We Are Doomed by John Derbyshire

I'll be writing some posts about this book on my main blog.

Radical Hope by Jonathan Lear

Subtitled "Ethics in the face of cultural devastation."

This book is focused on the Crow chief Plenty Coups, and his response to the destruction of the traditional Crow way of life in the 19th and 20th centuries. Excellent.

The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman

Not one of Hillerman's better efforts.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Read this as a matter of duty.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Read this as a matter of duty, so no one can say I haven't read it.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Read as a matter of duty.

The Third Revelation by Ralph McInerney

A theological thriller about alleged secret passages of the Third Secret of Fatima that the Church has failed to reveal. It's a good read, and a more reasonable take on the "theological conspiracy" genre than Da Vinci Code, if you like that sort of thing.

The Tyranny of Liberalism by James Kalb

Subtitled "Understanding and Overcoming Administered Freedom,  Inquisitorial Tolerance, and Equality by Command."

The title sounds like it will be a screed, but this book is a really outstanding, measured criticism of liberal thought (in the original meaning of the term) and how it inevitably developed into an assault on the freedom it was supposed to defend.

The Ego Tunnel by Thomas Metzinger

This is subtitled "The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self."

Another in the series of books that basically tell the same story:  Science has proven that the mind is nothing but the brain making models, and the self is an illusion.

The Death of a Pope by Piers Paul Read

Pretty good theological thriller about the death of JPII and a conspiracy to determine the next Pope.

Driving Like Crazy by P.J. O'Rourke

Essays automotive.

On The Third Day by Piers Paul Read

Novel about the discovery of what appears to be the bones of Christ in Israel.

The Rebirth of Classical Political Rationalism - Essays and Lectures by Leo Strauss

Wonderful set of essays by Strauss on a variety of topics.

If I Die in a Combat Zone by TIm O'Brien

Another Vietnam diary. I can't seem to get enough of these.

Dialogs Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume

I re-read these every few years. If you are serious about philosophy of religion, you have to be able to answer Hume.

The Fallen Man by Tony Hillerman

I enjoy the Hillernman Navajo Tribal Police novels for their exploration of the intersection between ancient faith and modern empiricism. This one is a decent effort, not his best but a good read nonetheless.

Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp

This is the book on which the film "Die Hard" was based. It's actually a very sophisticated thriller, with meditations on the meaning of violence for the "good guys".

The Next 100 Years by George Friedman

This is a fascinating book by a man I had never heard of but is apparently famous. Like most great non-fiction books, Friedman does not rely on little known or possibly dubious information, but simply takes what is generally known and draws conclusions from it. His main point is that the United States will dominate the next century even more than it did the last 50 years, and that the U.S. is still a "young" power coming into its prime. A fast and good read.

Belief and Nonbelief by Eco and Martini

This book is a series of letters between Umberto Eco (author of The Name of the Rose) and Cardinal Martini. It's pretty short, and both Eco and Martini spend a lot of time talking about talking rather than just talking. Just as I thought they started to engage, the book ended.

Soccer Tour New Years 08

Here are pictures from our trip with XL Travel to the U.K. to watch English Premier football (soccer) games. The pictures, in order, are from the bottom up. I don't know how to get blogger to add them top to bottom. 

Ethan and I with Martha, a real soccer fan who has taken 10 of the XL tours

over the last two years!

Aaron and Ethan at New Year's Eve celebration at the hotel.

Our view of the game during Hull City - Aston Villa fixture. That's Brad Friedel, an American, in the goal for Aston Villa on the right. I wish I had the Stars and Stripes with me!

Aston Villa supporters singing to Hull City supporters at KC Stadium in Hull City. Many of the songs are not, ahem, "family friendly."

In the stands at KC Stadium in Hull City. We had great seats about five rows back from the goal. Again, we sat with the away fans (Aston Villa), who were very friendly to us.

Strolling around Manchester city. The downtown area is not all that big and is walkable, a lot like Boston.

Ethan in dressing room at City of Manchester stadium.

Aaron in the dressing room at City of Manchester stadium.

Sitting in the pressroom at City of Manchester Stadium.

Wayne Rooney taking a corner kick at Old Trafford.

Pregame festivities at Old Trafford.

Inside Old Trafford prior to the Manchester United - Middlesbrough game. We sat with the Middlesbrough supporters. The railing draped in green is the marker that separates the home (Man United) and away (Middlesbrough) supporters. At game time, there are a lot of police and stewards patrolling the border to keep everyone in line.

Outside Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United (not to be confused with

the Manchester City team.) This is a giant stadium that holds about 70,000 spectators.

Outside of City of Manchester Stadium, home of Manchester City football club.

We didn't get to see a Man City game, but we did tour the stadium.

Bolton supporters passing banner across the stands. It reads "We are the one and only Wanderers."

In the stands prior to the Bolton Wanderers - Wigan Athletic game. We sat with the Bolton supporters right next to the Wigan section.

The boys outside the Reebok Stadium in Bolton.