I got on quite a reading kick in December, thanks for some extra downtime. Instead of writing at length about all the books, here's some mini-reports on what I was reading:
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
I originally read this classic back in high school, but on a whim I picked it up for a reread, as I feel a bit wiser to deeper meanings in things than I was when I was 16. The book has great pace to it, and the eloquent discriptions really allowed me to visuallize the characters, the island, and all of the events in vivid detail. The book is a giant allegorical saga that focuses on the dark side of human nature. I thought this was the perfect book to read along with my recent readings - as it really highlights the battle between Idealism vs. Materialism (under the guise of the Nature of Man vs. Structured Society, of course).
Siddhartha - Herman Hesse
In college I was in a very focused Engineering and German program, which didn't allow me the opportunity to read classics such as this. Hesse's brilliant book really resonated with my own journey of seeking - seeking truth, happiness, and the pitfalls inherint in such a journey. It's also an eloquent discourse on the beauty of nature - and in the quiet power gained by truly absorbing it - becoming it and of letting go of the self. This was a very powerful book for me, and I would reccomend it to anyone - not just those interested in Buddhism or Eastern Philosophy.
Mostly Harmless - Douglas Adams
I've always loved Douglas Adams and read most of his work - so in the mood for some fun sci-fi, I picked this book off my bookshelf for a reread. This is the 5th book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and is more a stand-alone book than a continuation of the first 4 books. The characters are (mostly) the same quirky ones from the series, but the book is a fun romp through infinately parallel and probable universes. The book is full of quirky humor, but as is typical of Adams' brilliance, there's moment of deep meaning tucked between the whirlwind of amusement. What I love most about his work is how honest they are - of both the fantastic and the mundane, he always calls a spade a spade, in his own brilliant and unique style.
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Book Review: Sex, Sin & Zen
I heard of this book through a Buddhist blog I casually read - and thought the concept was very interesting. Brad Warner, an ordained Soto Zen Priest, promises to provide, "A Buddhist exploration of sex, from celibacy to poluamory and Everything in Between". I gave the book a casual scan in the bookstore - seeing the title next to some other of his books, and it seemed to ask some interesting questions; for example: can monks masturbate?, what is the buddhist attitudes towards abortion?, is pornography a bad thing?
I picked it up based more out of curiosity than anything else - and it would be nice to get back on a Buddhist reading kick. Lately I've found myself heavily entwined with taoism and varying philosophical works by the likes of David Foster Wallace and Henry David Thoreau.
This book blew away every expectation I had of it right from the start. Throughout the book, Brad discusses the heart of buddhist philosophy and history with amazing clarity. His approach is very honest, and he does not separate his discussions from own history and feelings. Throughout the book you get a very lucid taste of his view on things - and he does not abuse this by saying you should believe him. I guess in a way you can call this a sneaky book at times - it uses sex more as a tool in order to discuss much more poignant spiritual and philosophical matters, for example:
The idea of avoiding preferences doesn't mean that we need to be complacent and leave even the worst situations in life just as they are. The first step in effectively changing something that clearly needs to be changed is accepting the way it actually is. Then we can do what needs doing to make things different without wasting a lot of energy wishing things already were different. - Pg. 201
This book not only made me consider aspects of sexuality and relationships, but really helped clear up a lot of spiritual misconceptions and issues I had with my prior inquiries into Buddhism and Zen. Brad does a fantastic job of distilling extremely complex issues in such a way that the reader can come to their own conclusions and be okay with them. I didn't agree with everything he writes in the book, but the honesty of the discussions in the book provided a framework for me to understand other sides of the issues and philosophies.
I am very thankful I picked this book up off the shelf...I feel that it's helped me put a lot of complicated issues from my own light into a very manageable perspective. It's allowed me to be more open and honest with my own thoughts and emotions - and not just in regards to sex, but with religion, philosophical inquiry, relationships, politics, social constructs, and living compassionately.
