portermoresby
Trooper
Onhell said:
There's very little that annoys me in literature (bad writing aside, of course) but yeah, he gets a bit too spiritual for me. That's why I didnt' really enjoy Siddharta that much, even though I feel close to characters who look for their own way to life instead of following other people's teachings.
A girlfriend of mine is going to send me a couple books, one of them is called "The Glass Crystal", that's my next read.
portermoresby
Trooper
Onhell said:
You know what's funny? I have that one somewhere in my house, I just can't find it!
portermoresby
Trooper
The Knife Master said:
I have to read Animal Farm. 1984 is brutally powerful. I love that book. If you haven't already, I suggest you watch Michael Radford's movie.
Does anybody know any novels in which zodiac signs and astrology play a part or are at least referenced in some significant way?
portermoresby said:
I recommend that you pick up any old astrology book. After all, it's all fiction.
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
In all seriousness, if you can find an English Translation of Calderon de la Barca's La Vida es sueno (Life is a Dream), it has somewhat to do with astrology. It's from the 16th century when protestantism was growing and de la Barca, being a good Catholic, thought he'd defend Free Will against the Protestant idea of Predestination (he misunderstood it just a tad), but essentially it is the individual defying what is "written in the stars."
national acrobat
Ancient Mariner
I've recently finished reading Sophie's World, by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder. It's a philosophical novel, and I think probably aimed at teenagers - but that doesn't mean I found it very easy to read. Anything about philosophy I generally find interesting but difficult, and this was no different. Even though it's constructed as an introduction to philosophy (within a novel) this sort of stuff goes into my brain, registers as understood, and then I can't recall it the next day. Other than that, it's a very good book with an interesting story (evolving into two stories) interweaved around the philosophy.
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
I remember reading that book when I actually was a teenager (think it was back in 98, so I was 16). It was an interesting read, but I remember I thought it was quite awkward at times.
portermoresby
Trooper
Onhell said:
I'll look for that one, whether in English or in Spanish! Thank you.
LooseCannon said:I recommend that you pick up any old astrology book. After all, it's all fiction.
Well, you're right. It's just that I'm interested in fiction that has to do with esoteric matters... satanism, astrology, alchemy, secret societies etc. So that's why I asked. I like to read about those subjects in non-fiction settings too, but lately I feel more comfortable with fiction.
I do believe there might be some sort of truth in astrology. I don't believe in predictions, though. That kind of "today you'll meet the love of you your life" crap definitely sucks.
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
Oh, if you can find in the original go for it, but be warned that it will be reading the equivalent of Shakespearean English...
Speaking of astrology fiction I'm reminded of one of my favorite Canterbury Tales. I forget who tells it, but it is one of the "low" tales where this old carpenter has a hot young 18-year-old wife who EVERYONE has the hots for. This astrologer from out of town stays with them and he immediately wants to jump her bones, but she's all like, "I totally want to, but my hubby might see us." "I'll take care of it," he says and tells the carpenter this elaborate tale of how he saw it in the stars that a second flood was coming and they needed to hoist tubs up high to merely float on the waters that will come and everybody needed to be in individual tubs. The old fool believes him and while he is sleeping in his tub the astrologer is banging his wife lol.
The church clerk comes to serenade her and asks her for a kiss, she says, "alright" and sticks her ass out the window. The clerk kisses her ass and complains about how hairy her "face" is and later realizes it was her hair ASS, he leaves to get a hot poker and says, "oh could I have another kiss?" and she's like 'ok' but the astrologer sticks his ass out this time and the clerk asks where she is, because it is too dark to see. At that point the astrologer farts and the clerk sticks the hot poker in his ass. HAHAHAHAHA, hilarious story
Speaking of astrology fiction I'm reminded of one of my favorite Canterbury Tales. I forget who tells it, but it is one of the "low" tales where this old carpenter has a hot young 18-year-old wife who EVERYONE has the hots for. This astrologer from out of town stays with them and he immediately wants to jump her bones, but she's all like, "I totally want to, but my hubby might see us." "I'll take care of it," he says and tells the carpenter this elaborate tale of how he saw it in the stars that a second flood was coming and they needed to hoist tubs up high to merely float on the waters that will come and everybody needed to be in individual tubs. The old fool believes him and while he is sleeping in his tub the astrologer is banging his wife lol.
The church clerk comes to serenade her and asks her for a kiss, she says, "alright" and sticks her ass out the window. The clerk kisses her ass and complains about how hairy her "face" is and later realizes it was her hair ASS, he leaves to get a hot poker and says, "oh could I have another kiss?" and she's like 'ok' but the astrologer sticks his ass out this time and the clerk asks where she is, because it is too dark to see. At that point the astrologer farts and the clerk sticks the hot poker in his ass. HAHAHAHAHA, hilarious story
portermoresby
Trooper
Angel said:Oh, if you can find in the original go for it, but be warned that it will be reading the equivalent of Shakespearean English...
Speaking of astrology fiction I'm reminded of one of my favorite Canterbury Tales. I forget who tells it, but it is one of the "low" tales where this old carpenter has a hot young 18-year-old wife who EVERYONE has the hots for. This astrologer from out of town stays with them and he immediately wants to jump her bones, but she's all like, "I totally want to, but my hubby might see us." "I'll take care of it," he says and tells the carpenter this elaborate tale of how he saw it in the stars that a second flood was coming and they needed to hoist tubs up high to merely float on the waters that will come and everybody needed to be in individual tubs. The old fool believes him and while he is sleeping in his tub the astrologer is banging his wife lol.
The church clerk comes to serenade her and asks her for a kiss, she says, "alright" and sticks her ass out the window. The clerk kisses her ass and complains about how hairy her "face" is and later realizes it was her hair ASS, he leaves to get a hot poker and says, "oh could I have another kiss?" and she's like 'ok' but the astrologer sticks his ass out this time and the clerk asks where she is, because it is too dark to see. At that point the astrologer farts and the clerk sticks the hot poker in his ass. HAHAHAHAHA, hilarious story
LMFAO. That got me howling with laughter ahahah!
I've had trouble reading Dante's Divine Comedy for exactly the same reason: the Italian he used to compose it (called Vulgar) is like a cryptic surrealistic language compared to modern Italian. So I think I'll get Life Is Dream either in English or Italian! Thanks for the suggestion and for the great tale LOL.
(I think I'll get the Canterbury Tales too)
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
So I FINALLY finished Straw Dogs by John Gray and it was a really good read. Whether you agree, disagree it is a MUST read. He blasts every modern notion, from our faith in progress to Christianity to Atheism and secular humanism. And for such a dark, depressing and sobering book it ends on an oddly positive note. Now, I'm paraphrasing here, because I left the book in my car, but the quote goes something around the lines of, "We must strive for peace without hoping for a world without war and we must cherish freedom while understanding that it is a stage between anarchy and tyranny."
Pick it up!
Pick it up!
portermoresby
Trooper
Onhell said:
I think I will get that one too.
I'm still looking for good alternate history or dystopian novels and I found The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I think I'm going to read this one next.