What are you all reading?

[dark+matters]

^ LOL @Bronto

Lately, it's too hard for me to focus online, knowing that I can click on all sorts of other little thingies. A good book offers me fewer distractions and more depth these days.

I just hope I'm reading something useful.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

Some crapfiction I wrote. Kind of hilarious.

 

[Pizzabeak]

Jumping on the latest fads, I'm reading a manga and some old notes I have stashed, as well as random web pages.

 

[Ocofan]

Just had a spending spree on ebay on a few books:

- The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety by Alan W Watts
- The Tao of Pooh & the Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff
- The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

Can't decide which one to start first when they eventually arrive on my doorstep.

 

[TheManBeyond]

the pagan gods genealogy by bocaccio

 

[ygnextend]

Elon Musk SpaceX Tesla
The Connection Algorithm
The Prince Machiavelli
What Every Body is Saying joe Navarro

 

[Peripheral Visionary]

Rules for Radicals- Saul Alinsky

A Short History of Man: Progress and Decline- Hans Hermann Hoppe

 

[Analyzer]

A Short History of Man: Progress and Decline- Hans Hermann Hoppe

Worth reading? How is it compared to Our Enemy, The State - Nock, Rise and fall of society - Chodorov, or The State - Oppenheimer?

 

[DakotaAllen]

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. So far it's great

 

[Peripheral Visionary]

Worth reading? How is it compared to Our Enemy, The State - Nock, Rise and fall of society - Chodorov, or The State - Oppenheimer?

Everything by Hoppe is mind-blowing/expanding.

His reasoning is deductive based on self-evident axioms. It turns everything you know on its head, and yet you still come away thinking: That's so obvious I can't believe I didn't see it before!

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

Currently reading Ubik by Philip K Dick, who seems to have been INTP.

As you can probably guess, I have also read A Scanner Darkly, which PKD seems to have cited as his magnum opus.

Personally, I'm finding Ubik more impressive so far, but I think his partiality to ASD has to do with the fact that, being semi-autobiographical, it was a very emotional book for him to write. I suppose this is consistent with the general difficulty INTPs have in accessing their emotions, much less thrusting them out in the open that way.

 

[r4ch3l]

Today I was introduced to a book that deserves a spot in top 3 all time favorite books.
Only Two Can Play This Game: James Keys, G. Spencer Brown, R. D. Laing: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wkMUojA5L.@@AMEPARAM@@51wkMUojA5L

Just brilliant. Incomparable.

I'm uploading it to my server, it's a rare/expensive book but if anyone is interested I'll have a digital copy up tonight. Just ask, I'll send a link.

http://homepages.math.uic.edu/~kauffman/KauffSAND.pdf

and

Laws of Form: G. Spencer-Brown: 9780963989901: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/310f5xBBYFL.@@AMEPARAM@@310f5xBBYFL have the best introductions to the Laws of Form concept he was famous-ish for. But this book stands alone.

Currently reading Ubik by Philip K Dick, who seems to have been INTP

....

Personally, I'm finding Ubik more impressive so far, but I think his partiality to ASD has to do with the fact that, being semi-autobiographical, it was a very emotional book for him to write. I suppose this is consistent with the general difficulty INTPs have in accessing their emotions, much less thrusting them out in the open that way.

If you're interested in a mind fuck dump of PKD autobiography his Exegesis (I think compiled by people after his death from journals) is 1000 pages of loco brilliance. I got to page 257 and now I just open it to random pages at random times, I gave up.

I got into PKD in a strange way, in middle school somehow got my hands on Confessions of a Crap Artist which is not science fiction at all. I thought the book was hilarious yet dark, it stuck with me... read the classic PKD books (Do Androids Dream...?, Flow My Tears ..., etc.). His books are iconic and he's not even a *brilliant* writer when it comes to style in itself, too many ideas and no time to refine...

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

If you're interested in a mind fuck dump of PKD autobiography his Exegesis (I think compiled by people after his death from journals) is 1000 pages of loco brilliance. I got to page 257 and now I just open it to random pages at random times, I gave up.

