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WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

Collaborate in choosing our next NON-FICTION book for group discussion within this forum. A minimum of 5 posts is necessary to participate here!
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Robert Tulip

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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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This book is accessible and informative and could make for interesting discussion:

2012 Science or Superstition: The Definitive Guide to the Doomsday Phenomenon by Alexandra Bruce

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/2012-Superstition ... 1934708283

Website: http://www.2012sos.net/the-book/

Google Books: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=N-r ... &q&f=false

Online Text: http://www.archive.org/details/Alexandr ... perstition

I am currently reading this book and consider the author seeks an honest and informed perspective on this mass culture phenomenon of fear of the end of the world on 21 December 2012. She does make errors regarding astronomy, and that is interesting in itself in that many writers on these topics do not have a good grasp on science. However, these errors are mostly small, in the context of a largely factual explanation of the Mayan theory and its advocates, and are worth clearing up in discussion. The three main errors I have seen so far are her assertion that John Major Jenkins, a leading 2012 Mayanist, argues that the solstice will reach the galactic center in 2012, the Cruttenden Bibary Star theory, and the crust displacement theory. Jenkins in fact acknowledges the scientific observation that the solstice passed the galactic center in 1998. Cruttenden's claim that precession is due to a binary star is just wrong, and should not be treated sympathetically. The crust displacement theory is contradicted by Antarctic ice core records that Bruce herself cites. Nonetheless, these superstitions are out there in the public domain, and discussing them can help improve public knowledge of this topic.
Last edited by Robert Tulip on Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Karen Fisher-Alaniz
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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I thought I already suggested this book, but I see it's not here. I believe that my book, Breaking the Code - a Father's Secret, a Daughter's Journey, and the Question That Changed Everything, would be an interesting book to discuss. It just came out and is getting a lot of nice reviews and positive attention. In a nutshell, it is a memoir about my father, a WWII veteran, who began having symptoms of PTSD more than 50-years after the war. It was during our unintended journey that I learned what my father really did during the war.

If you'd like to know more, you can read the first three chapters on my website at http://www.storymatters2.com or listen to our recent NPR interview at http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlaye ... =142072750 . Or read some reviews on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Code-Dau ... 025&sr=8-1 .

Thank you for considering Breaking the Code for your next read! ~Karen Fisher-Alaniz
My website: http://www.storymatters2.com
Breaking the Code - a Father's Secret, a Daughter's Journey,
and the Question That Changed Everything (Sourcebooks) came
out on 11/1/11. Buy at your local bookstore, or on Amazon
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Damifino
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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I'm going to throw one out there.

Read this a year ago and it stayed with me for a very long time.

The Road of Lost Innocence: The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine by Somaly Mam

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Lost-Innocen ... 0385526210

I wouldn't be able to host the book as I don't have it and other reasons. But its is worth the read.
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wilde
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Damifino wrote:
wilde wrote:The only suggestion I have for getting more people aware/involved would be an announcement on Facebook. Or maybe a newsletter/e-mail sort of thing that has site updates? I'm kind of confused too; the site has a lot of members. Maybe we have a lot of people who aren't nonfiction fans?
Or you don't read very interesting books?

As far as face book and emails from all the book club sites we are on, I for one get more garbage then I care to think of.

All I want is a decent book club.

I've only been actively voting/participating in nonfiction for a couple of months now, so.. I can't really speak for previous selections. (shrug) My nonfiction taste is mostly limited to history and biographies, with an occasional psychology book.

"The Road of Lost Innocence" is at my library, so if it were selected I'd be willing to give it a go.
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Yes I was going to say that not many history or biographical books are submitted. I'd really like to read a good book on the history of the Chilean coup. The Road of Lost Innocence does sound good, but unfortunately not on Kindle
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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And Camacho has also made a good point. We don't all have access to libraries, or can afford to buy a book if its too expensive.
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Chris OConnor

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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Maybe we should start having one of our book discussions always of a free book. The rule can be that the book must be readily available in libraries or online for no cost at all. You know I never really thought of that before so thanks for bringing it to my attention. The cost of always buying books can definitely be an obstacle to participation.

President Camacho, thanks for the helpful feedback. Now we have to decide how to make this idea work for us. As of right now I'm actually thinking that the cost of books is probably a huge factor for most people. I've just ignored it up till now because I assumed that buying books is just part of all reading groups. But it doesn't have to be.

What if we always have one fiction and one non-fiction book on our menu that are free?
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heledd
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Well I think that is a good idea. I would never have participated in the Wilde forum if I hadn't been able to get a free download of The Importance of Being Earnest
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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Speaking as a relative newcomer, you guys can be somewhat intimidating to the average person. Most of the books you discuss, and the discussions themselves, are pretty deep and beyond the comfort level of the average reader. Most people will not put themselves into a discussion where they would feel stupid. The average reader does not have the background in philosophy, literature, theology, and political affairs to participate intelligently in many of the discussions on this forum - and let me repeat, no one likes to feel stupid.

Look at all the best-seller lists - if you want more people to join your discussions, discuss those books. And discuss them when they are still current, not 30 years after they were a best-seller.
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Chris OConnor

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Re: WANTED: Book suggestions for our January & February 2012 NON-FICTION group discussion!

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Thanks, Kelstan. Awesome feedback.

The entire site is currently being redesigned behind the scenes. Hopefully in a few days we will have made enough progress to share a link to the work in progress. All of the feedback is extremely helpful and is going into the new design.
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