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"Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor." - Alexis Carrel
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File: 1579052968145.jpg (67.55 KB, 600x315, book.jpg)

 No.632[View All]

Let's talk about the books/manga/etc that you are reading.

I'm halfway through After Dark by Haruki Murakami and I'm loving it, already bought another 3 books from him to read after this one
75 posts and 25 image replies omitted. Click reply to view.

 No.975

>>974
Ooh, I remember liking Rama as a kid. Nothing really "happens" in that book, but there's still something gripping about it.

 No.976

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Been reading Don Quixote on my work breaks. Really enjoyable book, its shockingly similar to modern novels in its style and prose. After that I am going to read The Fall of Gondolin by Tolkien.
>>678
Let me know what you think about the Silmarillion, I really like that work.

 No.978

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Picked up Isaac Asimov's Foundation in the beggining of the month and been reading it a few pages everyday when i find the time.
The worldbuilding is something really amazing and characters are incredibly well written and 3 dimensional
I can see why it is considered one the most important science fiction work of all time
I will be getting the sequels

 No.984

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Just finished Inside Mr. Enderby and am about to finish the other 3 books in the series. They're pretty comedic, a bit immature, romps about a flatulent poet, a good 5 of the big gags in the book are fart jokes, and his adventures ranging from cheating accusations to drunk antics. I think the main standout of the book is how it manages slapstick comedy pretty well for a non visual medium.
The book got a bit frustrating at the end when Enderby hooks up with a rich milf, he was living off his moms money and his poetry before her, but abandons her because he can't take being an adult. They were a good-ish couple to, so it was a shame to see them break up. It didn't help Enderby abandoned her without telling either. The story has those complex character vibes, so you can understand his actions and still want him to be better.
Also yes this is by the guy who wrote clockwork orange. The book is surprisingly like clockwork orange as both stories follow a person alienated from society who get a chance to be redeemed, but give it up only to be saved last second. Enderby being an ex-catholic and writer also makes the story a bit of a writers insert.

 No.989

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Just started Discworld! I didn't really know where to start, so I asked a buddy and he actually had a print copy of Guards! Guards! that he let me borrow. Loving it so far!

 No.990

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File: 1637503776334-2.jpeg (36.23 KB, 413x640, dawkins-selfish-gene.jpeg)

I'm currently reading three books:
The Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus
Capitalism and Freedom - Milton Friedman
The Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins

 No.991

Haven't had much time to read lately, right now I'm still stuck in Dune. I hope during my Christmas break I can get through it.

 No.993

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Been reading Yuria 100 Shiki lately, it's a pretty entertaining ecchi manga with a premise that hooked me in from the start.
The art is amazing and I never get tired of the wrestling moves the protagonist does on the horny dutch wife. Something about the comedy in it makes me feel like the mangaka "gets it".

 No.995

>>990
Capitalism and freedom
How is this book? By the title it would seem to me that it were written by a capitalist and therefore prone to selective information. My question is, is it actually critical, or does it read more like a defense of capitalism?

 No.997

>>990
i used to carry this copy of the myth of sisyphus in my messenger bag everywhere i went when i was 17-18 years old and just started college.
i always hoped a cutie would come up to me while i read it and say that I'm really cool and want to be my friend (but that never happened, obviously). i don't think anyone thought i was cool, they probably thought i was a tryhard (i clearly was, obviously).

 No.999

>>995
It's one of the most influential books on economics. The writer was one of the cornerstones of the "Chicago school" and an economic advisor to both former US President Reagan and former UK Prime Minister Thatcher. It's definitely written from a pro-capitalist, specifically supply side, point of view, and the central idea of it is basically the "the freer the markets the freer the people" maxim.
Though, strangely, it's not as anti-state assistance as some other books in that vein are and actually argues for a GMI. It's still packed with ideas that I find downright absurd, like getting rid of licensing for medical professionals.

 No.1000

>>999
>Reagan and Thatcher
Oh god. Yes I did read some reviews after I posted that and I realized it's pretty much neoliberal thought (from what I read). I asked because I've been reading Sowell's Basic Economics and while it's been illuminating it also omits some of the more bleak consequences of the very same principles he advocates for free markets, you know, the stuff we perceive every day comingfrom big corp.
I just wish there was a less biased book on economics. Well, I suppose there are, I just gotta look for them .