Yeah, I've heard of that. Usually with authors like him, who I consider are less about the hardcore aesthetics of literature and more about exploration of concepts via plot (two broad taxonomies into which I categorize literature), for which they use fiction almost reductively as a vehicle (David Foster Wallace also comes to mind), I find I get as much out of reading select quotes. Before I read PKD, I was on GoodReads.com reading distillations of the truth-bombs he drops in some of his books, and they sometimes work better, I think, when taken out of the context -- or at least, the story isn't fully necessary. ASD contained quite a lot of filler, for instance. With people like Shakespeare and Fitzgerald, it's more about the sheer breathtaking beauty of language (I probably fall into this camp), with fairly lackadaisical attention to plot.

So I would imagine Exegesis is just revelation after revelation without the boring parts in between.

I got into PKD in a strange way, in middle school somehow got my hands on Confessions of a Crap Artist which is not science fiction at all. I thought the book was hilarious yet dark, it stuck with me... read the classic PKD books (Do Androids Dream...?, Flow My Tears ..., etc.). His books are iconic and he's not even a *brilliant* writer when it comes to style in itself, too many ideas and no time to refine...

As an aspiring author (probably not Sci-Fi), I did note the lackluster quality of much of the prose. But I totally envy the world of ideas he had constant access to, and his freeform, un-self-conscious approach to writing (makes me think of Ne). My struggles are with wanting absolute perfect structure in my novels, with not a word wasted (makes me think of Ni), in which nearly every line is innovative or unusual or delectable in some way -- this isn't really the hard part, though. The hard part for me is in the conceptual skeleton of the story. "What am I trying to say? Do I want to be saying this? Is this worth saying? Am I saying anything new at all? Well, it's structured and sounds pretty, so screw it." Missing the forest for the trees, I guess...

What are the books you posted about?

 

[Pizzabeak]

Finished VALIS by PKD, it was alright. Not as entertaining as I would have expected although its value may certainly increase with the remaining supposed sequels. Already read RFA so it seemed like I was reading the same book over, mostly. It was one of the first Dick novels I've read and always wondered if I should have read VALIS first, since RFA was a prototype. I just never realized how much of a prototype it was, even though it was written before but published later. It seemed more childish but read faster and didn't suffer from RFA's occasional foray into extraneous detail in the form of long descriptions. Consequently this edition was from when PKD books had those exotic paperback covers before they switched to the plain ones with random designs. Back then in most of the local books stores A Scanner Darkly was only available with the Now a Major Motion Picture cover or until recently the newer one with blue stripes. A lot of the older covers make his work look more like sci-fi than they actually are so it's a bit misleading, in my opinion. I mean, take A Scanner Darkly and Confessions of a Crap Artist for example. Besides some vague mention of a "near future" they're mostly modern suburban thrillers... Ubik is one more his most sci-fi novels but even then it relies more on the philosophy of things than any important sci-fi elements, in accordance to popular stuff I guess. I always wanted that cool Ubik cover with the spraycan but besides amazon; etc I just opted for the weird random exotic cover that has almost nothing to do with the actual story (like Confessions of a Crap Artist's "vintage" cover, which just has a random "Z" shaped pattern; could just be me but I found almost nothing related to a Z in that story, for what it's worth...). I thought VALIS would have been more intriguing but felt it's reputation was misleading. For beginners, I am not sure which I would recommend first: RFA or VALIS. Although I could agree that PKD probably doesn't initially explore his ideas long enough (his limit seems to be around 200 pages) I don't think he was particularly INTP. He was probably INFP or even ISFP. Although, a few public instances I have seen of him make him appear sort of bubbleheaded or gentlegoing. It should make sense that ASD is one of his closest works and it has a fairly decent or important theme I guess... No doubt one of his most popular or worthwhile stories. I've always heard the VALIS trilogy or Exegesis were considered his life's work (not sure about magnum opus), or even Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said to an extent but it is interesting to take the important things he had to say in ASD in consideration. I always thought Ubik deserved more respect, and wondered why it was scarcely mentioned in most press releases regard PKD. From what I've seen in Exegesis though, he has a lot to say about it and that some decent frameworks went into the design of it. All things being said I might reread some of his stuff because I remember liking some of the sentences and the apparent philosophy he described. In ASD for example there's the part when they're at McDonald's eating the same food they ordered before, and the next time they'll order and receive the same exact food they got the last time. Unfortunately, PKD is getting moderately outdated and I should have finished most of his stuff a long time ago. His main messages were interesting and still are and while he appeared educated he's mostly remembered for his fascist political regimes, in addition to a helplessness induced by drug. His characters get mind warped for a lot of reasons, so it almost appears like walking around wearing VR goggles and coveting that more than any imminent physical reality, in other words, bodily harm. Eventually they might do a biopic of PKD as apparently it would be as fascinating as one of his stories.

