Reading in San Diego
I’m in San Diego for the weekend, chillin’ with Melissa and Jordan. I just spent two hours reading the first half of The Giver. I would have kept reading, but it’s getting late. The book is unbelievably good. It’s a pleasant detour from the very interesting but dense-in-parts The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.
The effectively Communist state presented in The Giver is exactly the opposite of what Landes argues allowed the Industrial Revolution to occur. Diversity of opinion and a framework for exchanging knowledge (mathematics and the scientific method) allowed the sciences to blossom and feed off one another. “Capitalism” at a state level among the many countries in medieval Europe provided competition which fueled innovation and exploration, to the unfortunate detriment of the Aztecs, the Incas, the Guanches, and just about everyone else the “pious” Europeans came in contact with.
Reading Landes really makes me want to play Civilization!
Lastly, I proofed over 20 pages today. I was also successful in getting my compadre Brett at work to “race” me. It was to be a “who can proof the most?” contest, but we never ended up comparing numbers. What matters, though, is that he loved it. He proofed 20 or so pages today himself, I believe. He called the process “addictive,” noting that “there’s always another page to finish.” That’s why we love it. :-)
Today I was proofing a second round project called Handbook of Home Rule about the political situation which preceeded Ireland being granted Home Rule (which was a precursor to Ireland seceding from the United Kingdom). I found the book well-proofed up to then, so I was able to concentrate more on content than normal. Besides, I was darn interested in the topic. The writer was a British Labour MP in the 1880s who was sympathetic to the Irish cause. I delighted in being able to read his no-nonsense, if sometimes a bit broad, explanation of what happened when and how decisions were made. (The names of the Bills were great too: there was actually a Coercion Bill! Can you imagine something named so honestly in this age of cutesy acronym bills like USA PATRIOT and the like? The forthrightness was refreshing.) In a first for me, I’ve set up an e-mail notification once the book has been released on PG.
Sleep beckons me.
George Said,
May 14, 2004 @ 08:11
The SLO to San Diego route passes right by my place in Thousand Oaks. I live literally 1 block off 101 at the Rancho Conejo exit. I will be going up to San Francisco for the weekend but depending on how your travel schedule matches mine, you should stop by. Give me a call or email, since I no longer have a current phone # for you.
Megan Said,
July 29, 2004 @ 22:46
I know this post is a million years old but ... The Giver is one of my favorite books of all time. Did you enjoy it in the end? I’ve loaned it to almost everyone I know .. including that former roommate of yours.