Let's make this the book review thread:

Great thread guys, i was really looking for some books to read lately.

Here's one of my favorite books:

Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky



www.amazon.com...=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217227232&sr=8-1

It is a short and very interesting fictional story that dwells into some of the less known psychological aspects of the human mind. I constantly found my self saying "that is so true" throughout the book as it was constantly telling me things about myself.

Wikipedia:

Notes from Underground (Russian: Записки из подполья, Zapìski iz pòdpol'ja, also translated in English as Notes from the Underground or Letters from the Underworld while Notes from Underground is the most literal translation) (1864) is a short novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is considered by many to be the world's first existentialist novel. It presents itself as an excerpt from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator (generally referred to by critics as the Underground Man) who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg.



[edit on 28-7-2008 by luis9343]

OK, I finally finished the Holographic Universe.

I thought it was a very good book. The beginning of the book was more technical and the end was more spiritual. I did find that I almost had to force myself to try and tie in some of the spiritual topics with the holographic theory though. I enjoyed reading about them and I was familiar with most of them, but there were some fairly loose tie-ins with the theory.

I found it interesting that Talbot died of Leukemia at the age of 38. As I progressed in the book, I couldn't help but wonder if the Leukemia was one of the driving forces behind the book and the research. I wonder how he came to terms with all of the mystical healings that he wrote about, when he himself seemed to desperately need one. I wonder if he was hoping for one at all.

Anyways, good book. I reccomend it highly.

reply to post by Karlhungis


Funny you should mention his leukemia, Karl...
For years now I've been "collecting" evidence that could possibly indicate why so many people who were actively involved in research and/or intense practice of... let's call it transcending the usual, ordinary interaction Mind and Time died "prematurely", as they say - and surprisingly many from leukemia.
And leukemia - a notoriously idiopathic disease (nobody REALLY knows what causes it) - is closely associated with the state of the spleen.
Remember that (rather silly ) passage when the woman healer chided him for "yelling" at his spleen? He mentions in passing that he had been having "some problems" with his spleen - which is now rather eerie to read, knowing what happened to him later.

Now, I am only speaking for myself, obviously, but I must say that whenever I am interfering in the ordinary, visible state of affairs - by way of altering my consiousness - one of the surest signs something is going on is an intense feeling of burning around my solar plexus - which is also the general area where the spleen lies. It's not at all a painful sensation but it can get intolerably "hot".

And so, I have been wondering for a long time whether there is a connection... Actually, I was going to post a thread about it.
I might still do it.

And then, of course, there is the other question: if he KNEW that nothing, no healing, is impossible, how come he didn't succeed in it (to put it - purposefully - very simply)?
And how come Florence Scovel Shinn, for example, who really knew what she was talking about (even if today's readers might find her style a bit "fluffy") died at age fifty, or thereabouts, after having established that (I am paraphrasing here) there is nothing to prevent us from being - immortal?
(Not only immortal but in perfect health.)

These are just two examples.
There are many more. And I really think this odd phenomenon - if there is one - should be looked into.

Anyway, it's a highly interesting subject.
Thanks for bringing it up.

reply to post by luis9343


Oh yes - that's a good one!
I remember reading it at age sixteen (not that I am recommending reading it at that age... ): It was quite an experience!
In fact, Dostoievsky in general can be a surprisingly (or not) "spiritual" read.
The "Karamazov brothers" can be almost shocking in its spiritual insight.

P.S. I think it would be a good idea for you to post this in the BTS thread (under "Literature"), too. There are many people looking for a read there.
But it's just a suggestion.





[edit on 1-8-2008 by Vanitas]

reply to post by Vanitas

Now, I am only speaking for myself, obviously, but I must say that whenever I am interfering in the ordinary, visible state of affairs - by way of altering my consiousness - one of the surest signs something is going on is an intense feeling of burning around my solar plexus - which is also the general area where the spleen lies. It's not at all a painful sensation but it can get intolerably "hot".

I have had this happen as well. Actually, it happens a lot but I never really gave it much consideration. I hope you do start a thread about it. I would be very interested to see you flesh it out some more.

Also, thanks to the poster who recommended Prometheus Rising. I didn't realize you had provided a link that would let us read it on line for free. I am about 1/2 way done with it....

Thanks again.

Well, I just finished Prometheus Rising. Good book.

It is kind of depressing to me to read a book written 10 years ago that ends with such a positive outlook for the future, only to see that we have failed to reach the glory that the author hoped for. Then again, it could just be my reality and other people can sit back and look at the world today as an amazing place full of promise.

It is also a little depressing to read how many times he mentioned how sure he was that we would have life extending drugs that would allow him to eventually achieve immortality, only to end up dying at the age of 65.

Anyways, it is a good book and a quick read.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
reply to post by Vanitas

 

In The Holographic Universe, the author makes several references to Carlos Castaneda. I thought that the general consensus was that Carlos was a fraud? I like his work, but I still have reservations. I feel like the references to him may hurt the credibility of the book.

What is your take on Castaneda?

Thanks for asking!
I have read all of Castaneda´s works, and they are great novels.

The problem is, when dealing with psychedelics, one´s experience flows from within one´s self, with some outside influence..

The experiences he recounted are very personal to HIM. They were created not only by the words of Don Juan, but by Castaneda´s own life experiences.

If I were to write down my psychedelic experiences and the philosophical meanings I derive from them, they would in essence be TRUE. But true for me, and me alone.