All that being said, I don't think I'd recommend this book to anybody. People need to come to this book with a very open mind - and be comfortable going into some really heavy subjects like abortion, homosexuality, celibacy and polyamory. I do think it's a fantastic book for someone interested in sexuality and Buddhism. I was very intrigued at how Brad writes in such a way that you don't need to have studied tons of Buddhist texts to understand the keys of the philosophy. It's a far better starting point than many of the books on Buddhism I've already read.
- Chris
Friday, November 19, 2010
Book Review: Walden
"Will you be a reader, a student merely, or a seer? Read your fate, see what is before you, and walk on into futurity." - Pg. 119
Yet again, I have my friend Eli to thank for introducing me to such a fantastic book. Considered Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden is a weighty book which chronicles his thoughts and experiences over the course of a couple of years on the banks of Walden Pond during the years 1845-1847. Walden is rife with transcendentalist philosophy, in many ways a response to a world that was growing increasingly hectic and smaller. While written in the mid 19th century, many of the discussions and philosophy is just as relevant to today's world (if not MORE so) than it was in his world - and that's probably one of the biggest reasons the book is considered such a literary classic.
"We are the subjects of an experiment which is not a little interesting to me. Can we not do without the society of our gossips a little while under these circumstances - have our own thoughts to cheer us? Confucius says truly, 'Virtue does not remain as an abandoned orphan; it must of necessity have neighbors.'" - Pg. 144
I'll admit that the book is bogged down by a lot of long descriptions of the natural world Thoreau explored. While interesting, and all eloquently written, it took me quite a bit of time to get through this book. It's the type of book that takes me a long time to read, little bits at a time. (Sorry I've had your book for over a month Eli :-/) While the language is certainly a bit too flowery and poetic for my taste, when he gets to the meaty philosophical parts he presents his arguments with a level of clarity that really made me think about things. The book certainly resonates with my feelings about the world I'm living in.
"We should be as good as the worthies of antiquity, but party by first knowing how good they were. We are a race of tit-men, and soar but little higher in our intellectual flights than the columns of the daily paper." - Pg. 116
It's really hard to classify Walden - in parts its a practical description of living a life in the woods on one's own terms, in others he takes a critical look at society and economy, and in portions his investigation takes a scientific tack that while odd; helped me to appreciate the man behind the book. Thoreau is certainly a man of many facets and talents, and quite resourceful to boot. He is a man who is comfortable with who he is, and wise enough to realize the true battle of mankind is the battle within.
"A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. So our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts. We should be blessed if we lived in the present always, and took advantage of every accident that befell us, like the grass which confesses the influence of the slightest dew that falls on it; and did not spend our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities, which we call doing our duty." -Pg. 330
While Thoreau openly discusses his experiences with eastern philosophy, many of his discussions echo Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu philosophies - consciously or without knowledge. He does so in a way that is shockingly lucid, considering the limited exposure such philosophies had in the west in his time. It's in these passages where Thoreau's brilliance really shines brightest (for me, at least).
"I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere. Nature is as well adapted to our weakness as to o strength. The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well-nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of the work we do; and yet how much is not done by us! or, what if we had been taken sick? How vigilant we are! determined not to live by faith if we can avoid it; all day long on the alert, at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties. So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change. This is the only way, we say; but there are as many ways as there can be drawn radii from one centre. All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant." - Pgs. 15-16
Thoreau was certainly a naturalist at heart. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience in such matters becomes clearly obvious while reading Walden. The detail he provides is more than enough to close one's eyes and be able to pretend you're sitting on the stoop of his cabin enjoying a perfect day at Walden Pond. Thoreau also showcases his concern for the decaying relationships between man and nature - how out of touch society was becoming with its powerful benefits. I think if Thoreau were to live in today's world, he'd probably have quite a fit fits over how much worse things got after the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars really gummed things up a whole lot worse...
"But since I left those shores the wood choppers have still further laid them waste, and now for many a year there will be no more rambling through the aisles of the wood, with occasional vistas through which you see the water. My muse may be excused if she is silent henceforth. How can you expect the birds to sing when their groves are cut down?" - Pg. 205
Walden was by no means an easy read, but the challenge was well worth it.