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

A lot of the older covers make his work look more like sci-fi than they actually are so it's a bit misleading, in my opinion. I mean, take A Scanner Darkly and Confessions of a Crap Artist for example. Besides some vague mention of a "near future" they're mostly modern suburban thrillers... Ubik is one more his most sci-fi novels but even then it relies more on the philosophy of things than any important sci-fi elements, in accordance to popular stuff I guess.

I know he had always wanted to be a renowned "mainstream" writer.

I always wanted that cool Ubik cover with the spraycan

That's the one I have.

Although I could agree that PKD probably doesn't initially explore his ideas long enough (his limit seems to be around 200 pages) I don't think he was particularly INTP. He was probably INFP or even ISFP. Although, a few public instances I have seen of him make him appear sort of bubbleheaded or gentlegoing.

I can actually see INFP, yeah.

I saw the interview he did on French TV circa 1978 and he seemed pretty pie-in-the-sky and soft. But maybe that's just how people get once they're old. He seems like he'd have been sort of a douchebag as a young man.

It should make sense that ASD is one of his closest works and it has a fairly decent or important theme I guess... No doubt one of his most popular or worthwhile stories.

I plan on reading it again sometime soon, after I get settled down. I take lots of notes in the books I read; I plan on building on my first set with a second run-through. Might have more interesting things to say about it then.

I always thought Ubik deserved more respect, and wondered why it was scarcely mentioned in most press releases regard PKD.

Actually, TIME magazine has it in their list of 100 Greatest English-language Novels.

In ASD for example there's the part when they're at McDonald's eating the same food they ordered before, and the next time they'll order and receive the same exact food they got the last time.

Saw from a brief YouTube documentary that he grew up in California before it became as industrialized, urbanized, suburbanized as it is now. I can understand lamenting nature, but if one of the points he's trying to make is that man-made artifacts lack diversity, I don't very well see how nature is all that different. How many grassy plains and mountain ranges can be beholden by one pair of eyes before they all start to seem the same?

His main messages were interesting and still are and while he appeared educated he's mostly remembered for his fascist political regimes...

I actually bought The Man in the High Castle at the same time I did Ubik, and I'm more intrigued by the former.

...in addition to a helplessness induced by drug. His characters get mind warped for a lot of reasons, so it almost appears like walking around wearing VR goggles and coveting that more than any imminent physical reality, in other words, bodily harm. Eventually they might do a biopic of PKD as apparently it would be as fascinating as one of his stories.

If I had more guts I think I would live the kind of life he and some of his characters did, achieve some measure of clairvoyance through drug use/abuse and alternate lifestyles.

 

[Frankie]

Furiously happy by Jenny Lawson.

It has given me a different perspective on depression. It mostly captures the happy moments in the life of the author, who is also clinically depressed.

And it is hilarious!

 

[Pizzabeak]

I know he had always wanted to be a renowned "mainstream" writer.

He seems heavily theological/philosophy, with some sci-fi for more appeal... Eventually he had to move to sci-fi territory, maybe for more freedom to express his themes. Not to compare or anything but Arthur C. Clarke is a writer who to me could be sci-fi first, philosophy second? Or maybe they just have more science background. Eh, as far as that goes some of Dick's worlds could be more fleshed out but they are relegated to a few brief mentions of futuristic sounding backbone so the reader could get an idea of setting. There may have been a decent reason why he never went much beyond 200+ pages.

