What Book Did You Read

[camerata]

1. The Teachings of don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge

- by Carlos Castaneda

Did this actually have an impact on your life? I remember I loved the book and babbled on about wanting to be "an impeccable warrior" for several months, but ultimately it didn't do anything for me and the series became increasingly tedious to read.

[Sir Burr]

Me too, I loved his books, until I was told he was a fraud. Same as that Lobsang Rampa fella.

[taxexile]

Viz magazine ,

it taught me never to feel the necessity to apologise for a fart.

[Rinrada]

The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill......still reading....

[autonomous_unit]

...

The responses on the thread to date have not (in general) been so much of a spiritual nature... something that prompts you to examine yourself and perhaps alter your perspective on things....

Reading for pure enjoyment is one thing, but reading to learn more, a hunger for knowledge, a nagging feeling that maybe sub-conscious related... something that you think you should already know about... and maybe a writer has penned the very words that you've been searching for.

That's the type of response I was trying to elicit from the forum. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My personality is not to seek metaphysical or "spiritual" truths from others or from books but rather through introspection. Reading compendiums of modern western philosophy in school only reinforced the idea that we all basically bootstrap ourselves through the same ideas that society developed more slowly in the past. I guess I think it is more fun to work it out myself than to read the study guide. I get bored by what I call the Name Droppers and Librarians, i.e. people who greatly value cataloging and reciting others' thoughts over making their own.

I would read novels and poetry for the enterainment and interest in seeing character studies and different takes on the human condition. And also in appreciation of a well turned phrase. So I read not so much for how the universe works but for how the mind works... reading Chaucer and Shakespeare was interesting because it helped reinforce that humanity doesn't change so much despite its technologies and fashions.

I read some non-fiction for facts and so I can spend a little less time reinventing old wheels. I guess I trust scientific/engineering processes more to accept the study guide, while I feel that philosophy is a messy enough job that one had better do it himself.

I read most of my fiction up until part way through university when I got intrigued by computers and dropped my goal of majoring in English lit. and slowly turned into a computer scientist. This was a profound effect not because it changed my thought processes but because it launched a chain of chance encounters that introduced me to my wife. It is a good text book, but really it was just luck that it was the first real computer science text I read.

Since then, my thirst for fiction tapered off dramatically but I did get one last push for cyberpunk fiction after having to read Neuromancer to cap off a gothic themed English lit. class! Before that, I was sort of an English classics snob. I think I am just too spent by my career to want to read recreationally afterwards. But, I am just hitting 31 years old now so I assume it might just be a phase I am going through.

[Jai Dee]

1. The Teachings of don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge

- by Carlos Castaneda

Did this actually have an impact on your life? I remember I loved the book and babbled on about wanting to be "an impeccable warrior" for several months, but ultimately it didn't do anything for me and the series became increasingly tedious to read.

It did for me at the time... I was young and mixed up and doing all sorts of stupid things... this book initially had some attraction for me from the fantasy and psychotropic (sp?) drug use perspective... but after reading about 4 of the sequels, I ended up learning to think a bit deeper about things... almost meditatively.

It caused me to stop and think about my life, not exactly "stopping the world" but re-evaluating my (then) very selfish perspective. Maybe it was the timing... but I changed (for the better I think) because of it.

BTW, I too eventually found them tedious to read.

[Boatabike]

Can't say this book was life changing, but it certainly made sense out of a small period of it for me, and gave me an understanding of a few things i found difficult to get my head round whilst travelling through India.

City of Joy by Dominique Lapierre

Apart from that is is a great read to make you feel glad you are who you are.

[miminem]

DESERT OF TARTARS BY DINO BUZZATI

[camerata]

3. The Magus by John Fowles (Greece again, but mystery and magic of the highest class – the first time I read it through in one go, only stopping twice to sleep);

Good one. I think this book was one of the reasons I first went to Greece.

7. The Alexandrian Quartet by Lawrence Durrell (the colours and spices of the Mediterranean and Middle East written in some of the best English ever written);

Ah... I'd forgotten the Alexandrine Quartet. I only read Justine, but it really was excellent. When I first came to Thailand in the 70s I loved Bangkok the way the author loved Alexandria. But what's to love now? The city's lost its charm with all the skyscrapers, 7-11s and the skytrain. It's just another semi-westernized Asian city.