- Chris
Yet again, I have my friend Eli to thank for introducing me to such a fantastic book. Considered Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden is a weighty book which chronicles his thoughts and experiences over the course of a couple of years on the banks of Walden Pond during the years 1845-1847. Walden is rife with transcendentalist philosophy, in many ways a response to a world that was growing increasingly hectic and smaller. While written in the mid 19th century, many of the discussions and philosophy is just as relevant to today's world (if not MORE so) than it was in his world - and that's probably one of the biggest reasons the book is considered such a literary classic.
"We are the subjects of an experiment which is not a little interesting to me. Can we not do without the society of our gossips a little while under these circumstances - have our own thoughts to cheer us? Confucius says truly, 'Virtue does not remain as an abandoned orphan; it must of necessity have neighbors.'" - Pg. 144
I'll admit that the book is bogged down by a lot of long descriptions of the natural world Thoreau explored. While interesting, and all eloquently written, it took me quite a bit of time to get through this book. It's the type of book that takes me a long time to read, little bits at a time. (Sorry I've had your book for over a month Eli :-/) While the language is certainly a bit too flowery and poetic for my taste, when he gets to the meaty philosophical parts he presents his arguments with a level of clarity that really made me think about things. The book certainly resonates with my feelings about the world I'm living in.
"We should be as good as the worthies of antiquity, but party by first knowing how good they were. We are a race of tit-men, and soar but little higher in our intellectual flights than the columns of the daily paper." - Pg. 116
It's really hard to classify Walden - in parts its a practical description of living a life in the woods on one's own terms, in others he takes a critical look at society and economy, and in portions his investigation takes a scientific tack that while odd; helped me to appreciate the man behind the book. Thoreau is certainly a man of many facets and talents, and quite resourceful to boot. He is a man who is comfortable with who he is, and wise enough to realize the true battle of mankind is the battle within.
"A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. So our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts. We should be blessed if we lived in the present always, and took advantage of every accident that befell us, like the grass which confesses the influence of the slightest dew that falls on it; and did not spend our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities, which we call doing our duty." -Pg. 330
While Thoreau openly discusses his experiences with eastern philosophy, many of his discussions echo Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu philosophies - consciously or without knowledge. He does so in a way that is shockingly lucid, considering the limited exposure such philosophies had in the west in his time. It's in these passages where Thoreau's brilliance really shines brightest (for me, at least).
"I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere. Nature is as well adapted to our weakness as to o strength. The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well-nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of the work we do; and yet how much is not done by us! or, what if we had been taken sick? How vigilant we are! determined not to live by faith if we can avoid it; all day long on the alert, at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties. So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change. This is the only way, we say; but there are as many ways as there can be drawn radii from one centre. All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant." - Pgs. 15-16
Thoreau was certainly a naturalist at heart. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience in such matters becomes clearly obvious while reading Walden. The detail he provides is more than enough to close one's eyes and be able to pretend you're sitting on the stoop of his cabin enjoying a perfect day at Walden Pond. Thoreau also showcases his concern for the decaying relationships between man and nature - how out of touch society was becoming with its powerful benefits. I think if Thoreau were to live in today's world, he'd probably have quite a fit fits over how much worse things got after the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars really gummed things up a whole lot worse...
"But since I left those shores the wood choppers have still further laid them waste, and now for many a year there will be no more rambling through the aisles of the wood, with occasional vistas through which you see the water. My muse may be excused if she is silent henceforth. How can you expect the birds to sing when their groves are cut down?" - Pg. 205
Walden was by no means an easy read, but the challenge was well worth it.
- Chris
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Book Review: Consider The Lobster
BOOK: Consider The Lobster - David Foster Wallace
HOW I FOUND THE BOOK: My friend Eli was kind enough to introduce me to DFW, mainly due to his philosophical proximity to several other writers I closely identify with. In a lot of ways, DFW tends to be a modern-day version of Alan Watts. I had read a transcript of the only speech he ever gave, titled This Is Water...and to say I was very interested would be an understatement.