That's the one I have.

Which one? I know there are a few with spraycan covers...

I can actually see INFP, yeah.

I saw the interview he did on French TV circa 1978 and he seemed pretty pie-in-the-sky and soft. But maybe that's just how people get once they're old. He seems like he'd have been sort of a douchebag as a young man.

Any links? Yeah, some apparent changes in personality/habit/behavior is an interesting thing to consider, as far as type goes.

I plan on reading it again sometime soon, after I get settled down. I take lots of notes in the books I read; I plan on building on my first set with a second run-through. Might have more interesting things to say about it then.

Yeah, that's something I have been considering doing more of, especially with longer, more intensive works. Any words on how that turns out for you thus far, improved reinforcement of themes perhaps?

Actually, TIME magazine has it in their list of 100 Greatest English-language Novels.

I'm sure some of his stuff is on a few different lists of greatest things ever

Saw from a brief YouTube documentary that he grew up in California before it became as industrialized, urbanized, suburbanized as it is now. I can understand lamenting nature, but if one of the points he's trying to make is that man-made artifacts lack diversity, I don't very well see how nature is all that different. How many grassy plains and mountain ranges can be beholden by one pair of eyes before they all start to seem the same?

Getting stuck in habit, especially one that isn't apparently worthwhile at all. To make matters worse, is it willingly? It all expires in the end nonetheless. Ha. Must there be something else? Maybe at least one of those isn't necessarily such a virtuous thing in someone's eyes.

I actually bought The Man in the High Castle at the same time I did Ubik, and I'm more intrigued by the former.



If I had more guts I think I would live the kind of life he and some of his characters did, achieve some measure of clairvoyance through drug use/abuse and alternate lifestyles.

Yeah, there's not enough time for all that. Could be wrong but you'd have to reduce a lot of other stuff just to properly do it. Just not sure how useful it would be, if there's a mutual payoff for other parties involved, indirectly or otherwise. Easy answer is, if it makes you happy then go for it. These drug uses are primarily for introspection, perhaps deep introspection, and it indeed can be hard to find the time for frequent trips. Some of the shorter acting stuff can do a few things but if you want to fully explore it you'd have to devote a decent amount of time to it anyway. I'm sort of convinced that smoking pot is a convenient medium in this regard, as you only get stoned for 2-6 hours and it's only mildly psychedelic for what it's worth. Not sure if there's much reason to be concerned over bad trips to be honest (for newcomers) but it just helps if you have a sitter, or guide at least.

 

[DrSketchpad]

The Emotion Machine by Marvin Minsky.

Of what I've read of it:

Basically a book on the topic of consciousness/AI.

I wanted it to be more interesting than it was. I already have an idea of what he's talking about most of the time. It's not a bad book per se, but I just made a hastily hopeful decision in getting it.

 

[Sir Eus Lee]

Psychological types. Only through chapter 1 but it's interesting.

 

[Inquisitor]

Psychological types. Only through chapter 1 but it's interesting.

Good for you! Jung is a f*ckin badass.

 

[Sir Eus Lee]

Indeed. Although I don't know why he doesn't just explain his theory and then go on to offer his evidence and observations. I know the ending, so I don't really care but... just interesting. But a lot of what he says is like... taking a philosophy class, and then afterwards actually reading the philosopher's works, or the teacher skimming over the tip of an iceberg.

 

[Oprale]

Third Dexter's novel, '' Dexter in the Dark ''. I accidentally borrowed the third book instead of the second one and decided the trip back to the library wasn't worth it A bit of a boring read sometimes, just like the first book, however the dark theme still managed to make me read it until the end ( just like the first book ). Also Dexter falls somewhere along the lines of the NT kingdom. He's always described as having very few feelings, being arrogant and sassy and being caught in thoughts loops. It could point to an INTP behaviour, however he's also well organized, cares about looking normal and uses others as a ressource. So maybe more INTJ or at least INTx.

I also borrowed '' Pride and Prejudice and Zombies '', it looks amusing. + one book about human fascination for the paranormal and another book about ghost stories, those will be my reading of the week. I doubt they have an English translation.

