What are you reading right now?

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12 years 3 weeks ago - 12 years 3 weeks ago #13870 by Sharkey
What are you reading right now? was created by Sharkey
I've found over the years I've got a real taste for Arctic and Antarctic exploration books. The ones I mean were of expeditions conducted from the late 1800s to early 1900s when England was searching for the Northwest Passage, Roald Amundsen and Admiral Scott were racing for the south Pole and books of that nature.

I've also read the REAL story of the Essex that the Moby Dick tale was based on which was also a survival story of the worst kind.

Incredible stories of explorers without rescue helicopters, radios, sat phones or snowmobiles or pretty much anything but their strength of character and shear will to get them through.

What kinds of books do you guys read?
Last edit: 12 years 3 weeks ago by Sharkey.

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12 years 3 weeks ago - 12 years 3 weeks ago #13890 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic What are you reading right now?
Not enough lately. I just finished a history of the AK47, and am now plowing through a book on climate change by the editor of Scientific American. I read a lot of history as well. Last year before going to Cape Horn and the Strait of Magellan, I read a lot of books on Chile and Argentina as well as the account of Magellan's voyage.
Last edit: 12 years 3 weeks ago by Siscowet.

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12 years 3 weeks ago #13898 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic What are you reading right now?
Right now I'm getting a bunch of progressive biased anti-American text books shoved down my throat. They even use the word problems in a math book to spout their socialist drivel, you wouldn't believe how a business management text reads :banghead: leadership is categorized as a trait left over from the "old" management style and is not a positive for the modern management of business, this should now be done with everyone having a say like a group of equals, management by committee. Sometimes I read things three times looking for a punch line.
I look forward to getting back to some objective history, American history that is. :usa:

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12 years 3 weeks ago #13900 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic What are you reading right now?
I'm about done with the text books, finals all next week. I really don't have time to sit with a good book. I started to dust off 'Unintended Consequences' but I caught myself realizing how much work I could have gotten done in that time and put it back...for now.

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12 years 3 weeks ago #13906 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic What are you reading right now?
Things I read in the last year include The Endurance, the Resolute, and the Essex and I'm hoping to get "Scott's Adventure" (his entire expedition died trying to reach the South Pole and he kept notes right up until he could no longer write) and "Mawson's Will" about 3 men who explored the Antarctic Glaciers on foot.

Amazing stories.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #13919 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic What are you reading right now?

jtallen83 wrote: Right now I'm getting a bunch of progressive biased anti-American text books shoved down my throat. They even use the word problems in a math book to spout their socialist drivel, you wouldn't believe how a business management text reads :banghead: leadership is categorized as a trait left over from the "old" management style and is not a positive for the modern management of business, this should now be done with everyone having a say like a group of equals, management by committee. Sometimes I read things three times looking for a punch line.
I look forward to getting back to some objective history, American history that is. :usa:

My condolences. I had to put up with that drivel the last ten years I was in business. After that I was president of a sport fishing club for seven years, and the new president manages that way. Nothing gets done unless somebody else drives it through. Hang in there.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #13920 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic What are you reading right now?

Sharkey wrote: Things I read in the last year include The Endurance, the Resolute, and the Essex and I'm hoping to get "Scott's Adventure" (his entire expedition died trying to reach the South Pole and he kept notes right up until he could no longer write) and "Mawson's Will" about 3 men who explored the Antarctic Glaciers on foot.

Amazing stories.

When I was at Cape Horn and experienced the size of those waves in the lower 40's, my respect went up further for them. We were 530 miles north of the Antartic Peninsula. Next time I want to go there.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #13935 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic What are you reading right now?
Picture those seas and then imagine Ernest Shackleton's voyage with 5 other souls as they left Elephant Island in a 16 foot boat and sailed almost 900 miles over them. They arrived at the South Georgia Islands, left 3 men where they landed because they were too bad to travel and then Shackleton and 2 others climbed over the ice and snow covered mountains all the way over to the whaling station on the other side.

They finally made it back to save the 22 men they left behind on Elephant Island on their 3rd ship and saved every single man they had originally set out with.

It's one of the most amazing stories of survival I've ever read.

The boat they made the voyage in was called the "James Caird". You can google it to get a look at what they did it in. It was a miracle.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #13942 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic What are you reading right now?
I have read a bit and seen the Nat Geo special on the Shackleton expedition. Some mountaineers tried to recreate his climb over South Georgia Island and couldn't even with modern climbing gear. The amazing part is when he got back to England, there was very little press because WWI had just broken out. The most amazing story of survival, ever! Scott's expedition story still gives me the chills and no I don't mean that as a pun. Amazing men against incredible challenges.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #13957 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic What are you reading right now?
For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,

And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;

And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,

And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!



See, I'm a cultured hillbilly.

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