What are you reading?

[GlitterRose]

Fire and Fury.

[Space Commander Travis]

7 minutes ago, ChaosRose said:

Fire and Fury.

I haven't heard of that, what's it about?

[GlitterRose]

7 minutes ago, Vlad the Mighty said:

I haven't heard of that, what's it about?

Lol. Riiight.

I do have to say that it seems like it was hastily put together and not very well written. 

It has some juicy bits, though, but most of them have already been on the news. 

[quiXilver]

Alan Watts:  Tao - The Watercourse Way

A short, potent bit of insight into the etymology of the Chinese written language and how language affects the manner of human thinking and our relationships to word/objects.  It is fascinating to contemplate how this affects our philosohpies and world view.   He then dives into the core concepts of Taoist philosophy and Cosmology, writing with a keenly light touch, and potent, often humorous revelations of insight... Master Alan prepares and serves his topic, much as one would cook a small fish, he doesn't overdo it. 

 

edit to add:  Particularly his section on the concept of Yin and Yang is as close as I've ever come to reading my own inner thoughts and tendencies of belief toward this most enigmatic of topics.  He rather effortlessly creates phrases to describe the living, flowing, dynamic yin/yang concept to the western mindset.

 

Highly recommend.

Edited January 28, 2018 by quiXilver

[kmt_sesh]

13 hours ago, ChaosRose said:

Fire and Fury.

Isn't that one fo the books from the Game of Thrones franchise?

 

 

 

[+susieice]

I heard some of it was read at the Grammys tonight.

[+ouija ouija]

15 hours ago, quiXilver said:

Alan Watts:  Tao - The Watercourse Way

A short, potent bit of insight into the etymology of the Chinese written language and how language affects the manner of human thinking and our relationships to word/objects.  It is fascinating to contemplate how this affects our philosohpies and world view.   He then dives into the core concepts of Taoist philosophy and Cosmology, writing with a keenly light touch, and potent, often humorous revelations of insight... Master Alan prepares and serves his topic, much as one would cook a small fish, he doesn't overdo it. 

 

edit to add:  Particularly his section on the concept of Yin and Yang is as close as I've ever come to reading my own inner thoughts and tendencies of belief toward this most enigmatic of topics.  He rather effortlessly creates phrases to describe the living, flowing, dynamic yin/yang concept to the western mindset.

 

Highly recommend.

I think Alan Watts had a huge influence on our(Western), understanding of Eastern thought, especially Buddhism. I started reading his books in the 60s/70s. 

[quiXilver]

1 hour ago, ouija ouija said:

I think Alan Watts had a huge influence on our(Western), understanding of Eastern thought, especially Buddhism. I started reading his books in the 60s/70s. 

His experience @ age 17 seemed to set the groundwork for him to be able to dive and immerse into the concepts he discusses from the East and act as a bridge bringing them back to the West in a manner we can assimilate.  I'm deeply grateful for the many lectures and books he shared.  Moreso, because he never approached it as, 'this is the truth', or 'I'm trying to sell you something, or convince you of something'... he always presented himself as a philisophical entertainer... simply sharing insights and revelations through humor and great intellect.

 

I wish I'd come across him in my thirty years earlier... I could have shed a good deal of circle running.

Edited January 29, 2018 by quiXilver
typo

[Piney]

On 1/28/2018 at 6:56 PM, quiXilver said:

Alan Watts:  Tao - The Watercourse Way

A short, potent bit of insight into the etymology of the Chinese written language and how language affects the manner of human thinking and our relationships to word/objects.  It is fascinating to contemplate how this affects our philosohpies and world view.   He then dives into the core concepts of Taoist philosophy and Cosmology, writing with a keenly light touch, and potent, often humorous revelations of insight... Master Alan prepares and serves his topic, much as one would cook a small fish, he doesn't overdo it. 

 

edit to add:  Particularly his section on the concept of Yin and Yang is as close as I've ever come to reading my own inner thoughts and tendencies of belief toward this most enigmatic of topics.  He rather effortlessly creates phrases to describe the living, flowing, dynamic yin/yang concept to the western mindset.

 

Highly recommend.

My step-sister is a follower of one of his biggest supporters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunryū_Suzuki

[quiXilver]

2 hours ago, Piney said:

My step-sister is a follower of one of his biggest supporters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunryū_Suzuki

Shunryu was a remarkable man.  I deeply appreciate his writings and insights. 

One of his quotes has always resonated particularly deeply. 

