I found it to be an enjoyable read, although I'm not very knowledgeable on comparative translations. Certainly worth checking out. I enjoyed the "outer chapters" as well. — Maw

I'm glad you liked it. It has meant a lot to me.

I could never work out why the monk was a beautiful Japanese fashion model — Tom Storm

Yeah, that was baffling to me too. I think that just added to the mystery.

Piggsy was my favorite. — Tom Storm

I think I like Monkey himself most of all; his arrogance is endearing. But I do find Pigsy to be the most relatable character, since he prioritizes sex, food, and booze.

Ended up reading the original stories. They are similar. — Tom Storm

Worth reading, would you say?

Currently Hothouse by Brian Aldiss.

Worth reading, would you say? — Jamal

Yes. Even if it's just for the curiosity factor. I read the Arthur Waley translation from the 1940's. There may be better versions.

Snippet from 4 days ago:

Some time ago, following recommendations, I bought 3 of Pratchett's books [*] but never opened them. Part of my problem is that there are too many to choose from and there are different series. I worry that I need to read them in order but apparently this isn't the case?

[*]
The Colour of Magic.
Going Postal
Night Watch

Anyone read these, any or all of of Pratchett? Thoughts? — Amity

I'm quite disappointed not to have any response. Not even a ''Nah, he's rubbish!"
Once upon a time, I remember reading that Pratchett was someone's favourite philosopher (@Banno ?) and wondering why? What is it about his writing that makes him a philosopher? His use of language?

:up: Yeah that's probably the one I'll read too.

Lucerne and Albert by Leo Tolstoy.

Currently Hothouse by Brian Aldiss. — Jamal

I had vague and tantalizing memories of this book from the first time I read it, as a teenager. I've just read it again and that memory has been replaced by the mundane reality: it's good for the first 75 pages, then pretty bad.

Surely someone has read this book here.

I never got around to, the reviews are mixed. Is it actually good or just pop philosophy? Is it really good pop philosophy if so?

It's been a long while since I've read any of Pratchett, but I think you can read his books in any order. He always takes some time to give basic background. So start anywhere, and enjoy!

It's been a long while since I've read any of Pratchett, — Wayfaring

I'd read of him but never ventured forth into his amazing world. Right now, it seems to be what I need.

So start anywhere, and enjoy! — Wayfaring

Will do, Wayfaring, and Welcome! I'd given up hope of a response. Thanks :smile:

The Phenomenon of Life: Towards a Philosophy of Biology (1961), Hans Jonas.

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
by Tobias Smollett

A Norton Critical Edition I happened across. Includes a critical essay by Sir Walter Scott I'll probably read first.

Ward No. 6 by Anton Chekhov.

The prologue was written by Gorki. I don't know to what extent this is important and I don't usually read the prologues of books unless they were written by the authors themselves.

I hate to judge a book by its cover but that one is very nice.

Now that you say, it almost makes me want to start a thread for nice book covers...

Philosophy before the Greeks. Martin Van De Something.

Martin Van De Something. — Lionino

I almost believed that Martin Van De Something was a real name. I searched on Google for the title of the book, and it appeared a guy called Marc Van De Mieroop. It makes me wonder if you actually referred to the latter, but you didn't remember the name or you randomly posted a title of a book – and the name of the author – without knowing whether it exists or not.

Damn, I even got the first name wrong. LOL
Yeah, that is the one.

So, he really exists. Van Something (a.k.a Van de Mieroop) is a mysterious author. Gotcha, it is just his pseudonym. :lol:

Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century, Vol. 1: The Structures of Everyday Life
by Fernand Braudel

The C.S. Peirce collection was edifying. From the perspective of a voracious intellect, Peirce consistently demarcates the different spheres of scientific, logical, and metaphysical inquiry:

the scientific man...ardently desires to have his present, provisional beliefs (and all his beliefs are merely provisional) swept away (312)
the conclusions of science make no pretense to being more than probable (326)
Metaphysics [is] an observational science (313)
that which has been inconceivable today has often turned out to be indisputable on the morrow (332)

Peirce also suggests that there is an overarching kind of reason that encompasses the totality of our experiences, something that is neither reducible nor amenable to scientific expression. For me, this is a fundamental truism.

