The greatest factor in the creation of the modern world was not capitalism or business of any sort. It was public education introduced in the middle of the the nineteenth century, that make possible business as we know it, health care, and all the prosperity we enjoyed until recently. But there's a big change coming.

I've been re-reading For Christ's Sake by Tom Harpur for the first time in many years (it's a well-worn copy bought back in the days when I read him regularly in the Star). I'm rather surprised by how much some of what he discusses still resonates with me and it's got me giving the Gospels a fresh read through as well.

No, we're not going to nominate books, argue about them, and vote them off the shelf. This is just a thread to talk about what we're currently reading and maybe talk a bit about books. IOW, use it as you wish as long as books and reading are involved.

Besides and beyond the sacred texts of your own religious or faith communities, have you read any other writings received as sacred by other groups?  If so, how have they influenced your outlook on your own spiritual traditions?  Did it broaden your hoizens?  Is it something you wished kater you'd never done?  How much, if at all, has it affected you?

I am a fan of older literature, much of it from the Victorian period through to the "pulp" era of the 1920s and 1930s. One issue that reading a lot of this material presents is that the attitudes and mores are often at loggerheads with those of today. Ideas that would instantly raise concerns about racism or sexism if a writer used them today abound even in the more progressive writers of the time.

Trishcuit's 2012 reading list topic got me thinking about some of the books I read last year and I was wondering what books everyone enjoyed last year.

Anyone done some interesting reading at the cottage or just lounging around at home? My summer reading:

Princess of Mars & Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs - Civil War vet travels to Mars via out-of-body experience and becomes a great hero and adventurer among the various peoples of the red planet. A seminal work of sf/fantasy. Movie coming out next spring that appears to be Princess with some elements of Gods thrown in.

 Hi folks

Are you participating in a book study for Lent? Are you doing journalling?

What are you doing this year for Lent?

In what manner did the books you read as a pre-teen or teen get chosen for you?

Did you pick them , and if so, from what selection?

Looking back, do you feel that reading influenced who you are today?

(( I am intentionally not putting this item in parenting, as I want it to be more about what impacted you, then I do about how you as a parent/mentor influence children))

Well as I have mentioned before, I am the parent of teens...ok, well one 'offical' adult...anyway, I know our kids grow up and such and I realized what it is I miss about them being little...there are obvious things I don't miss! lol!

I have always been a 'get on the floor and play' kinda mom...very much hands on...we played in the mud together...I know it's why we are so close now...