NICE. I've decided to get rid of a bunch of books I had and instead read them on the kindle. The dictionary feature makes it such a faster and more enjoyable read. Plus, the sample portion of it lets me know whether I'll like a book or not. I also don't have the space for any more books! My bookshelves are full! XD Oh, and I've downloaded Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. An enthralling read-- about 40% of the way through.
I am reading Hegel's "Phenomenology of spirit". The reason is I wanted to see how I could apply Freudian psychoanalysis to Hegel's work, and I find it quite interesting. Applying psychoanalysis to Hegel is a tough trying, failing, and retrying. What fun! Also, I just finished, for the second time, Nietzsche's "Thus spoke Zarathustra". It's still my favorite book.
Ah, a fellow Nietzschean. Awesome. I love Thus Spoke Zarathustra too. I love the feel of that book, it somehow feels timeless, and fantastical without being a fantasy.
I also enjoyed Thus Spoke Zarathustra! To me, it's a book of pure wisdom. Just thought I'd throw that in! : D
I like all of Nietzsche's books, but Thus spoke Zarathustra is my favorite. I paused reading Hegel, I'm reading Freud's "The Interpretation of dreams" now.
I've only read Thus Spoke Zarathustra. I have a copy of Beyond Good and Evil that I never got the chance to start. I don't know how many people know this, but Nietzsche also wrote poetry. I find that his poems are very unique. I still haven't come across any poet like him from the 19th century. simon, good luck with Hegel. His works are notoriously difficult to understand, even with the help of notes and/or lectures.
The Jungle Books - Rudyard Kipling (This one slipped under my radar when I was a kid. An absolute delight to enjoy these stories now) Skagboys - Irvine Welsh (Welsh needs to get his butt off hollywood boulevard and go spend some time amongst his subject matter. Tepid)
im reading LOVE,CRIME AND JOHANNESBURG by JUNCTION AVENUE THEATRE COMPANY. Its about life in the City of Gold at the turn of the millennium. Im also reading ISILWANE: THE ANIMAL.Its the Tales and Fables of Africa by CREDO MUTWA. Its also about traditional tales which provide insight into the myriad African traditions and beliefs surrounding each animal.
Finished Illusions by Richard Bach about a week ago. It was my second time reading it after five years or so. I didn't even realize how much this book shaped me. Started The Awakening by Chopin for class. Not a very interesting book, but interesting enough to read.
I'm currently reading The Lord of the Flies. Sad to say I didn't read it in HS due to the fact it wasn't required by my homeschooling curriculum. I find that odd since I did read alot of other classics. Anyway, I'm enjoying it thus far.
Just finished Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay. Recently have been caught up in Lee Child's Jack Reacher series.
I'm currently reading Camp Half-Blood, Series Two: The Heroes of Olympus, Book Three: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. Waited for it for a year. Now I have it!
Just finished Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemmingway. I really enjoyed it even though I think it's the weakest Hemmingway novel I've ever read. Also finished reading Crime and Punishment a few days ago and that I'm really thanking myself I read. I loved it. I can see the criticisms of Dostoevsky's style, I had a translation that is quite close to the original Russian and Dostoevsky had this weird thing of having a really good, witty conversation in one chapter, and then a character just giving a lecture while the other just sits and listens in the next chapter. It's kind of weird. But the Nietzschean philosophy of the book was not lost on me, and the psychology of Raskolnikov is really quite fascinating. It was a great read. Now reading A Book of English Essays edited by W.E. Williams. This is a book I got from a lecturer when I left university, it's from the 1950s and really quite precious to me. It's also a fantastic read with some really great essays here.
If you allow me to dispute with you, dear Lemex, I would like to say that Dostoevsky's writing, the matter in his books, and Nietzsche's writing are totally different. Yes, there is some dark places, but the main thing in Dostoevsky' books is God, finding themself through the suffering, coming to the truth. As I know about Nietzsche, as I had a chance to meet with his books, I think he is an atheist. There is a big difference for me, the difference in books. Well, I wished two-three weeks ago to find Brezhnev's books, "Celina" in example, because I saw very good Soviet film, and Soviet propaganda, in good meaning, did her job. I don't read anything now.
The philosophy of Crime and Punishment, and many of the ideas espoused by Raskolnikov, mirror Nietzschian philosophy quite well. Nietzsche was not just about atheism: Raskolnikov's theory of great men and the difference between those with the right to act how they please and those who act in fear of others is the Nietzschian idea of the Master/Slave morality relationship in another name. The novel has been interpreted as a critical examination and expose of Nietzsche's 'Will to Power'. Unless you think of Nietzsche as just an atheist philosopher the similarity in thinking is hard to miss.
As I thought before, people who believe in God, don't believe in God, have a different vectors of inspiration. Because of this, it is too dangerous to make equal different vectors of writing. One writer shows the way of light at the end, other says that light is not exist. I thought, maybe my humble and little opinion will help you understand Dostoevsky's writing, as I am Russian too. I though maybe it's better to tell about my opinion in this case, if we suddenly started to talk about writing of Dostoevsky.
I started reading Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. So far it's quite entertaining and full of interesting characters, although I do feel that Rowling is trying too hard to appeal to that "adult" market she wrote it for.
I understood the book's ultimate message of redemption through suffering, the epilogue makes that abundantly clear, but the theme of nihilism, the fact that Raskolnikov's theory and the Master/Slave morality relationship are identical, and Nietzsche's 'Will to Power' also should not be missed. And since you are Russian: Harasho! Kak dela?
I loved Crime and Punishment. I don't know about Nietzschean philosophy much, but I know that the characters in that book, despite the odd preachyness of some, seemed the most real of almost any book I've ever read. I didn't agree with the main character at all, I didn't like him, but I felt like I understood him. I also read it right after reading War and Peace, and the contrasts between the two different parts of Russian society were really interesting to me. Great book.
I just finished reading "Jewel of Seven Stars" by Bram Stoker. It was pretty good, however, at the same time rather confusing! Mostly, because it would start rambling on for a good page (or two) about the guys feelings and thoughts about the situation. Then I would lose track of what was going on, unfortunately, at that point my mind would begin to wander. The (original) ending was almost a cliff hanger; I liked how the publishing company made an alternative, less confusing, ending to the story. However, the original ending was still good, the alternative ending just ended on a happier note. Other than that I really enjoyed reading it!
Zadie Smith's White Teeth. I'm a little over halfway through. I hate it, but determined to finish it. It's a shame because it started off really strong.
I just finished The Shining. It's the second Stephen King book I've read. I dunno, they always start off really well and then descend into too much weirdness for my liking.
I had a sudden yearning to reconnect with my roots as a kid who was nuts for science fiction. So I prowled the net looking for books I used to love that I'd lost through the years, and found some. I'm now reading Robert Heinlein's The Past Through Tomorrow, which is a collection of his early "Future History" stories. I also found a copy of George O. Smith's complete "Venus Equilateral" stories, which always appealed to the electronics engineer in me, and also Arthur C. Clarke's memoir Astounding Days. I'm also reading a biography of Heinlein. I am currently happily whirling around in a maelstrom of nostalgia.
