What book are you reading now?

[ajcoog2013]

Reading Schivelbusch's Disenchanted Night: The Industrialization of light in the 19th century. Reading it for a World Hist. course at UH, just finished Chap II, "The Street," which is a fascinating history of how street lighting came about and why as well as the significant role in played in society as well as uprisings such as the French Revolution. Really interesting stuff. It all starts in the Medieval period with folks being forced to have oil lanterns on the front doors, etc, etc. Now, we take them for granted, but outside lighting a few centuries ago was considered a major invasion of privacy. Who knew? Very easy read and flows along nicely. Well written and full of information. Hey, can I help it if I like history. Probably why I'm a hist. major. But I would not like to have been around during those lantern-smashing episodes.