The Prank by Anton Chekhov.

Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

The two big finds I've found recently are "The Place of the Lion" and "Out of the Silent Planet."

The first was the subject of all sorts of superlatives by T.S. Eliot, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis, which is how it caught my eye on some algorithm derived list of recommendations. The plot revolves around an esoteric group's actions, which result in Platonic forms, such as the form of the lion, "breaking lose" and roaming the English countryside. One character, obviously a stand in for reducing knowledge to utility, is a scholar focused on the connections between the Pythagorean's and Abelard, who only thinks of her work in terms of career advancement. I looked up her name out of curiosity and it's the name of the woman who was converted by St. Paul with Dionysus the Areopagite (of Pseudo-Dionysus game) in Acts, which sort of gives you an idea of the allegorical flavor of the book. But despite this the fantasy elements come through quite well, it's an interesting book.

The latter is also quite good. I had always written Lewis off on account of mostly seeing him as a children's author and due to his association with Evangelical devotionals (which reprint snippets of his work quite often). But I've quickly come around on him. The Abolition of Man for instance is a wonderful essay, and the guy knows his classics and medieval philosophy/literature through and through.

Out of the Silent Planet is not hard sci-fi. I think it's probably more enjoyable if you go in realizing one of Lewis's big inspirations is Seneca's Platonist myth of Scipio ascending into the heavens in a vision the night before his final showdown with Hannibal and the forces of Carthage (plus Calcidius' commentary). It's a bit of fantasy sci-fi. The story gets moving quickly and the plot is propulsive. Prose is pretty good too.

Also, currently Audible has most of the Oxford "A Very Short Introduction to..." tiles for free (with a membership). I have generally found these to be quite high quality. They get great people, Floridi for information (although I didn't love this one TBH), Scruton for beauty, etc.

They cover a topic in about 4-6 hours or 80-120 pages. The one on objectivity is very good. The one on continental philosophy too. The one on post-modernism is a bit too broad, and the one on post-structuralism managed to be less substantial despite having a tighter focus. The one on Wittgenstein (originally its own book by Grayling) and the one on Heidegger are both good. The one on Aristotle is pretty weak.

The two big finds I've found recently are "The Place of the Lion" and "Out of the Silent Planet." — Count Timothy von Icarus

I've read both. Charles Williams is a bizarre character; my favorites of his novels are Descent Into Hell and The Greater Trumps. They all have a similar flavor though. But if you enjoyed The Place Of The Lion, I'd recommend those two.

I first read Out Of The Silent Planet as a kid, so it has a special place in my heart. It's kind of a blatant ripoff of A Voyage To Arcturus by David Lindsay, which I'm pretty sure Lewis freely admitted. Where Linday's novel is almost Gnostic in it's philosophy, Lewis I think deliberately took a similar story structure and replaced the arcane and "blasphemous" elements with something more palatable and Christian. Anyway, I do love both novels, but Arcturus is the more memorable to me because of it's bizarre otherworldliness. The writing is terrible, but it's utterly unforgettable. Also recommended. Lindsay has a few other very weird and terribly written novels that will either leave you cold or get you fiendishly obsessed for awhile (the latter happened to me).

Immortality by Milan Kundera.

Out of the Silent Planet — Count Timothy von Icarus

I read this when I was a kid and really liked it. I read it again more recently and was less impressed. Still it’s my favorite title of any book ever.

I'll have to check those out. Fantasy can be very hot or miss like that. I'm a big fan of R. Scott Bakker's fantasy novels but I have had a few people I've recommended them to hate them for being too misanthropic and "edgy," which is a fair criticism IMO, it just didn't bother me as much.


It is a great title; there is an Iron Maiden song about it too. Hasn't quite hit the high notes of the Abolition of Man, which mixed a brilliant title with a brilliant essay, but I've enjoyed it so far.

For either of you, there is a somewhat similar book called the Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell that is pretty good. Less of a fantasy book, more purely sci-fi. It is about man's initial contact with two alien species. The first team to make it to the planet is a missionary group, with specialists and a priest.

The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck

This has not aged well. Absolutely horrible at times.

Thanks.

Just finished a biography of David Foster Wallace "Every Love Story is a Ghost Story" by D.T. Max. Sad and compelling.