Topic: Books! (Read 10215 times)

Wunderkind · « **Reply #25 on:** March 21, 2008, 02:54:29 PM »

Quote from: ivan on March 21, 2008, 02:50:51 PM

Actually, all my posts are ghosted.

Also, I plagiarize. Every one of my books has been written before, verbatim.

The horror!

You should write a book about that.

ivan · « **Reply #26 on:** March 21, 2008, 02:59:49 PM »

Quote from: LuciferSam on March 21, 2008, 09:57:50 AM

and the man {Tolkien} visited occasionally ... but I did enjoy much of Lewis' work, as I always remember his sort of booming voice when I read it.

Mr. Sam, I hope your diaries are legible. And if there are no diaries, hire a comely lass to sit by your side and jot feverishly as you ramble on at dinner.

LuciferSam · « **Reply #27 on:** March 21, 2008, 03:44:09 PM »

I tried that once, she kept asking if I was going to hurt her.

ivan · « **Reply #28 on:** March 21, 2008, 09:51:51 PM »

Mr. Sam, a person I am very close to supplied this word: Amanuensis.

Also, she once read of a series of letters exchanged between JRRT and CSL, in which they debated the merits of the Catholic Church and the CofE, respectively. Apparently, they were never published. Can you shed a glimmer on this?

LuciferSam · « **Reply #29 on:** March 22, 2008, 02:13:14 AM »

Amanuensis... one of the few jobs, as sensible and conservative men such as yourself and I realize, that .. Oh, wait, sexist baby boomers... I forgot.

At any rate, I'm not sure why that would not have been published, although the relationship between Misters Lewis and Tolkien hit a low point in the mid-50's-early-60's as I have been led to understand because of the fact that Tolkien was an ardent papist, while Mr. Lewis was an atheist-turned-Christian apologist Anglican mouthpiece, if endowed with a larger than average brain than most of that breed.

Nonetheless, if we are talking about a series of correspondence, I see no reason that it should have been published at any time BUT postumously, and that simply would not do for the image conscious estates of both families: with the exception of Christopher Tolkien, my outside and obviously unprofessional view of the situation would be that on the one hand, the Tolkien estate inherits a great deal of interest by maintaining the image of a kindly, bookish oxford don who spent too much time thinking about elves, while the Lewis estate makes it's money off of the image of a similarly inclined old professor who left the scientific weltansicht, if you will, of Freud for the more esoteric and nonsensical path of Christian apologetics - becoming it's greatest champion.

These are two large literary estates who hinge on the image of friendship between the two -because- of their literary and spiritual connection, and should it come into broader nowledge that in fact their spiritual and intra-personal relationship greatly diminished as Lewis chose a path of Anglicism over Catholicism, despite Dr. Tolkien's role in his initial conversion, they could stand to make a minutely less massive stack of cash per annum. But, I could be a cynic. It would rather be a goldmine after all, wouldn't you think?

Beyond that, I couldn't offer any more personal insight - I don't relish much of my childhood, and in the particular period I spend as a young boy in England I was between 8 and 12 years old, not as I mentioned a great age for caring about much beyond music - obviously, not much has changed, but I am at least moderately literate now. I will, however, unabashedly say that those gentlemen were among many who inspired a lifetime of smoking for me. I was 10 years old when I got a hold of my first pipe and some tobacco, bought it off of one of my fathers students along with two of my first, if not THE two first, albums I'd ever buy - by a guy named Ray Charles, who had just released this little single over in America called "Mess Around," and a rather fantastic album by some strange Jewish mathematician over at Harvard named Tom Lehrer - who inspired a life long love of mathematics in me, leading (EDIT: because "leaded" is neither a word, nor appropriate to the context.) to the horrible jokes that can often be found in my signatures, if indirectly. But the pipe, yes, I always wanted to be like the serious and intelligent men I saw my father talking with - smoking serious pipes, and wearing serious hats. But, I got back into training in classical piano about two years later back in Dublin, and my instructor turned me on to Leonard Bernstein, who turned me on to cigarettes simply by looking so fantastic. I've been waffling between the two forms ever since, from the age of 13.

I could blame a worse crowd than C.S. Lewis and Leonard Bernstein for smoking, I suppose. At least it wasn't some bloody bipedal dromedary.

ivan · « **Reply #30 on:** March 22, 2008, 10:27:36 PM »

Beyond excellent.

