Three book recomendations: Not for Sissies.

[Zeno]

1. Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West, by Dale L. Morgan.

2. Tough Trip Through Paradise, by Andrew Garcia

3. Nunaga: Ten Years of Eskimo Life, by Duncan Pryde.

All of the above are excellence books. The titles are self-explanatory except Garcia's book. This may be the best of the lot, it is about a woolly Texan that lived and traded among the Indians (and took an Indian wife) in Montana along the Musselshell River in the late 1870's.

Courage, adventure, violence, lasciviousness, avarice, death, drunkenness, gambling, self-sacrifice, bloodlust, daring, love, backstabbing vengeance, compassion, survival by wit, murder, duplicity, and the daily struggle to just maintain your mean existence are all played out in telling detail and style; in other words, all the great things that enhance human life and make it worth living.

Le Misanthrope

[andyfox]

Men are such idiots.

Who else could have thought about the west being "opened" or "won"?

[Zeno]

"Men are such idiots."

I believe I conceded this point in another thread.

"Who else could have thought about the west being "opened" or "won"?"

Excellent point as the continent was well populated before Europeans arrived on the scene. And they stole, and conquered it from the native populations through all the means that I mentioned in my post in reference to the books. Which is why the books are important to read.

As an important aside, today when I was cleaning my new beautiful gun; I did the task to: "The Best of Bach", one my favorite CDs for Sunday listening pleasure. As the Brandenburg Concerto wafted pleasingly through the room, I disassembled the Springfield 1911-A1, cleaned it thoroughly and then reassembled the gun and got everything ready for my next outing to the shooting range.

Nothing but huat monde for me. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
It's all part of the gun culture. /forums/images/icons/smirk.gif

-Zeno

[andyfox]

All points noted and conceded.

Speaking of J.S. Bach, I listened to my Glenn Gould recording of the Goldberg Variations this weekend (while reading my collection of anti-gun literature). Talk about a tour de force; it makes the Brandenburg Concertos seem amateurish. Listen to it late at night in the dark and you'll never want to touch a gun again. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[Dynasty]

And they stole, and conquered it from the native populations

Does this mean that a group of people are entitled to an area of land simply because they were there first?

[HDPM]

I think Ludwig Van is better for those times when you are contemplating ultra violence. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif


P.S. Andy is very correct on the Gould recordings. I don't own a set, but I recently heard some while I still had functional XM in my car. (Long story, I will be up and running again soon I think) I don't know music like Andy does, but the Bach/Gould I heard blew me away. Then I turned it back to Foxsports or the rap channels or whatever other manly trash I listen to.

[Boris]

I recommended Tough Trip Through Paradise about 6 months ago on this very forum. Outstanding book. I suggest Andy Fox should read it. He would like but would never admit to it. If he gets the paperback version he can hide it in his purse so his wife/master will never know. He can read it when he's on the can or when his master is out shopping. For bedtime reading with the missus he can revert to reading about the benefits castration or why men should go wee-wee sitting down.

[Zeno]

"Does this mean that a group of people are entitled to an area of land simply because they were there first?"

This gets somewhat tricky, but in general I would say no. "I was here first" is something out of grade school, as we have all experienced.

It is also important to note that the various groups that inhabited this continent before Europeans arrived were also in a constant struggle for land, best game areas, horses, power and control over neighboring tribes, political alliances, etc. This is shown quite clearly in some of the books I recommended. And the various groups used violent tactics, outright warfare, and butchery, among other means, no more or less than the Europeans did, although usually on a smaller scale. Indeed, my somewhat sardonic list in my original post was meant for all “sides” , or to use a better term, all conflicting groups of people that found themselves in close proximity.

At least that is my opinion; others of course, may differ.

-Zeno

[Zeno]

Well I guess I missed that post or forget it somehow. Glad we both recommended the same book- perhaps a double punch will get people to take notice and purchase a copy. All the books are easily available from Amazon.com.

Andrew Garcia’s book is the best and has pathos and tragedy mixed in with all the other stuff I mentioned. Truly a great read and an even better reread. It is that Good.

-Zeno

PS And yes, Andy should add it to his summer reading list. And also post a review once he has read the book. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[andyfox]

Not "simply" because they were there first. Because they were there first and because others came and wanted to kill them, change their way of life, and/or take it away from them. If some people from England came to Nevada today and planted a flag and said they claim this land for themselves in the name of the Queen of England, would they be right to ignore the fact that you and Steve Wynn were there first and wanted to protect your holdings?

[HDPM]

If people from England came they wouldn't have guns. And people in Nevada do. So the invaders couldn't do anything and would be laughed at. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

Sounds trite but property law starts with a weapon. The Domesday Book was written in 1067 for one very big reason.

[andyfox]

1) I will get it and read it. And I'll report here and I promise to admit it if I like it.

2) I don't carry a purse, but it's a good idea; my pockets are always getting holes in them from all the crap I carry around.

3) My master is always out shopping, so finding the time to get to it will not be a problem.

4) I often go wee-wee sitting down due to medical problems alluded to here previously. Supposedly it's better for long term urological health anyway.

5) At bedtime, I'm currently reading Beyond Geography by Frederick Turner. Don't read it, you won't like it.

[Boris]

"I often go wee-wee sitting down due to medical problems alluded to here previously."

OK Andy - I now feel like an Internet A-hole. my apologies.
Boris.

[andyfox]

No apology needed, I was trying to be funny based on your somewhat tongue-in-cheek post.

But I will pick up the book and read it.