What are you reading right now?

**Frownland** · 08-04-2020, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindy

The barrage of puns can get a bit groan inducing.

Ja, it is a bit trollhearty but it only seems like a barrage when he's introducing a recurring pun in I Am a Strange Loop.

rostasi · 08-04-2020, 12:38 PM

GEB was the first book I introduced to my then, girlfriend; now, wife -
as a kind of explanation of the way I think. I have all of his books and
used to read his monthly column for Scientific American pretty regularly.
They're now gathered in a book too. Also, his Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies
was the very first book to be sold on Amazon some 25 years ago.

••••••••••••••••� �••••••••••••••••� ��•••••••••••••••• •••••••••••

Also, I was gonna add:

Starting with ...Strange Loop is OK, because in some ways, it gives you a better
understanding of Gödel that may have been a difficult slog thru when reading about
his incompleteness theorem in the first part of GEB (if you had read that book first).

OccultHawk · 08-13-2020, 08:36 PM

Sarah Bakewell
At The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails

Good book. Easy to read and very informative.

**Frownland** · 08-17-2020, 11:50 PM

Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The book that he was set to release when Hoover assassinated him, looks like we chose the former. It's got at least one mic drop per page.

Some faves quotes:
“When scientific power outruns moral power, we end up with guided missiles and misguided men.“

“The real cost lies ahead. The stiffening of white resistance is a recognition of that fact.“

“It is difficult to let others see the full psychological meaning of caste segregation. It is as though one, looking out from a dark cave in a side of an impending mountain, sees the world passing and speaks to it; speaks courteously and persuasively, showing them how these entombed souls are hindered in their natural movement, expression, and development; and how their loosening from prison would be a matter not simply of courtesy, sympathy, and help to them, but to all the world. One talks on evenly and logically in this way but notices that the passing throng does not even turn its head, or if it does, glances curiously and walks on. It gradually penetrates the minds of the prisoners that the people passing do not hear; that some thick sheet of invisible but horribly tangible plate glass is between them and the world.... Then the people within may become hysterical. They may scream and hurl themselves against the barriers, hardly realizing in their bewilderment that they are screaming in a vacuum unheard and that their antics may actually seem funny to the outside looking in. They may even, here and there, break through in blood and disfigurement, and find themselves faced by a horrified, implacable, and quite overwhelming mob of people frightened for their own existence.“ -[W.E.B. Du Bois quote]

“The movement is depicted as absorbed in controversy, confused in direction, venal towards its friends, and in such turmoil it has tragically lost its golden opportunity to attain change today.“

“We unconsciously patterned a crisis policy and program, and summoned support not for daily commitment but for explosive events alone.“

“To guarantee an income at the floor would simply perpetuate welfare standards and freeze into society poverty conditions.“

**Frownland** · 08-20-2020, 11:27 PM

Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson

The best thing that I've read on music apart from Cage's writings. Breaks down what makes people love Celine Dion but also dives deep into regional, class, and social drivers of taste on both sides. The writer (approaching the subject as a Celine Dion despiser) comes to a lot of same conclusions about taste that many members here have reached (thinking Bat, OH, rostasi, Goof, Ant, and myself) and also makes fun of us for patting ourselves on the back about it. Insightful with a lot of informative passages and wry jokes, definitely worth your time if you like music enough to make an account here. This one has a reputation for a reason.

(it's not that Carl Wilson just fyi)

kibbeh · 08-30-2020, 11:18 AM

The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy

After reading Anna Karenina, I decided I would like to read all of Tolstoy's works. I really enjoyed this one. It keeps you interested from start to finish, I did not want to put it down. I have to say, Tolstoy sure does have a thing for cheating wives though lol. Although the husband in the book is most definitely the villain, Tolstoy does this thing where he makes you question if he really is such a terrible person...

Anyway, I've would highly recommend this one.

**Marie Monday** · 08-30-2020, 12:26 PM

^Cool, I haven't read this one yet! Anna Karenina is such a morally complex book, I don't think I've spent as much time brooding over any other book

OccultHawk · 08-30-2020, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie Monday

^Cool, I haven't read this one yet! Anna Karenina is such a morally complex book, I don't think I've spent as much time brooding over any other book

Do you mean Tolstoy’s was being intentionally complex or are you saying it’s a complex task coming to terms with Tolstoy’s morality?

kibbeh · 08-30-2020, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie Monday

^Cool, I haven't read this one yet! Anna Karenina is such a morally complex book, I don't think I've spent as much time brooding over any other book

Definitely check this out then, it's super short and will take like an hour or two max to finish.

