Good Reads

[Lynn Wilber]

As I saunter into my dotage and my hearing acuity wanes I find I am reading more, both for entertainment and and as panacea for the disappointment I feel in the world outside my small domain. Whenever i visit a friend or perhaps a new acquaintance, I find myself clandestinely examining their libraries or books left carelessly about, both to perhaps discover something new and interesting or because I have found that one can get a pretty good initial impression of a person's salient persona by observing their reading preferences (though this is not an infallible methodology). Anyways, I am curious to hear from readers recommendations or comments about books they have found entertaining or edifying, things that stir their enthusiasm. Here is a short list of writing which has had big influence on my own world view:  (1) "Cannery Row" - John Steinbeck,  (2) "Grapes of Wrath" - John Steinbeck, (3) "Zorba the Greek" - Nikos Kazantzakis,  (4) "Some of the Dead are Still Breathing" - Charles Bowden,  (5) "Trinity" -Charles Bowden,  (6) "on Nonviolence" - Mohandas Ghandi,  (7) "Blood Meridian" and "Suttree" - Cormac McCarthy, (8) "Fire Alarm" - Michael Lowy,  (9)  "The society of the Spectacle" - Guy Debord,  (10) "The Air-conditioned Nightmare" - Hernry Miller, and (11)  "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainance" - Robert Pirsig.  Well, that's probably enough of a list to get started on this thread.  If you've come across something recently that you just couldn't lay aside or fondly remember a volume that twisted rour noodle in the past, please feel free to post it here in this thread. Peace and good times, SvH

[SteveE]

Hey my friend, email me your address. I have a book that I’ve owned for nearly 50 years that I’d love for you to have as it’s next caretaker. I think you’ll really like it. It’s called Congo Kitabu by John Pierre Halle. I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time and your post finally knocked this bird brain off his perch.

[RobertH]

Thanks for the recommendations - I've read several of 'em and borrowed a couple from you.

Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts - an criminal from Australia finds redemption in the slums of Bombay - biography
The Book of Koli - M.R. Carey - pure escapism

QOTD: For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?

   
   

[Sandi C]

If you liked Gandhi’s “On Nonviolence”, I might suggest “Strength to Love” by Martin Luther King Jr. Incredible unifying wisdom from an incredible man, wisdom the world needs to hear today.  Unfortunately, if he were here today, he would be extinguished again to help keep the world safe from the light.

If you are looking to twist your noggin, there is one of my all-time favorites, Richard Bach’s “Illusions”.  A very quick and very fun read.  If you are looking for alternate realities, there is always Zecharia Sitchin’s “The 12[sup] [/sup]th Planet” with lots of interesting research and imagination.  If you want to get even more yoga-fied-bendy, check out Michael Talbot’s “The Holographic Universe”.  This could appeal to a man who posts picture plates of William Blake’s Illuminated Works if one contemplates such works. And of course, in that vein, there is always Rumi.  Peace and happiness.

[Lynn Wilber]

Hydie. Jazz just gave me a new book a couple days ago that I can't put down.  If you grew up in the Fifties  like I did, you spent a lot of hours at Saturday Matinees watching cartoons, an essential part of the festivities.  I wanted to highly recommend this book called "WILD MINDS" by Reid Mitenbuler, an enthusiastically rendered history of the golden age of cartoons. This thing has the back stories, from the very beginnings, of the wild and crazy world of cartoon animation. Wow, whatta world. SvH

[RobertH]

Hydie. Jazz just gave me a new book a couple days ago that I can't put down.  If you grew up in the Fifties  like I did, you spent a lot of hours at Saturday Matinees watching cartoons, an essential part of the festivities.  I wanted to highly recommend this book called "WILD MINDS" by Reid Mitenbuler, an enthusiastically rendered history of the golden age of cartoons. This thing has the back stories, from the very beginnings, of the wild and crazy world of cartoon animation. Wow, whatta world. SvH

I'm reading Pirates in the Heartland, S Clay Wilson, not quite Blake ... 
but the immortal words "I'm your rescue demon, toots" are in there.

