Gifts
We will not be doing much for gifts this year except for the children in the family. But I wanted to mention a few things that are a little offbeat for gift ideas (for the two people that read this outside of my family and friends).
My wife got me a satellite radio for my birthday this year and I can not emphasize enough how perfect it was for me. Since we moved into our house 2 years ago my commute time has increased significantly. At first I found some courses on tape (more detail below) to be helpful, but I’m not always in the mood for that. Satellite has been great since I can listen to any type of music, business news, classic radio (I love the old “Suspense” series), or hockey during my drive.
I’ll also put a plug in for The Teaching Company. I have enjoyed their courses and it has prompted me to enjoy some of the classics I have been delaying reading. The courses on ancient Rome and Greece (the history and the literature) have been the most enjoyable for me. I just finished listening to, and reading, Dante’s Divine Comedy and have the course on ancient Greek tragedy lined up. They offer gift certificates—the one thing to know (and to let the receiver know) is that all of the courses are on sale at some point during the year. If there is a course they want, all they have to do is wait and it will be at a reasonable price soon.
The last idea is for anyone that is a history buff in your family. I’m reading Victor Davis Hanson’s A War Like No Other, an analysis of different facets of the Peloponnesian War. Hanson covers many aspects and impacts of the war and the ripples it has caused in history. I recommend this very highly. I would add that the version of Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian War I have enjoyed the most is the Landmark copy, with Robert Stassler as editor. And Donald Kagan’s The Peloponnesian War is out in paperback now—a great overview and introduction to the events of the times. I continually find it amazing how this event, which happened almost 2,500 years ago, can have such relevance and value in today’s world.
My wife got me a satellite radio for my birthday this year and I can not emphasize enough how perfect it was for me. Since we moved into our house 2 years ago my commute time has increased significantly. At first I found some courses on tape (more detail below) to be helpful, but I’m not always in the mood for that. Satellite has been great since I can listen to any type of music, business news, classic radio (I love the old “Suspense” series), or hockey during my drive.
I’ll also put a plug in for The Teaching Company. I have enjoyed their courses and it has prompted me to enjoy some of the classics I have been delaying reading. The courses on ancient Rome and Greece (the history and the literature) have been the most enjoyable for me. I just finished listening to, and reading, Dante’s Divine Comedy and have the course on ancient Greek tragedy lined up. They offer gift certificates—the one thing to know (and to let the receiver know) is that all of the courses are on sale at some point during the year. If there is a course they want, all they have to do is wait and it will be at a reasonable price soon.
The last idea is for anyone that is a history buff in your family. I’m reading Victor Davis Hanson’s A War Like No Other, an analysis of different facets of the Peloponnesian War. Hanson covers many aspects and impacts of the war and the ripples it has caused in history. I recommend this very highly. I would add that the version of Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian War I have enjoyed the most is the Landmark copy, with Robert Stassler as editor. And Donald Kagan’s The Peloponnesian War is out in paperback now—a great overview and introduction to the events of the times. I continually find it amazing how this event, which happened almost 2,500 years ago, can have such relevance and value in today’s world.
posted by Dwight at
11:50 AM
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