Laozi Posted July 13, 2007 Posted July 13, 2007 I'm starting The Children of H People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don't understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair.
Fionavar Posted July 13, 2007 Posted July 13, 2007 Dershowitz, Alan. The Genesis of Justice The universe is change; your life is what our thoughts make it - Marcus Aurelius (161)
metadigital Posted July 14, 2007 Author Posted July 14, 2007 The Surgeon of Crowthorne (Simon Winchester) and Siddhartha (Hermann Hesse). Siddhartha now also realized why he had struggled in vain with this Self when he was a Brahmin and an ascetic. Too much knowledge had hindered him; too many holy verses, too many sacrificial rites, too much mortification of the flesh, too much doing and striving. He had been full of arrogance; he had always been the cleverest, the most eager -- always a step ahead of the others, always the learned and intellectual one, always the priest or the sage. His Self had crawled into his priesthood, into his arrogance, into his intellectuality. It sat there tightly and grew, while he thought he was destroying it by fasting and penitence. ... No, a true seeker could not accept any teachings, not if he sincerely wished to find something. But he who had found could give his approval to every path, every goal; nothing separated him from all the other thousands who lived in eternity, who breathe the Divine. ... Do you then really think that you have committed your follies in order to spare your son them? Can you then protect your son from Sansara? How? Through instruction, through prayers, through exhortation? My dear friend, have you forgotten that instructive story about Siddhartha, the Brahmin's son, which you once told me here? Who protected Siddhartha the Samana from Sansara, from sin, greed and folly? Could his father's peity, his teacher's exhortations, his own knowledge, his own seeking, protect him? Which father, which teacher, could prevent him from living his own life, from soiling himself with life, fromloading himself with sin, from swallowing the bitter drink himself, from finding his own path? Do you think, my dear friend, that anyone is spared this path? ... 'When someone is seeking,' said Siddhartha, 'it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything, because he is only thinking of the thing he is seeking, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal. You, O worthy one, are perhaps indeed a seeker, for in striving towards your goal, you do not see many things that are under your nose.' ... '...[A] truth can only be expressed and enveloped in words if it is one-sided. Everything that is thought and expressed in words is one-sided, only half the truth; it all lacks totality, completeness, unity. When the illustrious Buddha taught about the world, he had to divide it into Sansara or wholly Nirvana; into illusion and truth, into suffering and salvation. One cannot do otherwise, there is no other method for those who teach. But the world itself, being in and around us, is never one-sided. Never is a man or a deed wholly a saint or a sinner. This only seems so because we suffer the illusion that time is something real. Time is not real, Govinda. I have realized this repeatedly. And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between good and evil, is also an illusion.' OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT
Walsingham Posted July 14, 2007 Posted July 14, 2007 Romanitas. You know, the one saying 'The Roman Empire NOW!' on the cover. Utter karfblarg. There are a couple of interesting bits, and the writer is capable of getting inside multiple perspectives, but - the characterisation is pretty trivial. The men are all either brutes or broken reeds. The women are either sily little things or warriors. - There is absolutely no justification for how the Empire has held together for 2000 years, nor has anything really changed from classical Rome. - I got confused once or twice, and that makes me feel stupid. Stupid and cantankerous. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
Musopticon? Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Is that the horribly corny What IF...-book about Roman Empire never falling to unwashed brutes behind her gates? kirottu said: I was raised by polar bears. I had to fight against blood thirsty wolves and rabid penguins to get my food. Those who were too weak to survive were sent to Sweden. It has made me the man I am today. A man who craves furry hentai. So let us go and embrace the rustling smells of unseen worlds
Hurlshort Posted July 16, 2007 Posted July 16, 2007 Just a suggestion for the person that read "Animal Farm", I highly recommend Mikhail Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita". http://www.amazon.com/Master-Margarita-Mik...v/dp/0679760806 It's considered one of the greatest satire pieces ever written. It's important to note that Bulgakov wrote it during Stalin-era Russia. Bulgakov actually petitioned to leave Russia so that he could further his playwright career, but Stalin personally called him and told him no, he was too valuable to Russian society. This book was suppressed by the USSR until it's collapse, and even then the translation of a satirical work is no easy matter. But the edition I have pointed out does an excellent job in doing so.
Laozi Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 I've gotten the whole series of Y The Last Man on trade paperback. People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don't understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair.
Kor Qel Droma Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 Just starting the third installment of the Dark Tower series. I can remember not liking this book that much the first time around. Jaguars4ever is still alive. No word of a lie.