Then I might restart reading The Wardstone Chronicles from the beginning.

 

[TBerg]

Founding Brothers, by Joseph Ellis. Interesting read that gives us snapshots of illustrative moments in the genesis of the America we know today. Shows how the Fathers viewed their place in the world and demonstrates the complex characteristics of the men and women. It pulls us towards the reality of the era unlike much other material.

Selected Writings of Abraham Lincoln. The sections on the Alton, Illinois, debate with Stephen Douglas really impressed upon me the way both men were able to shape rhetoric into a delicate artform. It showed me how Lincoln had to be careful not to betray any underlying radicalism and that any assertions that he was a white supremacist have to take this into account. He knew what was politically possible, and through this character suffering the crucible of civil war we emerged with the backbone of the Slave Power permanently broken and a president that began to embrace even political equality for whites and blacks, as seen in Eric Foner's The Fiery Trial.

 

[Sinny91]

Assorted works of Malachi Martin on the occult practises happening covertly at the Vatican.

And supplementary symbology encyclopedias, to help me decode the fishy Babylonian Dogon symbology of the Vatican.

 

[emmabobary]

Zizek's "The indivisible rest"
Zizek on Lacan's topology ^-^

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

Fate has forced my hand. I have had to move onto The Man in the High Castle before getting even halfway through Ubik. I fell asleep on the bus and ended up leaving it somewhere in my awakening stupor. What's nice is that I'll be able to watch the new series based on MHC at the same time I'm reading the book -- though, needless to say, the book comes first. Indeed!

MHC is also much more accessible -- I would imagine this is particularly the case if you belong to a nation that was in the Allied forces in WWII. Well, at least in America, we do make a point of vainglorifying our nation, overcrediting ourselves for the role in the conflict (seriously, I have friends who are still under the delusion that we beat the Axis powers pretty much singlehandedly), and to frame the US of A as the embodiment of perfect good against its polar opposite, Nazi Germany. As far as I can tell, the embodiment of perfect evil in Latin American cultures is America! But just goes to show...

I'm quite sure we are all fed this fodder in public education...but of course the mythos is still imbedded in our collective psyche, and so many of us find it fascinating to explore in any form.

Well, in any case, it is still an interesting story, and as a member of a group historically oppressed by the Americans, the minute, daily humiliations of life as a conquered people ring quite true. Except this time it's Americans who are the conquered people -- a bit difficult to process, at first. Happens to everyone in the end, of course...

PKD is all I've been reading in the way of fiction these days, fortunately or unfortunately. Not been as prone to escapism as in the past -- that part of me is gradually dying away, quite an excruciating process. As for nonfiction, I have been reading tidbits at a time of Oliver Sacks and Ronald K. Siegel. Also a lick of some self-help: most illuminating...

Actually, been watching quite a bit of TV also, something I haven't done in years. Had my prejudices against it, naturally, but Halloween movies have been a nice escape from reality, as well as a nice way to relive childhood. Some of the political stuff on Comedy Central I find quite incisive, even if their agenda is overwhelmingly liberal. I need a lot of variety: reading gets boring and draining after a while; TV becomes unstimulating after too long.

Starting up on talk radio again too, including falling asleep to it...not sure if or how this is affecting my dreamscape.

 

[Yellow]

The Other Brain, by Dr. R. Douglas Fields. It's pretty fun.

 

[DrGregoryHouse]

Emotional Intelligence 2.0

In Search of Excellence

 

[DrGregoryHouse]

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. So far it's great

I like Atlas Shrugged a bit better. Far too many pages spent rehashing the same political persuasions tho. Its like OK Ayn I got it back on page 20-30, 85-95, 114-119, etc all the way to now on page 800 Ayn, thanks!

A very Ti dominated style as far as content IMO.

 

[Yellow]

I like Atlas Shrugged a bit better. Far too many pages spent rehashing the same political persuasions tho. Its like OK Ayn I got it back on page 20-30, 85-95, 114-119, etc all the way to now on page 800 Ayn, thanks!

