a lot of books. Way too many books. I don’t really have room for all the books I get. I feel bad taking them to used bookstores (and that business model isn’t doing that great anyway.) The local library doesn’t want to take books from me anymore and it feels downright criminal to toss them into the recycle bin.

What am I going to do with all these books?

Then I remember I had this blog. This blog that people occasionally read, if they are good people they then mention it to their friends who also read it. I could give the books away to these people!

So this is how it’s going to work: every Friday in April I will post a picture of a book as well as a short book review of it. Anyone who comments on the post will be put in a random drawing for the book to be held the following Friday when the next book becomes available.

Seeing as I only have maybe 30-60 people who view this blog there is a reasonable chance that you just might win a book. If this is successful (wholly to be determined by me) than I’ll do it every month or so.

PS – don’t be a dick and require a bunch of legalese gobbley-gook or this will go away and you’ll never get your book!

PPS – I’ll pay shipping.

 

 

Boy Scouts of America: Over 100 Years Later

My First Edition Copy of the Handbook for Boys

I bought this original Boy Scout Handbook, and another, two years ago. The one in better condition I gave to my father as a Christmas present and a reminder of all the great times we shared in the Scouting program. I’ve been flipping through mine recently and noticing some things.

Boy Scouts have been around for a long time. Here, in the United States they were incorporated on February 8, 1910.  The oldest Scouting organization, in the United Kingdom, was founded in 1907. I ‘m somewhat surprised how much of Scouting has been retained over the past 1oo hundred years. The Boy Scout oath, law, and motto have not changed since that time but many other things have, from rank requirements to merit badges. I thought I’d share a some of the ones I found just flipping through the book.  (I wish I had my old Boy Scout Handbook from when I was in the program, as well as a current edition just to compare, I’m doing this from memory… If you want a good, cheap resource for outdoor and first aid skills a Boy Scout Handbook isn’t a bad choice, by the way.)

Some of the Merit Badges one could earn then but no longer:

 

The Cement Working merit badge

Cement Work, handicraft, beekeeping, blacksmithing, foundry practice, invention, pathfinding, signalling, and taxidermy.

 

A few requirements that didn’t make it into this millennium, They probably didn’t make it through the ’70s: make a round trip alone (or with a fellow scout) to a point at least seven miles away going on foot, or rowing boat. Or, construct a raft which will carry two people and their duffle safely, and demonstrate his ability to make practical use of it.

 

It’s a Festivus Miracle! Internet Gift Exchange Loot

Talking Time (TT), the only on-line community worth being part of, has a winter gift exchange every year. Members of the forum sign-up and then we do a secret santa style exchange, though Festivus, as we call it, is full of in-jokes and TT only memes. I’ve been doing Festivus for two years now and both times it’s been a blast. This year my secret Santa (ninja Santa on TT) had some difficulties in getting everything together and missed the deadline for mailing things out. Then there were some communication problems and by the end of it I was sure I wouldn’t be having any Festivus cheer.

At the beginning of this month I went to a friend of mine’s birthday in the Bay area, a friend who also happens to be a member of TT and whose birthdays are giant events with people coming from as far away as Indiana! It turns out that my ninja Santa was also attending his birthday party and brought the first part of my gift. She tells me there is more coming, something to do with eBay and assembly…

Who cares though? Here is all the cool stuff Luana (Loo-aun-a) got me for Festivus:

 

for me?
Such nice handwriting
That's Percy... He's a thing we have over at Talking Time... It's convoluted.
I've only flipped through it so far but it looks interesting
Yum genre fiction

Of course it wouldn’t be Festivus (or Talking Time) without something horrifying:

 

a hideous amalgamation of Mario and Mickey Mouse?

Happy Festivus everyone! I can’t wait to see what the rest of my gift is.

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