PicardTangoAlpha

PicardTangoAlpha t1_jd4a7uz wrote

Reply to Problem to focus while reading, because you think about another book by Underwud94

You can counter these negative feelings by deliberately re-reading passages, and the Table of Contents. When I really want to appreciate a work of non-fiction at least, I'll make sure to read everything; the prologue, forward and introduction, all the footnotes and end notes, the afterward, and even the Index. You can also take notes, pick some works from that book's own references if the topic is engaging, and looking for more alternatives by checking Amazon, archive.org, your library online, and other booksellers for more titles like it. The reviews can ba valuable too.

I have no idea what goodreads is for or why I would use it. Not going to change that either.

3

PicardTangoAlpha t1_jd3wi6y wrote

Reply to Just finished my first reading of the Silmarillion and wanted to share some of my favorite passages with all of you by JoltinJoeDimaggio

If you made it through this, good job. It gets better with repeated readings.

In-Universe, I think this work is Bilbo's Tales From the Elvish (see Return of the King), as narrated by Elrond to Bilbo during his long sojourn as Elrond's guest. Possibly added to from Rivendell's archives. Can you imagine Bilbo's delight and satisfaction of having access to such a library?

Once you're comfortable with it, and assuming you read through LOTR Appendices, Unfinished Tales is very accessible and fun, and a big addition to the whole work.

Then you face a major decision: the twelve books of Unfinished Tales. This is a mighty undertaking, and at first confusing. Again, it might be regarded in-Universe as the scattered and collected legends of the deep past, from many sources, some outright contradicting each other.

Tolkien's absolute genius takes on a whole new level with this kind of approach. There is even more world building, including really detailed discussions of language, Tolkien's most awe-inspiring ability.

1

PicardTangoAlpha t1_j7ogh0w wrote

Reply to comment by Cleistheknees in The discovery of an 80-million-year-old fossil plant in California pushes back the known origins of lamiids to the Cretaceous, extending the record of nearly 40,000 species of flowering plants including coffee, tomatoes, potatoes and mint that survived cataclysm that killed the dinosaurs by giuliomagnifico

>that structurally complex, modern-type rainforests may have been around as early as 80 million years ago.

Flowering plants arose at least as far back as 140 MA, the article's point is that such woody vines were around prior to the dinosaur's extinction.

1

PicardTangoAlpha t1_izj9cny wrote

Reply to comment by InappropriateTA in TIL that in the UK, it is a crime to make new copies of the King James Bible. Although the text is technically in the public domain, the Crown claims Royal prerogative over the right to print, publish and distribute it. by al666in

King James paid to have this version created. It took a large committee of experts several years to do this. It's one of the greatest accomplishments in literature.

Your comment is arrogant and asinine.

1