During the Revolution, the American ability to produce food was the one advantage of the Continental Army. The British Army might have been better trained and more experienced, and it was certainly better dressed and equipped. But the Americans were better fed. They were also better paid, and, thanks to Boston rum, they drank better.
One of the Christmas gifts I received this year was a $100 gift certificate to Waldenbooks / Brentano’s book stores. This is sort of like giving a breifcase full of smack to an addict. I spent the better part of the morning today at the Brentano’s in the Century City Mall salivating over the thousands of books I want to consume.
I spotted Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky and was reminded of another book by the same author that I have wanted to read for some time now. It didn’t take me long to find Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, and I gorged myself on this fabulous book this afternoon. It’s a wonderful treatise on the fish and its impact on our daily lives, and if you get a chance to read it you won’t be disappointed.
I’m also currently reading Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus by Thomas Cahill on the advice of my father. I’m only about a fifth of the way into it, but I’m enjoying it immensely. (I don’t know why I didn’t take more history classes in college!)
Here’s a list of the other items I bought today:
- Longitude : The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
- Hyperspace : A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps and the Tenth Dimension by Michio Kaku
- The Best American Science Writing 2001 edited by Timothy Ferris
- Eat the Rich by P. J. O’Rourke
- the February 2002 issue of Harper’s Magazine
- the March 2002 issue of Discover Magazine
- the March 2002 issue of Wired Magazine
My degree is in History, but unfortunately I majored in drinking at O’Connell’s so I didn’t retain much. 😉
I picked up the Illustrated version Longitude a few years back, and found that the excellent pictures really added to the tale. If you like Longitude, you should really check out Galelio’s Daughter, also by Dava Sobel.
You should have read his other book, The Gift of the Jews, first, but, ok, I’m glad to know you are listeniing…….
Love
Dad
The Michio Kaku one is really fun and informative. The other I haven’t read, although they seem interesting.