Forget the letters -- I want more of this.

I must continue to goad and egg.

dcrog · « **Reply #31 on:** March 22, 2008, 11:10:23 PM »

Indeed.

*crosses legs sitting on floor looking up and waiting, with the rest of the youngins'*

LuciferSam · « **Reply #32 on:** March 23, 2008, 07:02:50 AM »

You may have more hair, DCRog, but it is nonetheless of a similar hue.

Edit: Only Ivan can talk that smack - no matter how advanced in years, he fucks on the first date.

Really, that's about all I have - my life's ace stories are really rather limited to growing up amongst a few broadly known academics, (which certainly was not planned, and really - how likely was it that people would look back so fondly on a couple of old cads who were paid to yell at coeds?) chumming with a lout of degenerates that for some reason modern weens think were cool, and not failing my last motor vehicle license renewal. And holding down only about two real, honest jobs in a timespan twice as long as some of you folk have been alive, for less time than it took most of you to be born. Heh.

Edit: Well, it may have been more than two, but I'm foggy. I worked at a tobacconist for a few months as a teenager, which was more work than it would seem, applied for (and was laughed away from) the Gardai, had a very brief and unsuccessful stint in the defense forces, and I've done some teaching. I'm safely assuming that raconteuring, racketeering, druggery, keyboard plinking, saxaphone blowing, whistling, guitar smashing, and record labeling do not count as real jobs, because they are simply too much fun.

Oh, I did work for a tailor for a while as well, but only to get a few free suits - hardly honest work.

dcrog · « **Reply #33 on:** March 23, 2008, 07:37:08 AM »

It's thinning more each day LS.

LuciferSam · « **Reply #34 on:** March 23, 2008, 08:04:00 AM »

I have a theory that I am just genetically predispositioned to have one of natures tonsures.

And now my above post makes less sense - that is, I suppose, what I get for falling asleep several times while making pointless edits.

Not to say that I have a problem staying awake at my keyboard - I am LUCIDferSam, but I forgot I was in fact modifying the post while I was making tea and assumed that I had no responsibilities, and thusly enlightened, CHOSE to take a nap.

Just covering any possible bases, there. And openingup others.

Wunderkind · « **Reply #35 on:** March 23, 2008, 11:22:14 AM »

Quote from: LuciferSam on March 23, 2008, 08:04:00 AM

... I forgot I was in fact modifying the post while I was making tea and assumed that I had no responsibilities, and thusly enlightened, CHOSE to take a nap.

Who has resposibilities while making tea? The point of making tea was to have an excuse to assume complete lack of responsibilites.

... Right?

dcrog · « **Reply #36 on:** March 23, 2008, 11:45:38 AM »

Quote from: Wunderkind on March 23, 2008, 11:22:14 AM

... Right?

Leave him alone. He might not remember his posting by now.

Wunderkind · « **Reply #37 on:** March 23, 2008, 12:00:31 PM »

....

I'm sorry, what were we going on about?
I was making tea.

dcrog · « **Reply #38 on:** March 23, 2008, 12:08:16 PM »

.ǝɯɐs ǝɥʇ ǝʇınb ɯǝǝs ɹo ʞoo1 ʇ,uop sbuıɥʇ sǝɯıʇǝɯos ɹǝp1o ʇǝb noʎ uǝɥʍ

Wunderkind · « **Reply #39 on:** March 23, 2008, 12:21:09 PM »

Quote from: dcrog on March 23, 2008, 12:08:16 PM

.ǝɯɐs ǝɥʇ ǝʇınb ɯǝǝs ɹo ʞoo1 ʇ,uop sbuıɥʇ sǝɯıʇǝɯos ɹǝp1o ʇǝb noʎ uǝɥʍ

Well said!

jimmi · « **Reply #40 on:** March 28, 2008, 07:44:53 PM »

Currently I'm reading Animal Farm, I plan to read 1984 soon after. I just finished reading Black Like Me, I loved the author's style and all that. Probably one of the most simpler books I've read is Plague, I totally forgot the name of the author but it was completely amazing. A short summary on the following link if you care at all.

http://forums.sfdt.com/viewtopic.php?t=17229&highlight=plague

I also recently finished Persepolis, a graphic novel about a girl growing up in the time of the Iranian revolution.