 No.1001

>>1000
>you know, the stuff we perceive every day comingfrom big corp.
Most hardcore liberals would argue that the existence of megacorps that are a law unto themselves is a product of government intervention. Without entering into a parasitic relationship with the state these organisations would inevitably become inefficient, lose focus, and collapse under their own weight. The fact that legislators also refuse to let large corps collapse for fear of short term economic consequences is its own issue.

I don't think you're ever going to find an unbiased take on economics, any author that purports to be is trying to hide his biases which is worse, in my opinion. The best economics book I've read is J.A. Schumpeter's Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy, it's full of these insanely clever detached observations and almost anti-ideological in that Schumpeter throws sand in the face of all the conventional positions at the time (written in the '30s).

tl;dr; capitalism is doomed to fail because the more wealth it creates in society the more it breeds a sense of antipathy among the intelligentsia, the same way the Church's fostering of literacy and learning eventually led to the enlightenment. Socialism, on the other hand, is completely impossible in practice and every Socialist regime will have to adopt market reforms to survive. They'll become essentially capitalist societies where everyone has to wave a red banner and pretend they're doing Socialism. In fact, this phony Socialism will be even more capitalist than capitalism since there can be no independent labour movements, the state and industry are one and the same, and any dissenters can be branded enemies of the people.

 No.1002

>>1001
Thank you for the rec of Schumpeter. I guess then I'll have to read a bit of different authors with different viewpoints.

 No.1052

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I've been very dissapointed with all the books I've been reading recently.
I read metro 2033 and it sucked. I got halfway through metro 2034 and that was even worse so I gave up. Then I read roadside picnic and it was okay but kinda boring with only a couple of chapters about the actual interesting stuff. I read how to win friends and influence people and that was incredibly retarded.

Maybe I'm just reading the wrong books but it feels like everything is just bullshit by people who don't know how to convey information concisely.

I think I'd like to read something that has all the classical greek stories from the age of heroes. Does anyone know anything like this? I know nothing about greek mythos so I don't know where to start.

 No.1060

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Has anyone read of Yukio Mishima? Would like to get into his literature but I only know about him tangentially. I have read the Hagakure, which was important to him, but none of his work.
Is reading his book regarding the ethics of the samurai in modern Japan a good start? If I were to read this, where should I go next?

 No.1061

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>>1060
Confessions of a Mask and Kinjiki is probably the most representative of who Mishima was as self-referential works. Temple of the Golden Pavillion also elaborates on his thoughts of beauty and destruction. I wouldn't take any of his contemporary commentary on post-war Japan seriously, he had always been a fringe figure domestically.

 No.1062

I've been reading Pascal's works, right now Lettres Provinciales and Pensées. I've also been tackling SICP but it's difficult not to have a hard time with it. I'm stuck on chapter 2.1.2 But it's a long time endeavor, I guess.

 No.1063

>>880
Honestly, speaking both languages (even though I'm a native Spanish speaker) I'd consider starting with Russian right away. If Spanish is tricky when it comes to verbs, wait until you hear about them in their actual version in Russian. If you can, start with it ASAP.

 No.1064

>>1060
I've read most of his shorter books that have been published in English. I've got the Sea of Fertility sitting on my shelf too; eventually I'll get around to it but it's a bit of an investment and I haven't been in a Mishima mood for a while.

The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea is probably his most quintessential novel and embodies a kind of anti-subtlety that's common in Japanese literature and really damn delicious when done well. It's plainly allegorical and you basically know everything that's going to happen in the book as soon as you hear the premise, but the suspense of waiting for it to play out is so intense.

Confessions of a Mask is also essential Mishima, but I'd read one or two of his novels first. There are some extremely good musings and hot takes in there. I remember him reflecting on the concept of purity and beauty for a few paragraphs before concluding that purity is the most degenerate thing of all and dropping the topic alltogether.

Mishima's only sci-fi story, Beautiful Star, is also getting published in English in a few months time, I'm extremely excited. He was actually a big fan of the genre, surprisingly; Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke was one of his favourite novels.