Deadly_Nightshade Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 I'm reading The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins. "Geez. It's like we lost some sort of bet and ended up saddled with a bunch of terrible new posters on this forum." -Hurlshot
WITHTEETH Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 Just a suggestion for the person that read "Animal Farm", I highly recommend Mikhail Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita". http://www.amazon.com/Master-Margarita-Mik...v/dp/0679760806 It's considered one of the greatest satire pieces ever written. It's important to note that Bulgakov wrote it during Stalin-era Russia. Bulgakov actually petitioned to leave Russia so that he could further his playwright career, but Stalin personally called him and told him no, he was too valuable to Russian society. This book was suppressed by the USSR until it's collapse, and even then the translation of a satirical work is no easy matter. But the edition I have pointed out does an excellent job in doing so. You've sparked my interest, Ill check it out definately at the library, or book store. Thanks! Always outnumbered, never out gunned! Unreal Tournament 2004 Handle:Enlight_2.0 Myspace Website! My rig
Calax Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 the DragonCrown War by Michael A Stackpole It's... interesting. They have muskets in a high fantasy novel that is not unlike The Song of Ice and Fire. Except it's got more magic. Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
Laozi Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 (edited) the DragonCrown War by Michael A Stackpole It's... interesting. They have muskets in a high fantasy novel that is not unlike The Song of Ice and Fire. Except it's got more magic. What were those books that basically had dragons during the Napoleonic Wars? EDIT: Found it His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Majesty's_Dragon I'd be curious to see which one was published first. Edited July 18, 2007 by Laozi People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don't understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair.
Calax Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 nah, stackpoles books are in world of his own devising where a war begins between "the enemy" and the rest of the world. Except they are all chasing down parts of the artifact known as the dragon crown in order to control (against their will) the drangons. They also kill a dragon with a set of four HUGE cannons hitting it in the head at the same time from below Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
mr insomniac Posted July 19, 2007 Posted July 19, 2007 Just starting the third installment of the Dark Tower series. I can remember not liking this book that much the first time around. I agree, I thought the 3rd book was the weak link in the series as well. Finished Shogun; excellent book! As someone else in the thread mentioned, Clavell is a master of the subplot. The twists and turns were fun to read, and I actually read the last 250 or so pages in one night and was pretty much a zombie at work the next day. Now reading The Green Mile, by Stephen King. I took this job because I thought you were just a legend. Just a story. A story to scare little kids. But you're the real deal. The demon who dares to challenge God. So what the hell do you want? Don't seem to me like you're out to make this stinkin' world a better place. Why you gotta kill all my men? Why you gotta kill me? Nothing personal. It's just revenge.
Deadly_Nightshade Posted July 19, 2007 Posted July 19, 2007 I'm reading The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins. "Geez. It's like we lost some sort of bet and ended up saddled with a bunch of terrible new posters on this forum." -Hurlshot
Xard Posted July 20, 2007 Posted July 20, 2007 (edited) Just starting the third installment of the Dark Tower series. I can remember not liking this book that much the first time around. I agree, I thought the 3rd book was the weak link in the series as well. Finished Shogun; excellent book! As someone else in the thread mentioned, Clavell is a master of the subplot. The twists and turns were fun to read, and I actually read the last 250 or so pages in one night and was pretty much a zombie at work the next day. Now reading The Green Mile, by Stephen King. Tsk tsk. The Wasteland is pure awesomeness. Also, one small shop in easter Finland really screwed up with newest Potter. They sold already few copies, blame of course on screwed up summer workers something similar happened in USA too, heh Some guy took pictures of every page and put it in the internets. I heard Rowling was furious Nonetheless I'm going to pick my copy tomorrow. I'm not Potter fan, but they're good books even with their shortcomings and there isn't anything else interesting me anyway Edited July 20, 2007 by Xard How can it be a no ob build. It has PROVEN effective. I dare you to show your builds and I will tear you apart in an arugment about how these builds will won them. - OverPowered Godzilla (OPG)
Shryke Posted July 20, 2007 Posted July 20, 2007 I've been reading the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb Almost finished with the first book. It's pretty good so far. Nothing spectacular, but still good when your mind works against you - fight back with substance abuse!
WITHTEETH Posted July 21, 2007 Posted July 21, 2007 Started reading The Philosophy of Existentialism by Marcel Gabriel. I like existentialism but I do not like this guys writing style or reasons. I dumped it after skimming through the begging of the chapters and the end of the chapters to get the jist. Always outnumbered, never out gunned! Unreal Tournament 2004 Handle:Enlight_2.0 Myspace Website! My rig
Xard Posted July 21, 2007 Posted July 21, 2007 Reading newest Harry Potter. EVERYONE in that frickin' book store was buying Deathly Hallows. Rowling ought to make record again... How can it be a no ob build. It has PROVEN effective. I dare you to show your builds and I will tear you apart in an arugment about how these builds will won them. - OverPowered Godzilla (OPG)
Krookie Posted July 21, 2007 Posted July 21, 2007 Me too. Just woke up and read the first 2 chapters.
Kor Qel Droma Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 Hang on - Kor reading books? WTF, mate? I must be sick in the head. Jaguars4ever is still alive. No word of a lie.
Fionavar Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 Leclerc, Thomas L. Yahweh is Exalted Justice: Solidarity and Conflict in Isaiah. The universe is change; your life is what our thoughts make it - Marcus Aurelius (161)
Xard Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 Bloody hell. Deathly Hallows was great book, second or third best Potter. Apart from some numbing and boring middle parts (thanks to whole Potter crazyness editors really don't have power over Rowlings works. In this case they should ) and absolutely horrendous epilogue I was very satisfied with this book. Also, Rowling went homicidical with her characters How can it be a no ob build. It has PROVEN effective. I dare you to show your builds and I will tear you apart in an arugment about how these builds will won them. - OverPowered Godzilla (OPG)
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