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If you liked Gandhi’s “On Nonviolence”, I might suggest “Strength to Love” by Martin Luther King Jr. Incredible unifying wisdom from an incredible man, wisdom the world needs to hear today.  Unfortunately, if he were here today, he would be extinguished again to help keep the world safe from the light.

If you are looking to twist your noggin, there is one of my all-time favorites, Richard Bach’s “Illusions”.  A very quick and very fun read.  If you are looking for alternate realities, there is always Zecharia Sitchin’s “The 12[sup] [/sup]th Planet” with lots of interesting research and imagination.  If you want to get even more yoga-fied-bendy, check out Michael Talbot’s “The Holographic Universe”.  This could appeal to a man who posts picture plates of William Blake’s Illuminated Works if one contemplates such works. And of course, in that vein, there is always Rumi.  Peace and happiness.

زخم جایی است که نور وارد شما می شود
is my favorite  Rumi quote.  and the attached image shows Rumi at his day job

[Lynn Wilber]

       Hey there Robert.  I've been hankering to read that book myself.  I think it's part of a series of books about the the life and artistry of S. Clay Wilson.  I've been an admirer of his deranged doodliings since the Sixties when he was contributings to screeds like Zap, Yellow Dog, and Snatch and named my little Honda 400 Four as homage, "The Checkered Demon". Wow, whatta maniac. SvH

[SteveE]

I have a book for y’all. It’s a jaw-dropping memoir of a boy and his mother fleeing deportation to a Nazi death camp in WW II Slovakia. I know, not a happy subject but an amazing and exciting tale of courage, perseverance, and survival. It’s “Holocaust Memories: Annihilation and Survival in Slovakia” by Paul Davidovits.

Full disclosure: Paul was my PhD thesis advisor at Yale. He’s 87 now, retired a couple of years ago, and then wrote his memoir. He is a gifted teacher and scientist. Paul talked very little about his past so his story was shocking to me. I suspect he’s kept it bottled up till now. Whether you read it or not I just want you to know the name Professor Paul Davidovits. I’m honored and humbled to call him my friend.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/949323152...948&sr=8-1

[Lynn Wilber]

.  .  .  .  .  Speaking of Steve E. and his kool memoir, He sent me bodacious book a few weeks ago I just finished this morning and want to recommend as a real barn-burner. It's called "CONGO KITABU" by Jean Pierre Hallet, a larger than life agronimist, anthropologist, and generally amazing character who puts Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show in the cheap seats in my estimation. If you read it you'll be highly entertained and learn a lot about Africa. SvH

[RobertH]

I read it, and it's good.   If you're into Judaica and Holocaust history, it will appeal.   I have a copy that I'll loan out to anyone interested.

I have a book for y’all. It’s a jaw-dropping memoir of a boy and his mother fleeing deportation to a Nazi death camp in WW II Slovakia. I know, not a happy subject but an amazing and exciting tale of courage, perseverance, and survival. It’s “Holocaust Memories: Annihilation and Survival in Slovakia” by Paul Davidovits.

Full disclosure: Paul was my PhD thesis advisor at Yale. He’s 87 now, retired a couple of years ago, and then wrote his memoir. He is a gifted teacher and scientist. Paul talked very little about his past so his story was shocking to me. I suspect he’s kept it bottled up till now. Whether you read it or not I just want you to know the name Professor Paul Davidovits. I’m honored and humbled to call him my friend.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/949323152...948&sr=8-1

---

Robert: I'll swap you the S Clay Wilson for this, and the Holocaust one if it interests you - after the weather isn't so beastly!
I don't have this reply thing quite down yet.