 No.1065

>>1064
I visited the Yukio Mishima museum in Kawaguchiko. It all starts making a lot of sense after you learn about his relationship with his wife and children, it's truly amazing how he captured that longing for something else, something freer where he can express himself, despite his sexuality and all of that which it entails.

 No.1087

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File: 1651206938358-1.jpg (161.45 KB, 606x1280, wizardsbane2.jpg)

I found this fun campy book series from the late 80s / early 90s about a hacker who gets summoned into a fantasy universe and realizes that magic is a lot like programming. I am on the second book and really loving it. It is definitely written by an actual programmer.

 No.1088

>>1087
>gets summoned into a fantasy universe and realizes that magic is a lot like programming.
We finally found what all the damn isekai LN authors are ripping off! lol

 No.1089

>>1088
I think all isekai are actually ripping off A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain published in 1889.

 No.1091

>>1089
Exactly, I've been saying this for years. It even has a long title that explains the premise of the plot.

 No.1092

boogiepop

 No.1111

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Murakami Haruki novels seem always similar to other Murakami Haruki novels.

Why might that be, and why does no one level that accusation at Jane Austin.

 No.1150

I'm currently reading the fifth installment of the Dune series - Heretics of Dune - albeit I'm not the biggest fan. I'm halfway through, and it feels like it won't get close to God Emperor of Dune.

I've also started with a translation of Ursula K. Le Guins "The Dispossessed" in my native tongue. I already have an English copy of it, but the form factor and small text makes it near impossible for me to read.

 No.1151

>>1150
I've always felt uneasy about reading translations if I know the original language. Feels wrong.

 No.1152

>>1151
I think it depends how well the translation is made and how much the story depends on its original language.

For myself, if I read older English books I often have to look up words which can become a fun killer, especially when I'm tired and reading after work

 No.1163

>>804
Invisible Cities.
You just finished.
I'm starting.
1 page in.
Loving it.

 No.1168

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Oh boy, the last three months I was subscribing to the audiobook service. Digested more books in this period, than throughout my university (which I will finish sooon). It helped with my eyes, too.

Murakami's Dance Dance Dance - definitely the most dreamy position I read from him. I can recall so many scenes from this book, yet can't really connect them in anything that would make sense. I am not really a gifted thinker - prefer style over substance, and Murakami's writing is just so good in this aspect.

I also decided to read "What I talk about when I talk about running", which I recommend. A lot of self-reflection from Murakami, and some advice for kids.

Kawakami's Heaven. This one hurted. I will just say it is about bullying, and it is quite graphic.

1984 - gived up on this lecture in highschool, it was too boring. The audiobook service had a radio drama version, which was fantastic.

Also finished Kafka's Metamorphosis, only because it is a classic. I found it tremendously boring, even in the audio form. Gregor Samsa is just like me, though.

Now I read Crime and Punishment for the third time. There is a fair bit of humour in this book juggled with a feeling of hopelessness. Sonya? She just like me, for real.

 No.1176

>>984
Why did Penguin put a picture on the cover which makes Enderby look jewish?

Nothing in the the text supports that.

 No.1193

Quick reviews of some works I finished
>Brutes or Angels: Human Possibility in the Age of Biotechnology
Surprisingly tame compared to the title. Its just "bioethics 101" when it comes to human modification. It explains an issue, the benefits, and then ends with the cons of it. If you've read any book on transhumanism or bio ethics this book is to simple for you. The only interesting factor was the religious sections were it explain different religious views on bioethics. Again if you read a book on relegion and bioethics doesn't add much.
>Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses
A work about the authors relation to moss and her cultural identity. It manages to capture your attention when talking about some pretty dense moss facts. I say it's a nice intro to bryology.

 No.1194

>>1193
>A work about the authors relation to moss
That sounds fantastic and very cute
Moss facts appeal to me

 No.1209

File: 1682819384415.jpg (873.11 KB, 1920x1200, looker.jpg)

My books are totally insane and will make you laugh!!! heh… okay back to my padded cell i go

files.catbox.moe/4s8yl4.pdf
files.catbox.moe/f21v69.pdf
files.catbox.moe/82sced.pdf
files.catbox.moe/irz98h.pdf

 No.1210

just bought some manga from amazon. im reading death note and fullmeteal alchemist

 No.1211

>>1209
"Cuckqueens aren't real, take your meds"
I cackled

 No.1212

File: 1683351541429.jpg (39.01 KB, 480x853, cateat.jpg)

>>1211
Yeah that is one of my fav lines too haha. Always glad to make sushi roll laugh!

