• In total there are 17 users online :: 1 registered, 0 hidden and 16 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book 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!
User avatar
Chris OConnor

1A - OWNER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 17019
Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
21
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 3511 times
Been thanked: 1309 times
Gender:
Contact:
United States of America

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

LanDroid, no it is not too late at all.
User avatar
Chris OConnor

1A - OWNER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 17019
Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
21
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 3511 times
Been thanked: 1309 times
Gender:
Contact:
United States of America

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

"The Storm of War" has great reviews and it sure would be interesting to see WWII from the German perspective.
User avatar
Vishnu
Intern
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:28 pm
13
Has thanked: 222 times
Been thanked: 91 times

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

I gotta cast my vote for Murdock as well.
User avatar
Robert Tulip

2B - MOD & SILVER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 6499
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:16 pm
18
Location: Canberra
Has thanked: 2719 times
Been thanked: 2662 times
Contact:
Australia

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

The question here is which book would produce the best discussion. Having suggested it, I am now re-reading Christ In Egypt by Murdock, and am again struck by what a brilliant, informative and accessible perspective she presents on history. Murdock is a total controversialist, utterly rigorous in method, but uncompromising with regard to what she sees as corrupt and degraded dominant traditions of historiography. Her exclusion from academic discussion is a scandal. On the one side she is treated as a pariah due to the prejudice of those who cannot imagine their precious Jesus is a myth, and on the other side she is castigated by prejudiced modernists who see myth as obsolete. Murdock treads the narrow path between these errors to bring myth alive. This is why she gets attacked with such vitriol from all sides; she is casting decisive blows to the houses of cards of both orthodox theology and secular atheism. Every page of Christ in Egypt is brimful with scholarly research on the real story of how Christianity came to be, analysed with dispassionate scientific logic and evidence.

Christ in Egypt was just published in 2009, and has not really been noticed in mainstream circles, although it has received some excellent reviews. In many ways it presents a starting point for analysis, which a Booktalk discussion could help. There is plenty of scope for discussion about how the book has been received and the cultural implications of its findings, especially regarding what the relation between Egyptian and Christian religion has to say about the status of contemporary Christianity.

Booktalk has not previously selected a book that claims that Jesus Christ did not exist. This is a live cultural debate, where Booktalk can make a real contribution. Whether or not Christian apologists join, there is abundant material here for learning about a topic that is culturally important but weakly understood by most.
User avatar
Dexter

1F - BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR
I dumpster dive for books!
Posts: 1787
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:14 pm
13
Has thanked: 144 times
Been thanked: 712 times
United States of America

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

I'm not interested in reading 600 pages on the subject -- I don't need much convincing that it's all based on myths -- but may Jesus be with you all on your quest. :pop:
User avatar
Vishnu
Intern
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:28 pm
13
Has thanked: 222 times
Been thanked: 91 times

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

^And that's fair enough. Perhaps this nomination did happen at a bad time, when every one is still burned out on the topic in the wake of Stahrwe's ban. Nevertheless, like I said in an earlier post, the advantage this particular nomination has is that we will get to discuss it directly with the author herself.
User avatar
tat tvam asi
Reading Addict
Posts: 1367
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:57 pm
14
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 571 times
Been thanked: 549 times

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

Yeah, Dexter's right. There are several people here that already know that the Jesus myth is based on a bunch of Egyptian mythology and don't need to read 600 pages to know or confirm that. For those people this book more or less guides you along to helpful ways of proving and establishing that stance in ways you may not understand at the moment. It's still a good read in terms of how she goes through this in-depth investigation. I already understood most this before the book ever came out but I went ahead and read it anyways to just see what she was able to come up with. I'd definately suggest the book to scholars or laymen who already pretty much understand that the NT is myth just because of the direction she takes and how interesting it all turns out.
skullnboner
Official Newbie!
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:29 pm
12
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

Akhenaten wrote:
1. Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection by DM Murdock
Booktalk member Tat Tvam Asi has said that Ms Murdock would be willing to participate in discussion. This book presents a very interesting study of the relation between religion and mythology.

I'd like to see a vigorous discussion on this topic defended by DM Murdock and look forward to the lively exchange.


I concur. I too would love to see a discussion of this book, esp. if the author will be participating.
User avatar
tat tvam asi
Reading Addict
Posts: 1367
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:57 pm
14
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 571 times
Been thanked: 549 times

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

Skull, long time no see!!!

What brings you to BT?
skullnboner
Official Newbie!
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:29 pm
12
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: Suggestions needed for August & September 2011 NON-FICTION book discussion!

Unread post

tat tvam asi wrote:Skull, long time no see!!!

What brings you to BT?
Nice to see you too..lol! Let's just say a little birdie sent me this way. :wink:
Locked

Return to “What non-fiction book should we read and discuss next?”