Ahira's Hangar

Anyone else out there like to read history books, almanacs, or atlases?
My husband and older son surely do!
One of the good ones I've read recently is called April 1865, the Month that Saved America by Jay Winik.
One of the scenes from the closing weeks of Lincoln's life, when he is walking through the newly taken city of Richmond (which was still burning as he walked the streets) is incredibly moving. And it's a pretty clear inspiration from our world's history for a wonderful chapter in George R. R. Martin's Sword of Storms.
Ankh-Morpork people considered that spelling was a sort of optional extra. They believed in it the same way they believed in punctuation; it didn't matter where you put it, so long as it was there.~Terry Pratchett<i></i>

I am a History/Sociology major, perhaps I can help? And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i></i>

Let's see, Calibaby had a major in poli sci and a minor in philosphy in undergrad and got his grad degree in world poli sci. I've got to hook you two up one of these days!
Ankh-Morpork people considered that spelling was a sort of optional extra. They believed in it the same way they believed in punctuation; it didn't matter where you put it, so long as it was there.~Terry Pratchett<i></i>

One word-Elohimfest Hello, and good-bye, as always.

Further up, and further in<i></i>

You know very well that I probably won't be able to go! I WISH I could, but our vacation time is already booked this year for a family function (high school grad party, etc.) in Minnesota and next year for a family reunion in Colorado (I'm on strike and refuse to ANY planning for this one whatsoever :"> ). I wish that I could go to Danlo's,though!


You'll just have to go for me and give me a nice long IM with all of the details!

And watch me do this because of all the fun I would have missed! <i></i>

Mhoram, stop making my sweet wife cry!
That book she spoke of, April 1865, is very good. I am reading it right now.
She keeps telling me to read something called Germs, Guns, and Steel. Have any of you read it? Is it as good as she says?
Our tastes in books are so different, it's hard to ever know if I'll like something she does and vice versa. Have you hugged your cat today?<i></i>

I'm not familiar...u've read the Guns of August right? And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i></i>

I heard Guns Germs and Steel was a good book, about European differences w/their colonies, or something...*shrug* Further up, and further in! <i></i>

Well, not precisely. The author explores why there are such disparities in the development of various areas of the world, which of course, leads to such huge disparities in today's world between the Western powers and third world nations. Very interesting book! His basic premise is that all of the peoples of the world share a close genetic heritage and same basic intelligence level ,so WHY have some become so technologically/economically dominant? <i></i>

Has anyone ever read Rise and Fall of the Third Reich? It's a long and detailed book about Germany from 1933 until 1945. I have not read the Guns of August, isn't that one about WW1? Have you hugged your cat today?<i></i>

I'm still working on April, 1965. Surprisingly good for something my wife read.
Our tastes in most things are completely different. Have you hugged your cat today?<i>Edited by: californiababy at: 1/24/03 7:33:15 pm
</i>

I read Rise and Fall at my Grandfathers house when I was twelve--his library had more swazticas, German helmets, medals, Japanese suns and samari swords than u could shake a stick at! And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 3/5/03 5:25:04 am
</i>

Did he serve in the war or was he a collector of historical artifacts? My dad was in WW2, ground support for the air force in Africa and Italy. My father in law was in WW2 in the navy on a supply ship in the Pacific, then re-upped for Korea! Ankh-Morpork people considered that spelling was a sort of optional extra. They believed in it the same way they believed in punctuation; it didn't matter where you put it, so long as it was there.~Terry Pratchett<i></i>

My grandfather was a collector--but he and my other grandfather trained WWI bi-plane pilots in Pensacola. My Dad was a commander of a LST in the Pacific in WW2...I was an Anti-Submarine Warfare Op in the Navy 4 2years... And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 2/12/03 8:05:50 pm
</i>

heh. Very interesting that a former Navy man ends up in the desert a thousand miles or more from any ocean!

Oh, well, as I said, my dad was Army Air Force, and he refuses to fly!! Ankh-Morpork people considered that spelling was a sort of optional extra. They believed in it the same way they believed in punctuation; it didn't matter where you put it, so long as it was there.~Terry Pratchett<i></i>