OccultHawk · 08-30-2020, 01:34 PM

Have you read his non-fiction?

08-04-2020, 12:38 PM	#6932 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	GEB was the first book I introduced to my then, girlfriend; now, wife - as a kind of explanation of the way I think. I have all of his books and used to read his monthly column for Scientific American pretty regularly. They're now gathered in a book too. Also, his Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies was the very first book to be sold on Amazon some 25 years ago. ••••••••••••••••� �••••••••••••••••� ��•••••••••••••••• ••••••••••• Also, I was gonna add: Starting with ...Strange Loop is OK, because in some ways, it gives you a better understanding of Gödel that may have been a difficult slog thru when reading about his incompleteness theorem in the first part of GEB (if you had read that book first). Last edited by rostasi; 08-04-2020 at 12:57 PM.

08-13-2020, 08:36 PM	#6933 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Sarah Bakewell At The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails Good book. Easy to read and very informative. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

08-17-2020, 11:50 PM	#6934 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King, Jr. The book that he was set to release when Hoover assassinated him, looks like we chose the former. It's got at least one mic drop per page. Some faves quotes: “When scientific power outruns moral power, we end up with guided missiles and misguided men.“ “The real cost lies ahead. The stiffening of white resistance is a recognition of that fact.“ “It is difficult to let others see the full psychological meaning of caste segregation. It is as though one, looking out from a dark cave in a side of an impending mountain, sees the world passing and speaks to it; speaks courteously and persuasively, showing them how these entombed souls are hindered in their natural movement, expression, and development; and how their loosening from prison would be a matter not simply of courtesy, sympathy, and help to them, but to all the world. One talks on evenly and logically in this way but notices that the passing throng does not even turn its head, or if it does, glances curiously and walks on. It gradually penetrates the minds of the prisoners that the people passing do not hear; that some thick sheet of invisible but horribly tangible plate glass is between them and the world.... Then the people within may become hysterical. They may scream and hurl themselves against the barriers, hardly realizing in their bewilderment that they are screaming in a vacuum unheard and that their antics may actually seem funny to the outside looking in. They may even, here and there, break through in blood and disfigurement, and find themselves faced by a horrified, implacable, and quite overwhelming mob of people frightened for their own existence.“ -[W.E.B. Du Bois quote] “The movement is depicted as absorbed in controversy, confused in direction, venal towards its friends, and in such turmoil it has tragically lost its golden opportunity to attain change today.“ “We unconsciously patterned a crisis policy and program, and summoned support not for daily commitment but for explosive events alone.“ “To guarantee an income at the floor would simply perpetuate welfare standards and freeze into society poverty conditions.“ __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

08-20-2020, 11:27 PM	#6935 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson The best thing that I've read on music apart from Cage's writings. Breaks down what makes people love Celine Dion but also dives deep into regional, class, and social drivers of taste on both sides. The writer (approaching the subject as a Celine Dion despiser) comes to a lot of same conclusions about taste that many members here have reached (thinking Bat, OH, rostasi, Goof, Ant, and myself) and also makes fun of us for patting ourselves on the back about it. Insightful with a lot of informative passages and wry jokes, definitely worth your time if you like music enough to make an account here. This one has a reputation for a reason. (it's not that Carl Wilson just fyi) __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

08-30-2020, 11:18 AM	#6936 (permalink)
kibbeh kibbeh Join Date: May 2016 Location: nowhere Posts: 648	The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy After reading Anna Karenina, I decided I would like to read all of Tolstoy's works. I really enjoyed this one. It keeps you interested from start to finish, I did not want to put it down. I have to say, Tolstoy sure does have a thing for cheating wives though lol. Although the husband in the book is most definitely the villain, Tolstoy does this thing where he makes you question if he really is such a terrible person... Anyway, I've would highly recommend this one. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o2u2p1FzNM

08-30-2020, 01:34 PM	#6940 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Have you read his non-fiction? __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html