What Are You Reading ?

[JonG]

I wanted to add that I recently read an excellent "drug" book, "The Confessions of an Opium-Eater" by Thomas de Quincey

I think McKenna mentions that title in Food of the Gods. I've added it to the list.

[Iota]

Next up: Robert Hertz - Das Sakrale, die Sünde und der Tod: Religions-, kultur- und wissenssoziologische Untersuchungen (The sacred, sin and death: sociological studies about religion, culture and knowledge, or so...)



A compilation of Robert Hertz's most important writings, Contribution to the Study of the Collective Representation of Death, The Pre-eminence of the Right Hand: a Study in Religious Polarity and Sin and Expiation in Primitive Societies.

[Music Head]

Sub-titled A Tale Of Courage In The Shadow Of Mengele. Chilling stuff. Joe got swept up in Hitlers invasion of Poland and survived the prison/death camps for near 5 years. Not sure if that's good luck or bad. Finally liberated by U.S. troops he decides to tell his story. Amazing what he lived through. Hard for me to imagine how this many people could be led to slaughter with little resistance. I would have been dead early on. I'm sure hundreds of these boks have been written and this would be among the best. Only complaint is the details of the day to day activities gets kind of monotonous. Of course I guess prison camp live can't be very exciting, except when they come to march the weak and women and children off to the gas chambers.

Grade - B

next up - Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

[Iota]

[BetaTV]

Wow - you all read some deep stuff - I read escape books - mostly garbage off the rack at the grocery store or on the 25 cent shelf at flea markets. My criteria for a book is that it has to be over 1 1/2 inches thick. I want to be engrossed in a book and MAD at it when I'm done because it's over so quickly. I've been known to toss it across the room after the last page!

[Iota]

My criteria for a book is that it has to be over 1 1/2 inches thick.

I've never met any person choosing books only because of its thickness. You, Sir, are one of the most ignorant persons I've encountered this year (online or otherwise). You're missing out on pretty good stuff then. What a bummer.

Also, if you want to be "MAD" because it's over so quickly, wouldn't it be appropriate to read thinner books because you could be even "MADDER" since it's over more quickly?

[Music Head]

Well, he did call him sir.

[Iota]

I'm a pretty well-mannered fellow.

[Music Head]

As good now as it was 45 years ago, which was around the first time I read this. Hard to believe this was written when it was and is still in print. I guess that bible thing was a little earlier, but still. We all know the story. Shipwrecked for 28 years. We all should have Robinsons survival skills. One thing I can't figure out here. Towards the end of the island vacation, his man Friday hooks up with some other native who turns out to be his dad. They're all happy because it's been years since they've seen each other. Then the dad and some other dude they captured decide to go back to the mainland to rescue some other mates that are being held by these cannibal fellas. Robinson and Friday send them on their way with a "see ya when you get back". While they're gone Robinson and Friday split the scene. If I was Fridays dad, I'd be pretty pissed when I got back, but they never covered that part.

Next Up - The Hitler Book by a couple of his sidekicks

[CRAZY-HORSE]

does this thread count?