A very Ti dominated style as far as content IMO.

That used to be my favorite book, Atlas Shrugged. I think mostly because it was full of ideas I had never heard before, but had half-formed. Then again, I read it when I was 18 and all impressionable and whatnot. I still have a special place in my heart for it, but I've realized a few flaws in her assertions.

Still worth a read. As well as "We the Living". The rest of her books are more "meh".

IIRC, she's universally typed as an INTJ.

 

[Sinny91]

The Occult Roots of Nazism - regarding List, (the List Society) and Lanz, Theosophy, Ariosophy, Anthroposophy, Armanism, Nordic Mythology and their eventual influence on Nazi Germany.

When I'm done I'll be rereading The Russian Roots Nazism.

 

[Brontosaurie]

I am reading high-school biology for uni requirements. Am not reading it yet though. Just being aming reading it.

 

[nanook]

I'm trying to sort through 2000 ebooks, figuring out if any of them are worth reading. The terror of piracy.

I rarely get myself to read a whole book. I've just been reading an Interview-Book with Bert Hellinger, a psychologist with a unique approach to sorting out family drama.

I've also read into "How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World" by Harry Browne. It's easy to read, starts out focused on thinking, probably a T dominant author.

 

[Sinny91]

The Occult Roots of Nazism - regarding List, (the List Society) and Lanz, Theosophy, Ariosophy, Anthroposophy, Armanism, Nordic Mythology and their eventual influence on Nazi Germany.

When I'm done I'll be rereading The Russian Roots Nazism.

Well I'm half way through The Occult Roots of Nazism, and I'm nearing and end of The Russian Roots of Nazism.

I believe that I have a thorough understanding of the roots and activities of the Nazi party, it's ideological parents, and it's fellow conspirators, from 1860-1925.

What I need now are studies from 1925 onwards.

It's clear to see that prior to 1925, all the movements that had led, influenced, and been involved in Nazism all had roots in the Far Right of German, Baltic, and Russian politics and ideologies. Ideologies which were in turn greatly influenced by Christianity, Theosophy, Ariosophy, Tuetonic Paganism - Just to name the most influential. All the Far Right conspirators, upheld various apocalyptic belief systems, and all placed the 'Jewish Bolshevik Stock Marketers' at the helm of chariots of fire.

Everything Hitler and Nazi Germany had done up until about 1925 was in aid of this Ideological war. They concluded that fascism was detestable, but in order to fight the 'beast' (Bolshevism), a force just as great and mighty had to be erected. They borrowed much of their structure and tactics from the Bolsheviks. (Hence why both dictatorships look so similiar).

I'll stop here before I write an essay, but the source material truly makes for some compelling reading.

What I want to know, is the who's, how's and whys of the financing that was to come. Finances that came from the North and West. For all things 'Western' and 'Jewish' were viewed with contempt by the National Socialists; so at which point were the National Socialist party co opted? Because they sure were working with the 'Jewish Stock Brokers' by the time of the end of the war. Many people with these Nationalistic movements were also anti - Catholic, but towards the end, Hitler had close liaisons with the RCC.

To what extent were the American Far Right Involved?
How did these ties develop post WW2 and during the Cold War?
Enter UFOs
How do things stand today?

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

He seems heavily theological/philosophy, with some sci-fi for more appeal... Eventually he had to move to sci-fi territory, maybe for more freedom to express his themes. Not to compare or anything but Arthur C. Clarke is a writer who to me could be sci-fi first, philosophy second? Or maybe they just have more science background. Eh, as far as that goes some of Dick's worlds could be more fleshed out but they are relegated to a few brief mentions of futuristic sounding backbone so the reader could get an idea of setting. There may have been a decent reason why he never went much beyond 200+ pages.

There is a reason he was so summary: From what I know, from the time he was about 24, his fiction was his primary means of supporting himself. It also explains why he produced that sheer volume of novels and short stories, where other authors have published just one or two pieces a year. Necessity is the mother of invention; he was eking out stories and concepts to keep a roof over his head and food on the table. Legend has it he had to resort to eating dog food on more than one occasion.

