tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post115090593224176244..comments2023-07-22T06:42:24.121-04:00Comments on One foot in front of the other: What are you reading?Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151437868144036422006-06-27T15:51:00.000-04:002006-06-27T15:51:00.000-04:00Hi Oxeye,Though some of Kerouac's work -- especial...Hi Oxeye,<BR/><BR/>Though some of Kerouac's work -- especially "The Dharma Bums" -- sparked my interest in Buddhism (actually, it fueled an existing spark), today I look at this novel as a cautionary tale. It's still my favorite Kerouac novel, though. It's just that I've come to find that many of the views the Beats held about Buddhism were pretty much nonsense, with the exception of Gary Snyder.<BR/>"How the Swans Came to the Lake" is a really good book that I read several years back. I don't recall many details, but remember thinking at the time how much I enjoyed reading it.<BR/>The photo album you describe is a great find, and a great bargain at $7!Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151433696936491402006-06-27T14:41:00.000-04:002006-06-27T14:41:00.000-04:00thanks michael, i'll look for "Thank You and OK".....thanks michael, i'll look for "Thank You and OK".. it is amazing to me how many people read kerouac's early writing and got pointed towards buddhism. i think he played a large part in establishing at least an interest in buddhism in america. i have been looking for a copy of "how the swans came to the lake" by rick fields. heard it was good..<BR/><BR/>i thought of you yesterday when i was at the hartville, ohio flea market. i found a ww2 era phot album put together by a red cross nurse. lots of photos of her soldier pals and some interesting b/w snapshots of japan early in the occupation. she even took a photo of ike himself. bought it for $7.oxeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09879278667737901058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151430534101392692006-06-27T13:48:00.000-04:002006-06-27T13:48:00.000-04:00Hi Oxeye, I recommend David Chadwick's ("Crooked ...Hi Oxeye,<BR/> I recommend David Chadwick's ("Crooked Cucumber" other book, "Thank You and OK," which I describe in the third comment from the top on this page. It's really a great book with great insights. I believe it's still in print. If not, it's well worth searching for.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151424759575868442006-06-27T12:12:00.000-04:002006-06-27T12:12:00.000-04:00hi michael, crooked cucumber was good.. that led ...hi michael, crooked cucumber was good.. that led me to read "shoes outside the door" about the early days of the sfzc. that was good also, sad and moving. i'm reading a willem de kooning bio now. it's a big sucker.oxeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09879278667737901058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151343944646330562006-06-26T13:45:00.000-04:002006-06-26T13:45:00.000-04:00finished with James now...i don't blame anyone who...finished with James now...i don't blame anyone who doesn't like him. He's verbose and rambling.<BR/><BR/>now plowing through 'Beyond Theology' (Alan Watts).isabellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07992923549949853850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151251075345853712006-06-25T11:57:00.000-04:002006-06-25T11:57:00.000-04:00Hi Tamar, Thanks for the recommendations!Hi Tamar,<BR/> Thanks for the recommendations!Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151126618696581692006-06-24T01:23:00.000-04:002006-06-24T01:23:00.000-04:00Michael, that's a damn good question. I have a kn...Michael, that's a damn good question. I have a knee surgery coming up in early July - though my boss tells me I may need to postpone due to lack of coverage. Assuming it goes as scheduled, I'll be off the night before that surgery, a Sunday - perhaps then? I'll ask Beth what her schedule is like as well...<BR/><BR/>And - a new book leapt to the top of the "next to read" pile. Beth loaned me "Teachings on Love" by Thich Nhat Hanh. That I'm really looking forward to, as it could have good advice for my present situation with Lynn.Matt Kohaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05248128186742412714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151121791607262122006-06-24T00:03:00.000-04:002006-06-24T00:03:00.000-04:00Hi Thomas, Thanks for stopping by! I'm interested...Hi Thomas,<BR/> Thanks for stopping by! I'm interested in the Maugham book. I'll have to add it to my ever-lengthening reading list. Right now, I'm pretty much preoccupied with non-fiction about the Vietnam War, but all wrs must end, and then it's on to something else.<BR/><BR/>Hi Matt,<BR/>When are we getting together for that chess game?Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151086240148248022006-06-23T14:10:00.000-04:002006-06-23T14:10:00.000-04:00Current: You're an Animal, Viskovitz! by Alessandr...Current: You're an Animal, Viskovitz! by Alessandro Boffa. Each chapter Viskovitz is a different animal generally seeking his life's love. It is kind of funny without being even remotely cute (e.g., the scorpion Viskovitz that keeps killing his lovers by accident).<BR/><BR/>Recent Past:<BR/>The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (very good, imagines FDR losing his 3rd term bid to anti-semite Charles Lindbergh)<BR/><BR/>The Lost Honor of Katherina Blum by Heinrich Boll (odd and oddly intriguing, very straightforward prose)<BR/><BR/>The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark (quirky and more than little disturbing)<BR/><BR/>The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy (pretty racy for something published in the 1950s, one of the Modern Library's top 100 english language novels of the 20th century.)<BR/><BR/>Near Future:<BR/>The Summing Up by W. Somerset MaughamThomas Hogglestockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284352537015457974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1151003275252144612006-06-22T15:07:00.000-04:002006-06-22T15:07:00.000-04:00On a whim yesterday I wandered to the Religion sec...On a whim yesterday I wandered to the Religion section of a Borders and bought "The Dharma of Star Wars"... Looking forward to it. Most of the rest of what I read is popular (trashy) sci-fi and fantasy, and some non-fiction. I'm also in mid-read with "Get In the Van," by Henry Rollins, a journal of his time with the band Black Flag (it was a hand-me-down gift from Beth).Matt Kohaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05248128186742412714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1150999546476052362006-06-22T14:05:00.000-04:002006-06-22T14:05:00.000-04:00Thanks Michael. I didn't know there was a movie Sl...Thanks Michael. I didn't know there was a movie Slaughterhouse Five. I've been meaning to read Kerouac's "Dharma Bums" and "On the Road". I visit David Chadwick's site from time to time to see whats new. I listened to an online talk of his also. I have had "Crooked Cucumber" for awhile. Read some of it, but havn't sat down and read the whole thing. I would also like to read Chadwick's other book you mentioned. He is a very down to earth guy. I like him alot.Lone Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07739255494988270462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1150988738244574592006-06-22T11:05:00.000-04:002006-06-22T11:05:00.000-04:00The titles I recognize are interesting books. In h...The titles I recognize are interesting books. In high school, I had to read "The Turn of the Screw" and "Daisy Miller" by James. Didn't care for either, but that's just me. "Slaughterhouse-Five" is a great book and a great movie, too, if you haven't seen it. <BR/>"Crooked Cucumber" is a fine read. The author, David Chadwick, is a really nice, fun person. He and I struck up an e-mail correspondence some time ago and we link to each other's Web sites. His is www.cuke.com -- check it out, LW.<BR/>I also strongly recommend his other book, "Thank You and OK: An American Zen Failure in Japan." This book, with Jack Kerouac's "The Dharma Bums," served as inspiration for my own journey to Japan.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15133620064728357184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1150955811211491642006-06-22T01:56:00.000-04:002006-06-22T01:56:00.000-04:00I'm currently reading Chrisopher Moore's "Lamb: Th...I'm currently reading Chrisopher Moore's "Lamb: The Gospel According To Biff, Christ Childhood Pal" It is a humorus fiction about "the missing years" of Jesus. It is really good. It's my new Bible. I'm currently at the part where Christ and Biff are at the Buddhist Monastery learning to let go of ego. I recommend all of Moore's books especially his new one "A Dirty Job."<BR/><BR/>Umm I have a ton of books I plan on reading. I plan on reading "Crooked Cucumber", the biography of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi next. Here are five other books I really enjoyed reading over the past year.<BR/><BR/>The Kite Runner-Khaled Husseini<BR/><BR/>The Cell- Steven King<BR/><BR/>Slaughterhouse Five-Kurt Vonnegut<BR/><BR/>High Fedelity- Nick Hornsby<BR/><BR/>Eragon- Christopher PaoliniLone Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07739255494988270462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108210.post-1150914605859201162006-06-21T14:30:00.000-04:002006-06-21T14:30:00.000-04:00i just finished reading 'The Aspern Papers' (Henry...i just finished reading 'The Aspern Papers' (Henry James), and am now re-reading 'The Turn of the Screw' (same author).<BR/><BR/>(i'm a bit behind the times!) :)isabellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07992923549949853850noreply@blogger.com