May 09, 2008

Richard Carrier gives enthusiastic recommendations for three recent books* related to ancient science.

"These are the kinds of authors I wish I were, and strive to be. All three books are entirely approachable to laymen, yet all are advanced, cutting-edge works, and will be required reading for experts in their respective subjects for decades to come."
 
* The Catapult: A History
  Technology and Culture in Greek and Roman Antiquity
  Creationism and Its Critics in Antiquity 

May 07, 2008

Liberalism vs. Humanism
by James Piereson
The New Criterion

On the battle between learning for the sake of learning and learning for utility.

May 02, 2008

Charles Van Doren's The Joy of Reading (subt. "210 Favorite Books, Plays, Poems, Essays, Etc - What's in Them, Why Read Them) is back in print, apparently as a new edition (subt. "A Passionate Guide to 189 of the World's Best Authors and Their Works").