Honestly don't know much about sci-fi, but I consider Ubik to be pretty elaborate. Least to me, sci-fi requires a solid understanding of the underlying scientific principles, which an IFP would be less likely to grasp than like a 4w5 or 5w4 NTP. The overarching pattern of "1. Explore 2. Discard 3. Move on to next big thing" in his life suggests ENP to me.

Any links? Yeah, some apparent changes in personality/habit/behavior is an interesting thing to consider, as far as type goes.

Here 'tis, complete with French subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGyhT5nVsEU

Yeah, that's something I have been considering doing more of, especially with longer, more intensive works. Any words on how that turns out for you thus far, improved reinforcement of themes perhaps?

Haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm almost halfway through The Man in the High Castle. Seems Amazon is producing a series on the same novel right now, which is a most auspicious coincidence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_High_Castle_%28TV_series%29
Really intrigued by MHC, it's the kind of thing I would perhaps write. One of the ideas I have for a book of my own right now is based on a possible but improbable future, from today's world as the point of reference.

Yeah, there's not enough time for all that. Could be wrong but you'd have to reduce a lot of other stuff just to properly do it. Just not sure how useful it would be, if there's a mutual payoff for other parties involved, indirectly or otherwise. Easy answer is, if it makes you happy then go for it. These drug uses are primarily for introspection, perhaps deep introspection, and it indeed can be hard to find the time for frequent trips. Some of the shorter acting stuff can do a few things but if you want to fully explore it you'd have to devote a decent amount of time to it anyway. I'm sort of convinced that smoking pot is a convenient medium in this regard, as you only get stoned for 2-6 hours and it's only mildly psychedelic for what it's worth. Not sure if there's much reason to be concerned over bad trips to be honest (for newcomers) but it just helps if you have a sitter, or guide at least.

Not badass enough for it, unfortunately. Have you had any transcendent insights in your drug trips? Acid has been my favorite for unleashing forward-thinking potentials in myself. If I did it frequently, might make it easier to write my books, but it's too easy for me to be come fixated with the mindset and lose sight of quotidian reality.

 

[Minuend]

I rarely get myself to read a whole book.

I think I tend not to give authors a fair enough chance. I tend to fairly quickly judge whether the writing style and choice of perspective indicates a type of thinking that might yield an interesting read further out.

Sometimes I search for the authors and ponder whether they look like a person who thinks and perceives in a way that could produce an interesting book. If they look "ignorant" or otherwise limited or boring, I don't read their books .__.
(Well, unless there's still a good reason to do it).

I'm finishing up my Second book in the Malazan series. Some of the characters actually remind me of some people from this place. The characters and story appeals to me, but so far they aren't superawesome books. I enjoy them because the characters are on similar personality waves as myself and I enjoy the lore, creatures and so forth. I think they could use a bit more revealing of mysteries earlier in the book to make it more engaging. The pattern in the first two books is following different characters on a journey and it's not boring but not superexciting. Then the last 200-300 pages things pick up, stories intertwine and it become super exciting.

Though it is a large world and I think if one pays closer attention, one might pick up on more subtle events as indicating lore or events happened or happening other than what is explicitly told. So I might be missing aspects of the story as I tend to skim read a bit.

I also started reading The Art of War, which I've been meaning to read for ages. It seems to be a short book and should be a quick read.

I'm also planning on reading The Magic Mountain when I've finished the Malazan book.

 

[TheManBeyond]

I also started reading The Art of War, which I've been meaning to read for ages. It seems to be a short book and should be a quick read.

i read that one, for me it was like hypnosis, a combo of punches repeated over and over again, perhaps u have to stop and overanalize everything to find it depthness, or perhaps the book was intended as a simple war analisis for people or soldiers.

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

I'm also planning on reading The Magic Mountain

Great book. You've reminded me that I have yet to finish reading it(been on hold for idk how many years now :/)

Edit: Oh...nanook, me too. I have trouble finishing books.

 

[r4ch3l]

Reminded me of you all, especially THD's Theory of Everything thread with the torus graphics.

