2,855 books
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2,656 voters
Xavier Patiño
https://www.goodreads.com/professor_ex
read
(216)
currently-reading (6)
to-read (1627)
did-not-finish (14)
non-fiction (1438)
history (992)
science (394)
politics (364)
library (356)
history-united-states (342)
biography (321)
fiction (294)
currently-reading (6)
to-read (1627)
did-not-finish (14)
non-fiction (1438)
history (992)
science (394)
politics (364)
library (356)
history-united-states (342)
biography (321)
fiction (294)
philosophy
(288)
contemporary (227)
classics (215)
on-my-bookshelf (203)
religion (172)
philosophy-western (133)
war (131)
short-books (127)
audiobook (123)
penguin-classics (114)
race (98)
history-world-history (92)
contemporary (227)
classics (215)
on-my-bookshelf (203)
religion (172)
philosophy-western (133)
war (131)
short-books (127)
audiobook (123)
penguin-classics (114)
race (98)
history-world-history (92)
Xavier Patiño
is currently reading
bookshelves:
9-11,
history,
history-united-states,
non-fiction,
war,
politics,
contemporary,
pbs-newshour,
currently-reading,
history-middle-east,
on-my-bookshelf
Xavier Patiño
is currently reading
by Ron Chernow
bookshelves:
on-my-bookshelf,
biography,
history,
history-united-states,
non-fiction,
us-presidents,
war,
war-us-revolutionary,
currently-reading
“A nation is born stoic, and dies epicurean. At its cradle (to repeat a thoughtful adage) religion stands, and philosophy accompanies it to the grave.
In the beginning of all cultures a strong religious faith conceals and softens the nature of things, and gives men courage to bear pain and hardship patiently; at every step the gods are with them, and will not let them perish, until they do. Even then a firm faith will explain that it was the sins of the people that turned their gods to an avenging wrath; evil does not destroy faith, but strengthens it. If victory comes, if war is forgotten in security and peace, then wealth grows; the life of the body gives way, in the dominant classes, to the life of the senses and the mind; toil and suffering are replaced by pleasure and ease; science weakens faith even while thought and comfort weaken virility and fortitude. At last men begin to doubt the gods; they mourn the tragedy of knowledge, and seek refuge in every passing delight.
Achilles is at the beginning, Epicurus at the end. After David comes Job, and after Job, Ecclesiastes.”
― Our Oriental Heritage
In the beginning of all cultures a strong religious faith conceals and softens the nature of things, and gives men courage to bear pain and hardship patiently; at every step the gods are with them, and will not let them perish, until they do. Even then a firm faith will explain that it was the sins of the people that turned their gods to an avenging wrath; evil does not destroy faith, but strengthens it. If victory comes, if war is forgotten in security and peace, then wealth grows; the life of the body gives way, in the dominant classes, to the life of the senses and the mind; toil and suffering are replaced by pleasure and ease; science weakens faith even while thought and comfort weaken virility and fortitude. At last men begin to doubt the gods; they mourn the tragedy of knowledge, and seek refuge in every passing delight.
Achilles is at the beginning, Epicurus at the end. After David comes Job, and after Job, Ecclesiastes.”
― Our Oriental Heritage
“What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."
[Cosmos, Part 11: The Persistence of Memory (1980)]”
― Cosmos
[Cosmos, Part 11: The Persistence of Memory (1980)]”
― Cosmos
“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.”
―
―
“The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.”
― Cosmos
― Cosmos
Science and Inquiry
— 4299 members
— last activity 4 hours, 41 min ago
This Group explores scientific topics. We have an active monthly book club, as well as discussions on a variety of topics including science in the new ...more
This Group explores scientific topics. We have an active monthly book club, as well as discussions on a variety of topics including science in the new ...more
History, Medicine, and Science: Nonfiction and Fiction
— 1496 members
— last activity Jun 23, 2024 12:34PM
Discussion about the fascinating stories of our scientific and medical past
Discussion about the fascinating stories of our scientific and medical past
Classics and the Western Canon
— 4643 members
— last activity 15 hours, 52 min ago
This is a group to read and discuss those books generally referred to as “the classics” or “the Western canon.” Books which have shaped Western though ...more
This is a group to read and discuss those books generally referred to as “the classics” or “the Western canon.” Books which have shaped Western though ...more
The History Book Club
— 24264 members
— last activity 1 hour, 38 min ago
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more
Audiobooks
— 14618 members
— last activity 48 minutes ago
Audio & audiobooks are getting more and more popular for commuters & those wanting to squeeze in another book or two a month while doing other activit ...more
More of Xavier’s groups…
Audio & audiobooks are getting more and more popular for commuters & those wanting to squeeze in another book or two a month while doing other activit ...more
Xavier’s 2023 Year in Books
Take a look at Xavier’s Year in Books. The good, the bad, the long, the short—it’s all here.
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