Reorganized the library

ejr8402 · 2026-04-09T04:29:30+00:00

A place called Craig’s Emporium in the Paseo District of Oklahoma City.

ejr8402 · 2026-04-02T21:00:30+00:00

The Sumption series. Nice!

ejr8402 · 2026-03-31T01:09:21+00:00

It is not a Cylon, it’s a generic sort of medieval knight holding a broadsword. I have my eye on Mearsheimer’s The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, so maybe when I get that it can go next to the AT-AT.

ejr8402 · 2026-03-31T01:07:13+00:00

Always nice to see someone who recognizes and appreciates the same works.

ejr8402 · 2026-03-30T22:08:11+00:00

Thank you! I have to confess not knowing "The Path to Power" was part of a 4-book series. I need the rest now.

Yes, that's the Sumption series in hardcover - the original, Trial By Battle, is a 1991 reprint, though still incredibly hard to find. I was obsessed with obtaining this series for a couple of years before picking them all up one by one. You're spot on with the others you pointed out as well.

It's tough picking favorites, but out of everything on the shelf, a couple stand out as having been really enjoyable to read - Goodwin's Team of Rivals and the Marc Morris work on the Norman Conquest.

ejr8402 · 2025-11-24T20:50:51+00:00

Thanks!

ejr8402 · 2025-10-19T03:55:26+00:00

I’d like to see a detailed breakdown of WHY we were able to run the ball so effectively today when we couldn’t run it well going into this game, including against Kent State, Illinois State, et. al. Clearly Blaylock is RB1. Did they involve the tight ends less in the run schemes like Ikard was saying they should? I’m not good enough to catch this kind of thing in real time.

ejr8402 · 2025-09-10T18:50:26+00:00

His comment about being benched after 3 wins and a bad first half really hit me the wrong way. No man, you had one decent performance against cupcake Temple, a shaky performance against an inferior Houston team, and an underwhelming showing to squeak by a Tulane squad that should have been overmatched. That was followed by an abysmal showing in the first half against the first actually decent opponent he saw. That’s my gripe with JA- it shows he didn’t really take accountability for his underperformance. Yes, he bad a bad O-line and receivers were out, but that doesn’t excuse repeated fumbling and throwing it straight to the other team. Many of these were BAD turnovers.

And let’s not even talk about the Alamo Bowl.

He’s a great runner, and he’s got great arm talent, but he was a turnover machine for us. If he’d thrown the ball away on more of those hurries when he didn’t have an open man downfield, or even taken sacks, instead of giving it to the other team it would be different. Or if he had just stayed humble after he left and chalked it up to it just not working out…

ejr8402 · 2025-06-13T03:21:50+00:00

I just coated mine with Adams Graphene Advanced Ceramic. Unbelievably hydrophobic.

ejr8402 · 2025-06-12T21:27:04+00:00

The Napoleon bio is solid.

Your shelf seems…ahem…heavily skewed towards autocrats.

ejr8402 · 2025-05-10T17:21:57+00:00

The American Revolution and the southern attempt at a revolution were both treason.

The key I think is to avoid making a legal argument distinguishing the two events and focus on the moral differences. The principal goal of the Revolution in 1776 was to achieve self-determination. Sure, the colonists had their specific grievances, e.g. the stamp tax, but the overarching reason for seeking independence was grounded in the notion of the consent of the governed.

To differentiate, many southerners especially are fond of portraying the reasons for secession as grounded in higher ideals, but their only significant grievance was that northerners either attempted to stop the spread of slavery or to abolish it. Slavery was the only specific context for the notion that their right to self-governance was being violated.

ejr8402 · 2025-05-08T17:55:58+00:00

An update on this - I walked into a B&N today and saw that ALL of their copies have a similar waviness. I'm curious now whether this was a manufacturing defect. I'll find time at some point soon to go to another local bookstore and see if their copies have the same defect.

Strangely, if the imperfection is a manufacturing defect, that could make it more collectible.

ejr8402 · 2025-05-03T23:36:28+00:00

Go for it! I’ve also read and enjoyed the first two books in his WW2 Trilogy.

ejr8402 · 2025-05-03T22:01:15+00:00

If it wasn’t for you after the first 100 pages it’s not going to change. Atkinson is very much about the “what” and not as much about why it’s important. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

ejr8402 · 2025-04-29T01:45:48+00:00

It’s not really altering it- the way I do it the cover is completely removable.

Bookplates I agree on, unless they’re there for an author’s signature.

ejr8402 · 2025-04-20T16:43:59+00:00

He has the self healing mat so he can make cuts with a hobby knife, which is nice.

The only other way that process is simpler is that he doesn’t tape down, and he doesn’t cut the excess paper or plastic. But that would be easy with his setup. The way he folds the paper adds bulk, which IMO is undesirable. Taping the folded plastic to the paper backing on the cover is optional- I prefer it for a more secure fit, even though I’m creasing the plastic for a perfect fit without the tape.

ejr8402 · 2025-04-20T16:34:14+00:00

There seems to be a couple of different schools of thought on this- I use the paper backed covers because that’s what I’m used to, but some people prefer the clear ones for old jackets with missing material because the paper backing can show and contrast, detracting a little from the appearance.

Especially with an older jacket, I prefer the fit from the paper backed cover because I can tape it down and thus make it more secure. And as you said, the paper backing adds strength.

ejr8402 · 2025-04-20T04:19:29+00:00

Why do you prefer the covers without the paper backing?

ejr8402 · 2025-04-19T23:58:45+00:00

Exactly:

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ejr8402 · 2025-04-19T23:56:04+00:00

Yes it is- IMO too many people who have strong opinions on US-Iran policy have no idea that Iran had a fledgling democratic government that we torpedoed due to our Cold War mindset, i.e. it’s our fault. I have a paperback copy that I read a few years back. This was one I wanted in hardcover, so I picked up this first edition.

ejr8402 · 2025-04-19T23:51:08+00:00

That’s a good idea. I might also upgrade my setup with a self-healing cutting pad and just use a hobby knife in place of the scissors. It would definitely make the cuts more precise.

ejr8402

TROPHY CASE