I expected to just be entertained by a portrait of a dude who reminds me of myself (I get off on crackpot science just because exploring without self-conscious rigidity is FUN even if I usually don't actually believe in any conclusions I might make along the path) and many of you but this book raises a lot of great philosophy of science questions and is an entertaining crash course in the history of physics.

Amazon.com: Physics on the Fringe: Smoke Rings, Circlons, and Alternative Theories of Everything (9780802715135): Margaret Wertheim: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hrg7U9O1L.@@AMEPARAM@@51hrg7U9O1L

 

[JimJambones]

I am reading my first Clive Barker novel.

 

[r4ch3l]

Needed some mental candy/relief... saw a novel by Kem Nunn at Kinko's that looked interesting (had never heard of him and wondered about how he got that distribution deal) so I googled and ordered what the internet decided is his best novel: "Tapping the Source". Great plotting of a story and example of the "show, don't tell" adage. Burned through it in a day and a half and it was just what I needed. Apparently this book was the inspiration for Point Break and while it's got the surf mystery theme in common it's a completely different story.

The writing and themes are similar to Dennis Jonson but I'd say Nunn has more skills in crafting the structure of the story but sometimes can be a bit literal with his sentences whereas Jonson writes these sentences that will just sock you right in the gut but does the poet ramble, which dampens the pacing and plot.

 

[QuickTwist]

Has anyone ever read 'Essays In Existentialism' by Jesn-Paul Sartre? I just got the book from the Library hoping to find the book 'Psychological Types'. It looks good based on the chapter headers.

 

[Sinny91]

The second part of Starship Voyager: Homecoming, The Further Shore.
I actually purchased them on Play Books.



Judge me in silence, please.

 

[Frankie]

'All quiet on the western front' by Erich Maria Remarque.
Trying to learn about World War I.
So far, it's been quite humorous. I guess the author is trying to ease the reader into the horror.

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

I have to revisit campus this week for some work stuff. I need something to do on the bus, ergo...

Gonna try to get all the way through Macbeth. I've made it as far as Act II. Ol' Shakes is onerous, but enjoyable if you're willing to take your time on it.

Also need to finish The Man in the High Castle*...been too busy. Once I'm settled down, I can get down to the fun stuff...

*Actually saw the first episode of the Amazon series tonight. Far as I can tell, deviates from the book quite a bit, but that's to be expected...

 

[dad]

Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard, for the second time, excellent book.

 

[A_Scanner_Darkly]

Finished MHC, found the twist/ending interesting, not least because it is the kind of mind-bend I would pull and have pulled in my own fiction. If great minds think alike, does that mean mediocre minds do as well? Not trying to spoil it for anyone, but I will say that much.

Macbeth is good so far. I had missed the challenge of reading (blank) verse fiction. It saddens me somewhat that there isn't ostensibly the same freedom in today's literary industry to do what the old-timers like Willy did...straightforward, no-nonsense reading for fast-paced, modern living. No time to be squandered; meanings must be literal/crystal.

Think I'll go for it anyway. Do what I love and hope that I find the right market. Seems highly plausible. When I think about it -- yes there are plenty of books like that...

Not sure what I'll read after Macbeth. Don't have much left, since I gave much of my collection away...kind of regret it now, was in a weird mindset then...probably read and reread some of the fiction books I retained, and then after that it's Amazon, I guess.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Running Man
The Green Mile
Oliver Twist
A Game of Thrones
Moby Dick
This Side of Paradise
Beloved

coming up...

 

[Tannhauser]

Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard, for the second time, excellent book.

I tried that once. He sucks at writing (comprehensible) books more than Kant.

 

[Sinny91]

The Controllers - Martin Cannon
Will be a pivotal addition in my UFO thread (and subsequent theories). I'm reading it again now, and thought that those of you so inclined would appreciate advanced viewing. Available online... highly recommended.

 

[onesteptwostep]

Just about to start Eric Hoffer's True Believer, thanks to Analyzer.

I also got Terry Eagleton's Significance of Theory.

In the near future I'd like to get some of Jacques Derrida's books on deconstruction and something written by Roger Scruton.