Cannonball Read 10

Sticking it to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Mostly Good Survey of Western Philosophy

A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton

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Best for: Anyone interested in an introduction to ideas from western philosophy, starting with Socrates and Plato. In a nutshell: Philosopher (and podcaster) Nigel Warburton spends 40 chapters exploring the one or two main hallmarks of different western philosophers. Worth quoting: “Philosophers challenge dogma. They ask why people believe what they do, what sorts of evidence they have to support their conclusions.” Why I chose it: I was feeling a little nostalgic about my days studying philosophy. That program was only a year, and pretty focused on certain areas, so I only have a passing understanding of many of the […]

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3/11/2018 | 's CBR10 Review No:18 |

Seeing comes before words.

Ways of seeing by John Berger

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I picked up this book for a multitude of reasons. Mainly because the cover was brilliant, the physical size of the book is perfect for twisting in your hands and it’s beautiful enough that I wanted to be seen with it. The first page is remarkable. It starts with one sentence “Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it speaks.” And then whitespace. I’m such a sucker for whitespace. This book should have had more whitespace. It’s set in a bold Univers font which is weird for the eye to read. And it’s all black and white. […]

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1/15/2018 | 's CBR10 Review No:2 |

When Utopia Goes Pear-Shaped

The Will To Battle by Ada Palmer

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Well, my first review of the year, and I have picked a bit of a doozy! Not only is this book series quite unlike anything else I have read, I’m starting my review with book three of four. (But, this is the first book I’ve finished reading this year, so I went with it.) I’m going to have to try to do my best to tiptoe around the spoilers while still giving some kind of picture as to what this series is about. Let’s see how that goes: I first came across Ala Palmer’s Terra Ignota series when I was […]

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1/5/2018 | 's CBR10 Review No:1 |

This book, I need y’all to read it so I can talk about it with someone!

Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota, #1) by Ada Palmer

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This might be the weirdest book I’ve ever read. Well, the weirdest book I’ve read that I actually ended up enjoying. I might have to think a while before officially giving it that award. My instinct is to put this review away and not think about it for weeks. I just want to sit with the story, let it brew and fester in my mind a little bit. But I know if I do that, I will forget everything and end up floundering around when it actually comes time to write. I might be more eloquent about the book’s larger […]

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9/12/2017 's CBR9 Review No:77 |

Some Great Essays, But A Couple Not Good Ones

Dying in the Twenty-First Century: Toward a New Ethical Framework for the Art of Dying Well by Lydia Dugdale

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Best for: Philosophers who will have a chance to discuss the contents. In a nutshell: Bioethicist and doctor compiles essays addressing how we die and if there is a way to revive the art of dying well. Line that sticks with me: “We can’t talk about the art of dying without first accepting that we will die.” (p 174) Why I chose it: A lot of folks who are dear to people who are dear to me have died over these past 18 months, so I decided to get philosophical on it and picked this out. Review: This collection of […]

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6/2/2017 's CBR9 Review No:40 |

A Better Way to Get My Philosophy Fix

Happiness: A Philosopher's Guide by Frederic Lenoir

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Best for: Former philosophy students, current philosophy students, or anyone interested in looking at happiness from a more philosophical, less how-to perspective. In a nutshell: French philosopher Frederic Lenoir examines what many great thinkers have had to say about how we can be happy in life. Line that sticks with me: “It is essential for us not just o know ourselves, but also to test out our strengths and weaknesses, to correct and improve within us those things that can be changed, but without trying to distort or thwart our deepest being.” (p 48) Why I chose it: The cover […]

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4/18/2017 's CBR9 Review No:26 |

Mmm Hmm

Aha: The Moments of Insight That Shape Our World by William B. Irvine

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Best for: Philosophy students, maybe? In a nutshell: Philosopher William Irvine looks at the ‘aha’ moments in religion, morality, math, science and art. Line that sticks with me: “More generally, when I cannot give reasons for the moral beliefs I hold, I take it as compelling evidence that I need to take a closer look at those beliefs.” Why I chose it: I needed a little philosophy. Review: I’m not totally sure what this book meant to be. The writing is good, but the overall cohesion is a bit lacking. Irvine breaks his book into five sections, each with three […]

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4/12/2017 's CBR9 Review No:23 |

Art is an incitement to look at our world through another’s eyes

How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton

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While Alain de Botton’s How Proust Can Change Your Life is nearly twenty years old, the first I heard of it was on a 2015 episode of the Tim Ferriss Podcast. If you’re unfamiliar with Ferriss, he is outwardly a life-hacking blogger and podcaster. However, his deeper drive seems to be helping others live an examined life. I like that, so even though I’m not a life-hacky guy I listen to his show. On that 2015 episode, I found Botton to be especially charming, and I was interested in his comments that philosophy was increasingly becoming irrelevant to the average person because […]

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11/12/2016 's CBR8 Review No:32 |


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