TSF Book Club
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<p>Just finished this <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.amazon.com/Devotion-Story-Heroism-Friendship-Sacrifice/dp/0804176582'>https://www.amazon.com/Devotion-Story-Heroism-Friendship-Sacrifice/dp/0804176582</a></p>
<p>It was a good read I thought,mostly about mateship and the nasty little war Korea was and had a very sad ending . The bits about segregation in the states and how he had to fight to become a pilot and the effect he had on other blacks in the navy who were usually relegated to cooks cleaners etc were really interesting but hard to comprehend especially as California sells itself on being one of the more enlightened parts of the states but wouldn't let him bring in a bar or attend a movie. There's a bit in the book where a couple of black marines look up and see a black pilot in the cockpit of the plane supporting their retreat I thought might have been put in there for dramatic effect but he actually tracked down the guys that saw him.</p>
<p>It's on sale at the warehouse now, $9.95</p> -
<p>Enjoyed this Widboy by Brando Yelavich <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.amazon.com/Wildboy-Brando-Yelavich-ebook/dp/B00XMPRJG8'>https://www.amazon.com/Wildboy-Brando-Yelavich-ebook/dp/B00XMPRJG8</a></p>
<p>Basically an 18 year old kid with dyslexia, adhd who smoked a lot of pot and treated his parents like shit [all of this he admits right at the start] decides to turn his life around by being the first person to ever walk around the New Zealands coast . It takes him two years and supports himself by catching food to eat, staying with people following him in the news and various lions clubs around the country while he also raises money for Ronald MacDonald house. </p>
<p>It's written by him and not polished up too much by an editor and gives you a good understanding of what he was feeling throughout the trip. </p> -
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<p>Damn. That dude just lived one of my dreams. Hiking/tramping/whatever around NZ would be awesome.</p>
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<p>Have you heard of this? <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.teararoa.org.nz/'>http://www.teararoa.org.nz/</a></p> -
On return to NZ my aim is to do a length of the Southern Alps walk. Takes about 8-9 weeks with the route I have worked out. Start at St Arnaud finish at Te Anau. <br>
Not a traverse, that takes skill I don't have, but plotting a route through valleys and passes with a few detours toward support stops to resupply. -
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<p>Doing some reading on that site - they reckon can be done in 80 days at "leisurely" pace :think:</p>
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<p>So that's either a lottery win or a divorce...</p>
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<p>Yeah, one of the things I would love to do someday. There are great bits and monotonous bits, but it would be one of those bucket list things to tick off. Just need to get 4 months off work and buy-in from the wife</p> -
<p>Problem is, once you'd done that, there are so many other awesome tracks to do over there.</p>
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<p>So, divorce it is! ;)</p>
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<p>From the look of it, one big advantage in NZ over Oz is water - there is a hell of waterways on the trail, so you don't have to carry litres of the stuff to do a long walk. Most walks I do in Australia I'll carry 2-3 litres per day just because I don't know where the next source is, or if its potable.</p> -
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<p>Problem is, once you'd done that, there are so many other awesome tracks to do over there.</p>
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<p>So, divorce it is! ;)</p>
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<p>From the look of it, one big advantage in NZ over Oz is water - there is a hell of waterways on the trail, so you don't have to carry litres of the stuff to do a long walk. Most walks I do in Australia I'll carry 2-3 litres per day just because I don't know where the next source is, or if its potable.</p>
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<p>yes - in some areas.</p>
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<p>places like 90 mile beach have very little water... but once yo're in the mountains down south it is everywhere.</p> -
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<p>Problem is, once you'd done that, there are so many other awesome tracks to do over there.</p>
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<p><strong>So, divorce it is!</strong> ;)</p>
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<p>From the look of it, one big advantage in NZ over Oz is water - there is a hell of waterways on the trail, so you don't have to carry litres of the stuff to do a long walk. Most walks I do in Australia I'll carry 2-3 litres per day just because I don't know where the next source is, or if its potable.</p>
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<p>My daughter wouldn't like it, and my wife has said if I leave I have to take the kids, so i'll have to wait until they leave home, by then the Mrs will be happy for me to be out of house and wont care!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="611410" data-time="1472769756"><p>My daughter wouldn't like it, and my wife has said if I leave I have to take the kids, so i'll have to wait until they leave home, by then the Mrs will be happy for me to be out of house and wont care!</p></blockquote>
Right. See you at your place in about twelve years then?