--
Consider The Lobster is a collection of various essays and articles written by DFW that cover a broad range of topics. The articles in the book are original uncut versions of articles that were originally published in magazines. All provide a level of journalistic depth and breadth that are truly masterful. The stories elicit many thoughts, emotions - but they are often presented in way which causes the reader to react in their own way. The reactions are not spoon-fed by DFW, who though he may be very clearly a genius of the highest order (which he very clearly is) - he does not take his audience as idiots. His ability to put you in the situation is uncanny, and the scope of his description and reasoning were true eye and mind openers with regards to "connecting the dots" of many different aspects of our culture and our place within it.
The only real issues I had with the book stemmed from his enormous penchant for footnotes...which break up the flow of his prose with regularity (mostly due to the fact that they're all definitely worth reading, and on occasion are the true meat of the article). It's also handy to have a dictionary on hand - DFW's vocabulary is simply astounding.
The subjects of DFW's prose are so widely varied, yet they are all somehow treated objectively - to the point where the reader has no other choice but to open their mind to the nature of his experience. DFW's presentation of his subjects goes way beyond the superficial standards of many journalists - and he takes his time in doing so. His ability to paint as clear as possible the subject and the atmosphere of their reality is masterful - and keeps the reader on the aforementioned path to objective observation. Simply put; it's this kind of open-minded investigation that can truly change perception. It's very easy to see or hear something and make a value judgement - this is something we all do pretty much all the time...yet this leads me to think that maybe the time granted to an author by forcing his audience to read in a sequential order is to their advantage.
Consider The Lobster has definitely given me a much wider perspective on politics, philosophy, linguistics, talk radio, and so many aspects of American culture - but most of all I feel I have a wider perspective of human nature...and I that's the real gift in reading Consider The Lobster.
- Chris
HOW I FOUND THE BOOK: My friend Eli was kind enough to introduce me to DFW, mainly due to his philosophical proximity to several other writers I closely identify with. In a lot of ways, DFW tends to be a modern-day version of Alan Watts. I had read a transcript of the only speech he ever gave, titled This Is Water...and to say I was very interested would be an understatement.
--
Consider The Lobster is a collection of various essays and articles written by DFW that cover a broad range of topics. The articles in the book are original uncut versions of articles that were originally published in magazines. All provide a level of journalistic depth and breadth that are truly masterful. The stories elicit many thoughts, emotions - but they are often presented in way which causes the reader to react in their own way. The reactions are not spoon-fed by DFW, who though he may be very clearly a genius of the highest order (which he very clearly is) - he does not take his audience as idiots. His ability to put you in the situation is uncanny, and the scope of his description and reasoning were true eye and mind openers with regards to "connecting the dots" of many different aspects of our culture and our place within it.
The only real issues I had with the book stemmed from his enormous penchant for footnotes...which break up the flow of his prose with regularity (mostly due to the fact that they're all definitely worth reading, and on occasion are the true meat of the article). It's also handy to have a dictionary on hand - DFW's vocabulary is simply astounding.
The subjects of DFW's prose are so widely varied, yet they are all somehow treated objectively - to the point where the reader has no other choice but to open their mind to the nature of his experience. DFW's presentation of his subjects goes way beyond the superficial standards of many journalists - and he takes his time in doing so. His ability to paint as clear as possible the subject and the atmosphere of their reality is masterful - and keeps the reader on the aforementioned path to objective observation. Simply put; it's this kind of open-minded investigation that can truly change perception. It's very easy to see or hear something and make a value judgement - this is something we all do pretty much all the time...yet this leads me to think that maybe the time granted to an author by forcing his audience to read in a sequential order is to their advantage.
Consider The Lobster has definitely given me a much wider perspective on politics, philosophy, linguistics, talk radio, and so many aspects of American culture - but most of all I feel I have a wider perspective of human nature...and I that's the real gift in reading Consider The Lobster.
- Chris
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