I Need Your Help

I need your help by the end of today.  What do I need it for?   

I need your help in deciding which books to bring back to Chicago with me to read over my break.

Here is what I am brining:

• America Alone: Mark Steyn
• Opium of the Intellectuals: Raymond Aron
• Modernism as a Philosophical Problem: Robert Pippin
• Main Currents of Marxism, Vol I: Lezsek Kolakowski
• Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy: Carl Schmitt
• Political Theology: Carl Schmitt
• Theory and Practice: Jürgen Habermas

Here is where I need your input.  Which of the following should I bring:

• Quicksilver: Neal Stephenson
• The Four Adventures of Richard Hannay: John Buchan
• Beowulf: Seamus Heaney traslation

Comments

[The Maximum Leader]

Beowulf and Opium of the Intellectuals.

They get my votes.

[Khaki]

Hwaet! I always vote for Beowulf, though I haven't read Heaney's translation.

[Card]

Bring Buchan. With all that other stuff to wade through, you need something light but entertaining. (Even though America Alone can be fairly entertaining, it's deadly serious stuff.)

Have you read Sruton's The West and the Rest?

[Misspent]

Card, no, but I have read Scruton's The West and the Rest. It is good, and a nice complement to America Alone.

OK, if you woudl have me drop one, which one would it be?

[James G. Poulos]

If you're reading Jooorgen you should his "The Future of Human Nature," a lighthearted romp through liberalism in genetic-modification-induced crisis mode. Watch especially for the crypto-turn to God at the end. To my horror the only book on your list that I HAVE read is Beowulf, and that because of high school. Since they're making it into an all-star movie it must still be good, right? Brush up.

[James G. Poulos]

Three typos in a row. Nice work lasd.

[rannva]

What? That many books? Do all members of your family enclose themselves in isolation chambers over Christmas with piles of books and then get food (sillsallad and glögg) inserted through a small hole in the door every once in a while?
Make sure you at least hang out with your parents for a few hours...
Merry Xmas!

[Misspent]

Rannva, don't worry. We are a very boring clan and I will be home long after everyone else has gone back to work. Except for MOTHER who is now retired. But she has her Perry Masons to watch, so she is always busy in her own, special, way.

The Schmitt books are small and engrossing like a good bodiceripper.

I read a Beowulf in high school, but think it was a basterdized one. I just watched a dreadful Beowulf film adaptation, but I didn't think it was all-star. In fact, I didn't finish watching it.

I think I am going to leave the Quicksilver at home. It is just to massive a tome. I am bringing back all of my books for a class as well since I have an essay due on Friday that I haven't started crafting.

I should also admit that not one. NOT ONE of the books I am bringing home is one that I need to read for my program. NOT ONE. Huzzah!

[Card]

Suggestion: When you're going to mock someone for a misspelling, you should take extra care not to misspell something yourself.

[Misspent]

Waht?

[POPS]

What do you mean boring? I thought that the reason why we go to bed so early is because we are so exciting that we become over stimulated. No, wait, the over stimulation is another name for Aquavit. Merry Christmas everyone!!

[Khaki]

And a Merry Christmas to you too, POPS.

[Khaki]

If I had a blog, this is the kind of video I would post: the Helsinki Complaints Choir! Holiday cheer in Finnish!

http://www.glumbert.com/media/helsinkichoir

[Card]

Flush Main Currents of Marxism Vol I.

Merry Christmas to you, POPS, MOMS, the Misspent Sibling and your whole clan.

And a Merry Christmas to Khaki, rannva, and Inkling as well.