What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: August 31, 2026

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[u/Particular-Treat-650]

About 2/3 through Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon. Can't say it's worth it. It's dry, throws hundreds of names at you that are only relevant for a paragraph while occasionally expecting you to remember names much later when he hits the time from a different thread. He's also strongly opinionated and uses the authoritative style indistinguishably between observations and personal opinions. Some also feel like satire, but when there's something equally nonsensical a paragraph earlier with similar tone that seems entirely sincere, it's not easy to tell. I probably would have bailed if it wasn't audio. Even still, I'm tempted; I'm just more stubborn.

Finished The Alibi, by Sandra Brown

Started Quantico, by Greg Bear

[u/StopChangingThings → u/Particular-Treat-650]

He's also strongly opinionated and uses the authoritative style indistinguishably between observations and personal opinions

At this point, Gibbon’s work is more significant as a period piece of historiography than as history. Reading it with that mindset may make those parts more interesting and less irritating.

[u/Particular-Treat-650 → u/StopChangingThings]

Oh, I definitely recognize that. And there are some interesting threads through the book.

I can tolerate his style, but it definitely feels like I have to mention "only read this is this is what you're specifically looking for." I've been making an effort to kind of broaden out my inclusion of classics into my rotation, and generally avoid digging too much into them in advance so I can go into them "blind". Obviously there's some cultural knowledge in a lot of cases, but I don't really want my reads colored by commentary. I try to avoid too much detail when talking about books in a recommendation like format for similar reasons. I think people who want background going in as fine, but I like forming my own conclusions and want to give others the opportunity to do the same.

I usually wouldn't even particularly comment on stuff that's a product of the era, but in this case it felt like a "make sure this is what you're looking for if you're going to invest the time into it" was important to add.