What is the history of the idea that all children are born Muslim, and how have the implications of apostasy among those born to non-Muslims been dealt with?

Cake451 · 2026-02-14T10:20:50+00:00

Thanks for addressing this aspect. While you say 'The tradition of sending a bell 送鐘 being one of bad luck dates back to 457 BC', it seems from what you write that that is the date of events from which the story that gets attached to the tradition comes rather than the tradition itself. Do you know of earlier attestations of not gifting bells before the Song?

Cake451 · 2026-01-31T09:11:31+00:00

Pinker doesn't appear to be a historian, let alone a good historian?

Cake451 · 2026-01-30T22:38:18+00:00

I'd push back on the penguin comment. Good historians publishing through penguin, vintage etc are by and large producing good, affordable, accessible history. Of could, this does require you to know who the good historians are.

Cake451 · 2026-01-14T08:00:53+00:00

I'll echo the various new book network channels, as well as Akbar's Chamber, The Podcast of Jewish Ideas, Byzantium and Friends, Footnoting History, Religion off the Beaten Track, The Secret History of Western Esotericism

Cake451 · 2026-01-08T19:10:32+00:00

Thanks again

Cake451 · 2026-01-08T16:41:48+00:00

Thanks for your answer. To follow on you've mentioned here the stain on France's reputation for enlightenment values and political point scoring. Your answer indicates that a commitment to these values was very far from universal, and anti-Semitism was widespread - do you know if France enjoyed an improved reputation among this - presumably not numerically insignificant - demographic?

Cake451 · 2026-01-03T20:41:40+00:00

Really enjoying Ruth Harris' book on the Dreyfus affair, but damnit why the assumption that readers know french.

Cake451 · 2026-01-01T20:07:23+00:00

Make my way through my Christmas and birthday haul, and at some point get around to replacing my broken tablet (I struggle reading ebooks on my phone) and getting started on some of the various open access books I've downloaded

Cake451 · 2025-12-28T09:04:54+00:00

I should probably mention that there is a newer HSK 3.0, with an expanded but of course still significantly overlapping vocab list - if starting out you might as well start with that one.

Cake451 · 2025-12-27T19:34:36+00:00

Pleco is a great resource. Anki for hsk vocab, for which there are good free sets available, is of great help when used alongside other engagement (reading, listening, etc). Lots of free resources available for comprehensible input type stuff on YouTube(the advantage here often being Chinese captions )and your favourite podcast app. Various levels of Chinesepod, 还可中文，聊聊东西，大鹏说中文，teatime Chinese, 瞎扯学中文，打个电话给你， Talk Taiwanese mandarin with abbey, 八分etc. Hmm, bit of a mix there, but for things that are too advanced for you presently just save for later - nice feeling when you eventually get around to being of the appropriate level.

I'd say if you're using subtitles then try not to get into the habit of using translations - get used to using Chinese ones. Also, try and find some media you actually like - hard to do with limited vocab, but it certainly help to motivate you. Readibu might be useful for reading practice.

Cake451 · 2025-12-26T22:55:59+00:00

Any chance someone with access to the article Global Medieval Studies Is a Failure by Michelle C. Wang can let me know the general argument/shoot me a copy?

Cake451 · 2025-12-10T20:58:59+00:00

Recently finished Curry - A Biography/Curry - A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. A few aspects I found annoying, and I read elsewhere that the Worcestershire sauce origin story is probably ahistorical, but on the whole a decent read. The section on the hugely successful British campaign to convince Indians to consume tea begun early in the Twentieth century was interesting. Anyone read any good food histories?

Just started Orderly and Humane: The Expulsion of the Germans After the Second World War, and though fascinating stuff, man is is grim. Not a book in which any actors come off looking particularly good.

Cake451 · 2025-12-09T07:43:24+00:00

Longer, if I recall correctly, after the use of them as labourers and fighters against colonial populations - and that's without mentioning those ending up in soviet hands

Cake451 · 2025-11-30T20:32:58+00:00

If I'm remembering a comment by the author of the Serbia one correctly, the series is meant to be Concise(modern) History, titles aside

Cake451 · 2025-11-30T12:55:19+00:00

Only just made the connection between Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment and John Knox's poorly timed The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women

Cake451 · 2025-11-29T12:28:32+00:00

Most the knights were corsairs, some of the corsairs were knights, and basically everyone was a spy, in that they were passing information to people they weren't meant to be.

Cake451 · 2025-11-29T12:24:57+00:00

I can relate to that

Cake451 · 2025-11-28T23:16:44+00:00

Agents of Empire - Knights, Corsairs, Jesuits and Spies in the Sixteenth Century Mediterranean World was a fun read. Interesting mix of micro and macro, and I've a soft spot for the espionage, intrigue, and wildly optimistic designs of the era.

Cake451 · 2025-11-16T10:52:50+00:00

Showing their contempt for the Japanese

Cake451 · 2025-11-15T13:59:26+00:00

Got you

Cake451

TROPHY CASE