It would still be a good read though.

reply to post by Psychopump


Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Castaneda's work. It just sucks to find out that the guy "supposedly" made it all up. From my understanding, Don Juan never existed.

I agree that there is a lot of truth to what he writes, but (as I am finding out) many authors seem to reference him as writing the truth when he was later outed as a fraud. I admit that I haven't looked into it too much, but it seems to be the general consensus.

reply to post by Psychopump

Hoh!

I find "A Wish Can Change Your Life" to be an interesting book.
www.simonsays.com...

It's less "fluffy" than it sounds by its title.
I would recommend at least reading it to anyone interested in the Kabbalah, only too lazy (like myself) to get into the real stuff.

Originally posted by Vanitas

Another olden golden classic:

The Secret Life of Plants

It should be mandatory reading, if you ask me.
Then again, I would say the same about most of the books mentioned here...

Yeah, it should.
This was one of the first books I read giving a different outlook on natural phenomena while still being "scientific". Just not positivistic.
Positivism is BUNK.

i'm surprised no one's mentioned The Gods of Eden, by William Bramley...




to me, this book makes history make sense. if anything at all, it's a wonderful view into the real agendas of the Freemasons and the "Brotherhood of the Snake". if nothing at all, it's a fabulous "sci-fi" read, about reality!

i HIGHLY recommend everyone read this one, which i replied more about here.

also it has some stuff about aliens wanting to dominate us, nothing significant...

8 bucks at major bookstores too!!!

I am VERY sorry if this has been posted before, I´m still making my way through the first pages of books...


I love all of you that have recommended books ALMOST as much as I love Scribd.com!

Of all the books discussed or mentioned so far I have found (and downloaded in pdf format) on Scribd! And the ones I couldn´t find, presented me with other great books in the search results!

Now I am ripping as many books as I can before they change the rules or are dragged into court for copyright infringements....lol.

reply to post by Psychopump


Yes, scribd is a pretty great place. Especially for books on this type of subject matter. Someone had a post a few days ago showing that it is some sort of data mining site set up by the govt though... I am not really sure what to think about that.

Edit to add:

I am reading VALIS by Phillip K Dick right now. A pretty interesting insight into his bout of insanity.

www.scribd.com...


[edit on 7-9-2008 by Karlhungis]

reply to post by Karlhungis


Unfortunately, after 40 books, I seem to have reached my download limit for today. I´d better switch to another proxy then, eh?

Originally posted by Vanitas

Parallel Universes of Self

It IS extraordinary, both in insight and in practicality (which is a rare virtue).
I wish many more people would know about it.
Cynthia Larson has listed it in her May issue of "Realityshifters".
Considering the size and geographical scope of her readership, it is reasonable to expect that many more people will get to know it.

I am only half way through this book (thanks for the suggestion!), but I have to wonder... how come this book isn't better known? Why isn't there a forum to discuss it on Amazon, like they have for that recycled cr** called "The Secret"? Or if there are, I haven't noticed them.
I hope I am not breaking any rules by asking this, but maybe if other people here have also read it, somebody could start a thread on Amazon, so we could discuss it? Or here, for all I care. It's just that, in practice, this thread seems more apt for suggestions than for discussion proper.

Anyway, yes, this is surprisingly good stuff.
I don't have many "wishes", but those that I do have - climbing peaks, mostly, and not just metaphorically - have all come true, even though I've been told time and time again to temper my ambitions.
That's all the transcendence I personally need right now.
But I know from people around me, also, that things really do work like that.

But I think I will be having questions, so I would really like a place to discuss it.

reply to post by AdAstra


Go ahead and start a book study thread about it. There is one going now for Quantum Psychology. I would be interested in it if you started it. I would start it myself, but I haven't read the book.

reply to post by Karlhungis



Thank you.
I think I'll wait until I have finished and digested the book, but it's good to know that discussions about individual books would not be too out of place here.



.






[edit on 10-9-2008 by AdAstra]

Awesome thread!

Here's some food for thought:

Deep Simplicity - John Gribbin
A very well written book on Chaos theory. Fairly non-technical.

Parallel Worlds - Michio Kaku
Theoretical physics. If you've ever watched "The Universe" on the History channel, you know that Prof. Kaku has a strong passion and eloquent tongue for the many mysterious of our universe. Any book by Michio Kaku is highly recommended.

Our Inner Ape - Frans De Waal
Study of the Bonobo chimp and the similarities we share with our hairy cousins, written by one of the leading voices of Primatology.

The Doors of Perception - Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley writes about his experiences and thoughts of altered states. Both technical and poetic. You don't have to be a hippie to enjoy this!

The Perennial Philosophy - Aldous Huxley
Huxley draws a connecting line between the great religions and philosophies. Interesting read.

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut
Part sci-fi, part social satire, part philosophical. It's the end of the world, where's your Bokonon now!

The Last Temptation of Christ - Nikos Kazantzakis
If you are a Christian, you might not like this book. Despite the controversy, this is arguably one of the most spiritually enlightening books I have ever read. We are all entangled in our own "merciless battle between the spirit and the flesh".

The Book of Five Rings - Miyamoto Musashi
Similar to the Art of War by Sun Tzu. "The Way of strategy is the Way of nature. When you appreciate the power of nature, knowing the rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to follow the true Way according to nature in the book of the Void."

A People's History of the United States - Howard Zinn
History isn't always written by the winners...unfortunately, that is the history that was taught to me in school. Read this book to see the flipside.

Also, I strongly cosign The Holographic Universe and Notes from Underground.

Hope this thread lives looooooooong