What Are You Reading?
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deserves a repost (of mine... solipsism is my weakness, or, as I like to consider, my strength)
clarification: generic reply on cycling fora when posters wish to disabuse fanbois that their Tour winner is a drug taker like the rest, and that English speaking cyclists morality is bunkum. I had the quote: "listen to the bone idle w@ankers - Bertran Russell" which I made up o'course, an homage to anglophone fanbois of morality 
I prefer the swear filter version.
Listen to the bone idle M O O S,
does the swear filter think we are cows when we use the term w@nker. We are not bovine. We are human. Onomatopoeia, has no matter of poeia on this forum.
The Social Animal
Undergraduate book on social psychology. It's not bad but Influence : The Psychology of Persuasion by Cialdini is better. My son was getting the shits with his psychology course so I gave him the Cialdini. He read it cover to cover in 2 days.
A good follow on from those books is The Moral Animal by Robert Wright. Expounds on the evolutionary reasons for human behaviour and morality. He does a nice job of mixing that with a biog of Charles Darwin to illustrate some of the points he is explaining.
evo
Let's hit the f*ken road!
Just read 'The China Study' and now wishing I didn't. I really don't want to become a vegan but must say the evidence of its benefits are pretty compelling.
Yeah, that pretty much sums up my thoughts.
Two Pints by Roddy Doyle - funniest thing I've read in years. Doyle at his absolute observational best.
Also, The Footy Almanac is a cracking read his year.
Also, The Footy Almanac is a cracking read his year.
bombermick
Norm Smith Medallist
Religion for Atheists: Just started it, but an interesting premise that we're worse off for throwing religion completely.
Alain de Botton's books are always worth reading. He cops a fair bit of crap for pop philosophy, but he's got a very engaging and relatable style of writing.
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An interesting read.
This is essential reading for those that haven't already done so:
http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/ss.pdf
- Feb 14, 2002
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Just dipped back into Nietzsche's 'Beyond Good and Evil'.
Also reading: 'A Confederacy of Dunces', by John Kennedy Toole - extraordinary book.
Also reading: 'American Caesar' - William Manchester's biography of Gen. Douglas MacArthur - 700 pages - last 100 really tedious. An apologia which contradicts all the admirable research he has done.
Also reading: 'The Architect of Kokoda: Bert Kienzle - The Man Who Made the Kokoda Trail', by Robin Kienzle (his daughter) - a disgraceful book in which the author has plagiarised without thought.
Also reading: 'Karl Jaspers: A Biography - Navigations in Truth' - by Suzanne Kirkbright - a wonderful piece of research into the life of one of the 20th Cent.'s most interesting thinkers.
Also reading: 'A Confederacy of Dunces', by John Kennedy Toole - extraordinary book.
Also reading: 'American Caesar' - William Manchester's biography of Gen. Douglas MacArthur - 700 pages - last 100 really tedious. An apologia which contradicts all the admirable research he has done.
Also reading: 'The Architect of Kokoda: Bert Kienzle - The Man Who Made the Kokoda Trail', by Robin Kienzle (his daughter) - a disgraceful book in which the author has plagiarised without thought.
Also reading: 'Karl Jaspers: A Biography - Navigations in Truth' - by Suzanne Kirkbright - a wonderful piece of research into the life of one of the 20th Cent.'s most interesting thinkers.
bombermick
Norm Smith Medallist
Dunces is one of the great books. To think it was never appreciated in his lifetime is a tragedy, as it has some of fiction's greatest characters.
bombermick
Norm Smith Medallist
Manged to get through half of it today and I'm intrigued. Some of it is tongue-in-cheek, but some of the ideas are worth pondering. The sense of community that religion offered hasn't been replaced.
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I'm a sucker for writers who can invent their own language.
fellatio?
evo
Let's hit the f*ken road!
Pure genius. And it always gets better with each reading.
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I'm not that sort of fella.
I've got a copy in the post to me. Hopefully it will arrive before I take my trip to the UK. Just checked the exchange rate. I will be drinking Boddingtons for the equivalent of $4.50 a pint. As the great man said (maybe) "Without beer, life would be a mistake".
- Feb 14, 2002
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It's a wonderful book, which turns most of the history of western thought on ethics on its head. I was going to reply to your message about Freddy, but wanted to think before I did. I'm posting it on here, in case it might be of interest to those who are similarly-minded to you.
Personally, because I'm a contrarian, I'd first read Fred's 'The Anti-Christ', despite the fact that it was the last book he ever wrote. Some say he was insane when he wrote it. Oh to be so insane. It is basically a critique of christians and their values. I always recommend it to be read first by those approaching Nietzsche for the first time, partly because its a short book, of about 120 pages. Also, it is Nietzsche at his most accessible, on a topic which doesn't necessarily require an acquaintance with the history of western philosophy. However, he never wrote a bad book, so going with BGE is no bad idea.
To help you, or anyone else reading Nietzsche for the first time, it is worthwhile to remember a couple of things. Every word he wrote is loaded with meaning. None of those words are there for no reason. It is a rewarding experience to read him quickly, and let his thought just sort of flow over you. If you are going to do this, be prepared to revisit the book(s) at some later stage. Some sentences, other paragraphs, whole pages, and complete chapters, demand rereading to get their full import. A tedious process I know, but one well-rewarded. None of his books will be read in one sitting and be fully understood. Part of the reason for this is that, at first blush, Nietzsche appears go through a process of saying the exact opposite of the conclusion he reaches. This can be confusing, but stick with it.
I hope I haven't discouraged you too much. Please let me know your progress and PM me if you need any assistance. No understanding of western thought since 1880 is possible without some acknowledgement of his pervasive influence on so many other writers, artists, musicians and thinkers. Apart from all of that, he writes really well, with a sly sense of mischief, a celebration of existence, and (arguably) a more profound understanding of humans than any other.
he has nice eyes, if he was a chick.
it is like his chromosomes were ****ed up in the womb, he got female looks and a bald head.
filandia2nuts
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Read 'The Life of Pi'. Wouldn't be my type of book usually, however, I picked it up at the airport terminal as I was accidently 3 hours early for my flight. To be honest, it wasn't too bad. Still, I'm not sure why the writer had to include himself in the text and the interview, when the story is entertaining enough. Especially when it's all fiction and there is no interview. Pointless, IMO.
Read 'Maestro' as I'm a teacher and I've always seen this on booklists. My God it was awful.
I'm reading '1984' again as my god-daughter is about to study it in Year 11 and I want to give her a few tips. Gets better everytime.
Have just started 'The Feast of the Goat' by LLosa. I can't get into it and I have FK all sparetime so don't like reading crap books, even if it only takes me a day or two. Still, it was given to me by a mate who is a writer and works in a book store. Has anyone read it? Any recommendations.
Am also reading 'Fear and Loathing' which, surprisingly, I have never read. Good to pick up for a bit, have a laugh and put back down. Also, 'Dreams from my Father' and 'The Quiet American' on the go.
Read 'Maestro' as I'm a teacher and I've always seen this on booklists. My God it was awful.
I'm reading '1984' again as my god-daughter is about to study it in Year 11 and I want to give her a few tips. Gets better everytime.
Have just started 'The Feast of the Goat' by LLosa. I can't get into it and I have FK all sparetime so don't like reading crap books, even if it only takes me a day or two. Still, it was given to me by a mate who is a writer and works in a book store. Has anyone read it? Any recommendations.
Am also reading 'Fear and Loathing' which, surprisingly, I have never read. Good to pick up for a bit, have a laugh and put back down. Also, 'Dreams from my Father' and 'The Quiet American' on the go.
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