 No.1324

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i got this book called recipies from the garden of contentment. its the palace cookbook of the chinese emperors. i figured i could use this to learn to cook. so i made one of the rice dishes and it was nice

also trying to read mahmoud darwish poetry but i dont like it

 No.1326

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Books on the occult. Specifically those that influenced my grandparents' beliefs… I'm trying to edit them (two books, one is in ancient french and I'm working on a translation into modern english and modern french, another that's just got minor spelling errors here and there) and then figure out a way to preserve them. Also trying to write a short story myself but it's fanfiction, LOL

 No.1336

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File: 1730337499875-1.pdf (6.33 MB, Horkheimer_Max_Adorno_Theo….pdf)

Probably one of the most devastating criticisms of modern society and the Enlightenment ever written. The general gist is that modern problems come from an Enlightenment era mentality which is all about having power over nature and exploiting it for selfish ends. This instrumental rationality has colonized our lives, reducing people to statistics and valueless playthings in the service of markets and bureaucracies.

I love Horkheimer and Adorno and this book feels more important today than when it first came out. Some of their claims about the culture industry and the mass manufacturing of entertainment slop doesn't hold up. I wonder what they'd make of doujin culture, fan works, free software or even piracy. I guess no matter how much autonomy people try to exert from the corporate system they nevertheless end up failing and remain hopelessly controlled and corrupted by it. In part, this explains why the internet feels so trashy now. There's been a gradual move away from community run spaces and user generated content to big tech platforms where the major "content creators" are bankrolled by corpos and managed by talent agencies.

Downside is these books have made me more and more negative and pessimistic. I'm convinced most people today are truly hopeless.

 No.1337

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I read volume 1 of Bocchi The Rock! and it was very enjoyable

 No.1338

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I was reading Klaus Mann's Mephisto and The Volcano since i recently got hooked on the idea of reading more literature from germans who had to go into exile in the 30s and 40s.
Mephisto describes the career of an actor who decided to not go into exile and even become friends with important nazis to boost his career while the volcano describes the every day live of different people in exile, wich includes stuff like drug addiction, problems with passports, and political activism.

 No.1343

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I have only read novels or math/physics textbooks up until now, but I recently gained an interest in analytic philosophy because of its relation to formal logic and math foundations and thus I've started reading wittgenstein (I'm already familiar with Russel and Frege's works from my study of logic) It seems wittgenstein only focuses on natural language here however I've only just began.

I've also started re-reading the re:zero novels because of its recent anime release.

 No.1351

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Recently re-read this. Almond tries to draw parallels between Sufism and 'post-modern' philosophy. The problem with books like this that have the opposite of their intended effect. If Zen Buddhism or Taoism are basically just like Deleuzian philosophy (or whatever's the fad), then people will just skip over Zhuangzhi or Kukai and read Deleuze. The pain for "Eastern philosophy" is that to be taken seriously we have to show how its simmilar to what people are currently thinking, but if we do that then philosophers just treat it as not worth reading because Derrida or Deleuze or whoever are saying the same thing anyway.

I also started Dream of a Red Bed Chamber because I need a break from mind numbing otaku trash.

>>1343
I'm not a fan of the analytic approach to philosophy but I love the later Wittgenstein. I hope to read Ayer and Quine at somepoint and get familiar with formal logic. Philosophical Investigations is great.

 No.1352

File: 1732463035880.png (201.37 KB, 417x336, thicc.PNG)

I'm reading Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson by G. I. Gurdjieff
Its a tale used as a vessel for Gurdjieff's teachings, but the esoteric part gets shamelessly incomprehensible without reading the rest of the trilogy first.

 No.1353

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File: 1732463529846-2.jpg (411.21 KB, 1650x2475, BeyondBlame.jpg)

I want to change up how I think and act toward people. I guess I've always been like self-help stuff…

 No.1354

>>1343
You should also read the work of Martin Löf

 No.1355

>>1353
o kama sona pona!



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