"you are all perfect, exactly as you are...  and you can all use a little work,"

[kmt_sesh]

Finished the latest Pendergast novel and am now on to Before Evil, the prequel to the Maggie O'Dell novels by Alex Kava. O'Dell is an FBI agent with the behavioral science unit. I like a strong female lead.

Many of you may never have heard of Alex Kava, but I recommend her books.

[+susieice]

Just finished Pendergast also. I thought it was pretty good! Their webpage says a new Pendergast is already well in the works. The scene is Miami. Now I'm finishing Faye Kellerman, Moon Music.

Edited February 3, 2018 by susieice

[mobilko]

The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal. Good book to learn how have more willpower in different situations.

[Orphalesion]

I have started another attempt to read Gormenghast.It's not going well this time either. I love the castle/world Peake describes and quite a few of the characters are very interesting/entertaining to read.

At the same time i cannot find myself able to be interested in what little "story" or "plot" is happening. I don't find Steepike interesting, I don't find any of the servants interesting (except the Prunesquallors). And there's only so many chapters that basically just detail the delusions and eccentric living quarters of yet another mentally ill castle inhabitant, I can take, no matter how imaginative and interesting those delusions and living qwuarters are.

It's also kinda getting old how characters basically talk next to each other rather than with each other. And if anybody thinks Tolkien was a little excessive about describing trees....he had nothing on Peake describing every. single. freaking. pebble. that composes. that. castle.

Anybody has experience with those books?

[SHaYap]

Every Year or so I make it a note to reread Plato's Apology , Crito and the Death of Socrates ... so that was 8 hours of my last weekend

~

 

[Space Commander Travis]

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein. I'd thoroughly recommend it. 

[StarMountainKid]

36 minutes ago, Vlad the Mighty said:

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein. I'd thoroughly recommend it. 

I've been disturbed by '1984' ever since I read it as a teenager. I've lay awake at night trying to figure out a way for that society to overthrow its system. I've never been able to come up with a workable scenario.. 

[quiXilver]

I keep reminding people that Orwell's 1984 was meant as a warning... not a 'how to' manual.

[+susieice]

Anxiously waiting for this to be released in January. It's the new Pendergast novel. Got ahold of some older Lincoln Child books that I'm reading now.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40697525-verses-for-the-dead

Edited August 13, 2018 by susieice

[+ouija ouija]

On ‎04‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 11:37 PM, Orphalesion said:

Anybody has experience with those books?

I couldn't get on with them either; mainly for the reasons you mention. But I did enjoy the television series, many years ago. I guess they are the exception that proves the rule 'books are better than the films made of them'.

[kmt_sesh]

12 hours ago, susieice said:

Anxiously waiting for this to be released in January. It's the new Pendergast novel. Got ahold of some older Lincoln Child books that I'm reading now.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40697525-verses-for-the-dead

Oh, susieice, that looks so very good! Imagine, a reason to look forward to January.

I can't believe Pendergast is going to have a partner!

['Walt' E. Kurtz]

Douglas Adams - The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.  for the 8th time this time the English version. Probably the funniest book ever written.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Avalanche

[+susieice]

2 hours ago, kmt_sesh said:

Oh, susieice, that looks so very good! Imagine, a reason to look forward to January.

I can't believe Pendergast is going to have a partner!

It sure does kmt. I can't wait !

I'm on a Lincoln Child roll catching up with books I couldn't find before. Just finishing up Thunderhead and then I'll start. I didn't realize Jeremy Logan was also a series. I had read Third Gate and didn't connect the name with Full Wolf Moon when I read it. Read The Forgotten Room later and did connect but there were two earlier ones.

I love reading what they write, together and separately.

[docyabut2]

https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_ylt=A2KLfSlkKXJbUukAtm1pCWVH;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?q=books+of+jean+m+auel+books&v_t=comsearch

 

 

[kmt_sesh]

2 hours ago, susieice said:

It sure does kmt. I can't wait !

I'm on a Lincoln Child roll catching up with books I couldn't find before. Just finishing up Thunderhead and then I'll start. I didn't realize Jeremy Logan was also a series. I had read Third Gate and didn't connect the name with Full Wolf Moon when I read it. Read The Forgotten Room later and did connect but there were two earlier ones.

I love reading what they write, together and separately.

I agree, all of their books are good. I believe I have read all of them, the joint works and the independent efforts. I really like the Jeremy Logan stories. And I was really enjoying the Gideon Crew books until this last and final one, which was still a good read but not on par with earlier efforts.

But nothing beats good ol' Pendergast. I've been reading them in order again, too. Right now I'm in the middle of the Helen Pendergast saga.