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In love with these times by Roger Shepherd, I got this for fathers day which was a bit of a surprise because I made no secret over the years for my disdain for the Dunedin sound in particular Chris Knox who strikes me as an obnoxious talentless weirdo. You can imagine my horror at flicking through the pages and seeing a whole chapter was devoted to Knox.
In Love With These Times - Roger Shepherd - Paperback
The inside story of New Zealand's iconic independent record label by the man who made it happen. I wanted to be more than just an observer. I wanted to be a ...
Fortunately I couldn't have been more wrong, the books part autobiography /part history of Flying nun with a fair bit of an explanation of the inner workings of the music industry from someone who was involved from the vinyl years through to cd to downloads . The music still does nothing for me but I really enjoyed the book , I'm guessing a fair few ferners would like it too.
Oh and the agrees that Chris Knox was a spoilt overweight kid of rich parents who after failing in Australia decided that getting radio airplay and being successful was selling out probably as some sort of defence against the fact he was never going to command a sizable audience . Its also pretty hard not to sympathise with him reading about what his stroke has taken from him and his huge struggle to make some sort of meaningful life for himself after it .
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JUst finished Bloody Heroes by Damien Lewis that is largely about the siege at Qala-I-Janghi in Afghanistan (cheers Jegga)
I enjoy Damien Lewis' style of telling these stories, obviously alot of research goes into with the obvious embellishing for the benefit of the story, but keeps you there like a totally fictional account.
The AQT side of things (obviously fictional, but from research and interviews) is rather disturbing in that if this is truly how extremists think, then it is tough to try and fight.
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Ghost wars by Steve Coll
Really enjoyed it, explains the actual facts behind some of the nonsense posted here by the likes of Red Terror and Winger quite well [Bin Laden couldn't have been behind 9/11 because he's a caveman for example] , a pretty disturbing look inside the politics of Pakistan which is unfortunately a nuclear power now and why the Saudis are quite happy to export terrorism around the world [hint , if they are blowing someone else up, they aren't blowing us up] and some background on why Afghanistan will always be a shithole.
There's a bit about the rise of drones and the legality behind them and the failed attempts to nail Bin Laden when they had the chance and their attempts to get the Taliban to turn him over to the US . Mostly you get the impression the Pakistan secret service-the ISI are utter arseholes who can't be trusted and have no interest in the Taliban being destroyed. -
Good holiday for reading.
The Big Short. After the movie, had to read the book, and it's even better. Well written, surprisingly easy to understand, and startling in its revelations. Has led me on to another couple that i have ordered in.
For the blokes in to horse racing, read Peter Moody's (Black Caviar's trainer) book. It's reasonably interesting seeing his path from the back of nowhere in QLD to be one of Australia's top trainers. Probably half the book focuses on his charges for administering Cobalt, the on-going investigation and legal proceedings, and the toll it took on him. Not a bad read, pretty light though, and no great insight in to his methods or philosophies
Currently reading George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Jones, which is fucking interesting, and really well written, and i can barely put it down.
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@mariner4life is there anything in the Lucas book about him getting revenge on his wealthy neighbours who stopped him developing one of his properties?
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dude, I have just got to June 1977, he's not GEORGE LUCAS yet, just George Lucas.
It's astounding to read about his early life, work, motivations and preferences when you think of George Lucas today, and what Ep 1-3 ended up being.
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I might have to read that sometime, American graffiti launched a few careers and its kind of weird now to think he directed it . There's another sci fi movie before Star Wars he was involved with this uber geek I used to work with insisted you had to watch to get the full Lucas experience . Still haven't seen it.
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001: Coll, Steve: 9780143034667: Amazon.com: Books