I love science fiction, The Heir Apparent was a great read. Personally, I love reading non-fiction books on the paranormal, ghosts, Wicca, Paganism, etc. I can't get enough of that.

ydnamtnediserp · « **Reply #41 on:** March 28, 2008, 07:51:18 PM »

Quote from: jimmi on March 28, 2008, 07:44:53 PM

Currently I'm reading Animal Farm, I plan to read 1984 soon after.

yes, but not for the first time.. right??

canoftuna · « **Reply #42 on:** March 28, 2008, 08:45:05 PM »

Quote from: ydnamtnediserp on March 28, 2008, 07:51:18 PM

yes, but not for the first time.. right??

Believe it or not, I've read neither. I've never been a fan of classics.

Wunderkind · « **Reply #43 on:** March 28, 2008, 08:54:43 PM »

Depending on how much you like sci-fi, I would recommend "1984" at least.

I did it under pressure and am glad I did. That being said, it's sci-fi, regardless of it's many redeeming qualities, you will either love it, or hate it. I have yet to meet someone who was "eh, it was okay," about "1984".

ydnamtnediserp · « **Reply #44 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:05:29 PM »

i don't enjoy sci-fi and absolutely loved 1984. just sayin'.

Wunderkind · « **Reply #45 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:16:39 PM »

Quote from: ydnamtnediserp on March 28, 2008, 09:05:29 PM

i don't enjoy sci-fi and absolutely loved 1984. just sayin'.

Didn't say you had to enjoy sci-fi. I love sci-fi, hated "1984". Glad I read it. Hated it. Love sci-fi though. Odd. Anyway, it's a referral, not a condition. Just sayin', you're more likely to enjoy it, that's all.

jimmi · « **Reply #46 on:** March 29, 2008, 05:49:04 AM »

Quote from: ydnamtnediserp on March 28, 2008, 07:51:18 PM

yes, but not for the first time.. right??

I just finished reading it, took me all of about 165 minutes. I have to say, it was far simpler than I expected but I suppose it was a pretty good read. I love reading good books that are also good reads, although I really preferred Black Like Me. Now I feel the need to read a book on Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Any recommendations?

Ps. Yes, I'm just reading it now, I hope you're acknowledging the fact that I'm barely fourteen.

ydnamtnediserp · « **Reply #47 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:24:15 AM »

Quote from: jimmi on March 29, 2008, 05:49:04 AM

Ps. Yes, I'm just reading it now, I hope you're acknowledging the fact that I'm barely fourteen.

i hadn't, considering i didn't know you were fourteen. actually, that sounds about right. i was around your age when i read 1984 for the first time, though it probably didn't make much sense till i was a little older.. reading animal farm came a couple years later for me.

technatrix · « **Reply #48 on:** March 29, 2008, 11:58:26 AM »

I love to read, so I read a lot of everything. Lately, though, I've been reading a lot of fiction as a balance to all the ethnographies and academic papers I have to read for school. They're interesting, but there's just so many battleship curve charts and photo plates of nearly identical arrowheads you can look at in one day. So, I've been reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Chris Moore and The Sex Lives of Cannibals by some other guy whose name escapes me. Cannibals isn't fiction per say, but it's funny as hell anyway. I high recommend anything by Chris Moore, by the way, especially Fluke and Island of the Sequined Love Nun. I also recently picked up The Path of Alchemy by Stavish, which is interesting and will probably get me into trouble when I actually start trying to do a few of the experiments.

ydnamtnediserp · « **Reply #49 on:** March 29, 2008, 10:49:49 PM »

Quote from: technatrix on March 29, 2008, 11:58:26 AM

I love to read, so I read a lot of everything. Lately, though, I've been reading a lot of fiction as a balance to all the ethnographies and academic papers I have to read for school. They're interesting, but there's just so many battleship curve charts and photo plates of nearly identical arrowheads you can look at in one day. So, I've been reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Chris Moore and The Sex Lives of Cannibals by some other guy whose name escapes me. Cannibals isn't fiction per say, but it's funny as hell anyway. I high recommend anything by Chris Moore, by the way, especially Fluke and Island of the Sequined Love Nun. I also recently picked up The Path of Alchemy by Stavish, which is interesting and will probably get me into trouble when I actually start trying to do a few of the experiments.

someone (phyre? my friend, erin?) bought me the stupidest angel: a heartwarming tale of christmas terror a couple years ago, but i haven't gotten around to reading it- yet!

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Author Topic: Books! (Read 10215 times)