.  .  .  .  .  Speaking of Steve E. and his kool memoir, He sent me bodacious book a few weeks ago I just finished this morning and want to recommend as a real barn-burner. It's called "CONGO KITABU" by Jean Pierre Hallet, a larger than life agronimist, anthropologist, and generally amazing character who puts Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show in the cheap seats in my estimation. If you read it you'll be highly entertained and learn a lot about Africa. SvH

[Lynn Wilber]

Hey there, I have a recommendation for readers like Robert H. who delight in the mellifluous ringing of wordsmithery from a master of Southern Gothic literature, namely "SUTREE", by Cormac Mc carthy.  Soon as I get thru a couple of things I'm into at the moment I'm going to reread it and I'd be curious to hear other's opinion of this novel set in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's a great boulliabase of lugubrious drollery and side splitting humor reminiscent of the Sut Lovingood and Mark Twain yarns. Rave on, John Donne. SvH

[Lynn Wilber]

    Hola.  Yesterday Robert H. loaned me a stack of books, one of which I'm part way thru already and wanted to recommend it heartily to those interested in such things. It's called "FOUR ARGUMENTS FOR THE ELIMINATION OF TELEVISION" by Jerry Mander (sic). It's written by an insider to that medium and presents analyses and observations all tv lovers should be aware of. His ideas can be extended to other technologies as well and I think are especially applicable to the ubiquitous internet. Never forget that the main reason for the existence of these marvelous contraptions is to sell you something. SvH

[Lynn Wilber]

    Hola. One thing I love almost as much as music is books about great music and musicians.  This morning I was reading a couple of reviews scribbled in the back of Lester Bangs' book "PSYCHOTIC REACTIONS AND CARBURETOR DUNG" on Peter Guralnick's beautiful book "LOST HIGHWAY".  They don't get much better, so I want to give a big shout out with high enthusiasm and suggest you snag a copy. While you're at it, also grab another of my favorites, "COUNTRY MUSIC - THE BIGGEST MUSIC IN AMERICA" by Nick Tosches. Either of these will free your inner lumpenproletarian child and clue you to the real 190 proof pysychotronic caterwaullery always lurking under the corner of the lime green shag carpet of your mental rumpus room. Pump up the volume! SvH  (Also check out the videos, "SLEEPY LABEEF RIDES AGAIN" and "GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT', rip-snorters about Sam Phillips and the birth of rock n roll, one of which has some neat cameo appearances and commentary by said Peter Guralnick. Don't whine that I didn't tell you.)

[Rose H-H]

At last fingertips meet the keyboard to tap out what's been rolling around in my mind - what list can I add to Lynn's excellent BB thread?  Risking that "pretty good initial impression of a person's salient persona by observing their reading preferences," here we go:

Stellaluna, written and illustrated by Janell Cannon - one of my all-time favorite picture books, doesn't matter how old you are to appreciate it!  Yes, we can make friends with others who are very different from ourselves.

All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot - I practically memorized all of the books in this series when I was in that magical stage around 10 to 12 years old, when so many parts of the world are opening up to your newly-found awareness.  Sleep is some of the best medicine.

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver - I read this pretty much every summer, loving the different voices and how their stories weave together.  It's the first place where I ever heard about the Volterra Principle (oh, don't just Google it, try the book ; ) The audible book, read by the author is wonderful, too.

Solviva:  How to Grow $500,000 on One Acre & Peace on Earth, by Anna Edey - part of my education when I aspired to have a small farm/greenhouse.  It might happen yet.  What other books have you seen that discuss how to manage a greenhouse partially heated by solar energy, partially by animals like chickens and rabbits (with reference to the BTU's put out by said animals)?  Carly, I will actually get this over to you to borrow. ; )

The Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean Auel - OK, sure, there are lots of juicy parts in this series of novels about possible stories of how some of our ancient ancestors lived.  There are also some nice pieces of herbal medicine.  But the thing that I like the most is how these books make me ponder how we are social animals and how we evolve (and devolve) in ways to live in communities of ever-increasing concentric circles.

Polish off your reading glasses and enjoy!!!