[stumonster]

The Prisoners Dilemma - by Willaim Poundstone .... At least I thinks its this one - But it caused me to change the way I did things.

[suegha]

Well, here goes. I have read so many of the books listed that I had forgotten many of them...

However, the book that really changed my life (and is doing so in an on-going way) is the bible. I have been reading and studying the bible for more than 25 years and it never fails to give something new and up-lifting. I never tire of reading and re-reading it, and you can't say that of most books!

[Boatabike]

Another really great read for me was Birdsong by 'Sebastian Faulks'

A moving tale set during World War I, i really recomend it. It captures the horror of war in a way that can't fail to move you.

[Neeranam]

Great topic.

I remember reading some of the posted titles and they did change my life.

The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran

Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie - Got me to India

The Dice-Man by Luke Rheinhart.

'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac

I am not a great reader but some books I remember well.

The art of motorcyle maintenance.

Johnathan Livingstone seagull.

How to know God - Deepak Chokra

Alcoholics Anonymous, Anonymous

The light of the soul - Alice bailey

No religion - Buddhathassa Bhikhu

Edited June 8, 2005 by Neeranam

[Sir Burr]

Neeranam - I think you mean Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. A cult book from the seventies. Very good.

[Neeranam]

Neeranam - I think you mean Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. A cult book from the seventies. Very good.

That's right Sir. Made such an impact, I forgot the name

[Valjean]

Reading this thread, with so many of you in an "alien" culture, trying to figure out what's going on, I'd like to recommend "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night". A story, a little bit of a mystery, from the point of view of an autistic boy. Another perspective on the world around you - from a vantage other than yours.

[rossiok]

Thought for a long time on this,but was helped by Jack on another post.

Got to be Papillon by Henri Charriere.

I have the English version that has been translated from the original "slang" French which means you have to read it slowly and its a very long book,butIMO even better than the film.

It really shows how badly other human beings can treat other and and to me personally,how we can not only be animals,but in some circumstances even worse than them.

The author,of cause is one of those people that the more you knock him down,the faster he will get up. Brilliant.I would have loved to have met him.

Another great book,is Jonathan Livingstone Seagull; by J.S Bach (I think)?.Great read for Kids.

All about achieving your potential.Great read for adults to.

Finally I just love Tom Clancey novels,especially the Jack Ryan years.

But one criticism,anything written by him and someone else,leave well alone,I doubt if Clancy even read it,let alone wrote it.

[jackr]

2. The Nature of Personal Reality: Specific, Practical Techniques for Solving Everyday Problems and Enriching the Life You Know (A Seth Book)

- by Jane Roberts

Hey, Jai Dee, can I get this in Thailand, namely Chiang Mai? Already had a look in a few book shops around Thapae. Best, most comprehensive book shop in CMai? Any takers? Geko books on Soi 1 seems good.

[Crossy]

I was about half way through 'Storming Heaven' by Dale Brown on September 11th 2001, when it ceased being fiction and became a documentary

Didn't exactly change my life, but sticks in my memory.

[lampard10]

I now remember one other book,and I would be interested to know is any of you Ozzies out there have read it. It was given to me on my 40th birthday by a Swedish man I know only as Kjell. He was once a quite famous motor cycle racer till an accident cut short his career and landed him in a wheel chair. He opened a bar for the SAAB Aircraft English workers in Linkoping. He used to say the book will always remind him of me. The title; ' The Illywacker' by Peter Carey. I can't say it changed my life,I was too much like him already. Bit like ' Catch 22' How can something change you, when you already identify youself with most of the cast.

[aaaaaa]

I think the biggest impact I had from "Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu " (Ocean of the Nectar of Sacred Rapture - from sanskrit) or may be Srimad Bhagavatam

books by Paulo Coelho gave me a lot of insights too. perhaps all of them.

[kayo]

Reading this thread, with so many of you in an "alien" culture, trying to figure out what's going on, I'd like to recommend "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night".  A story, a little bit of a mystery, from the point of view of an autistic boy.  Another perspective on the world around you - from a vantage other than yours.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed... read it last year and thought it was brilliant... Of course I´d just come of a stint teaching Mathematics to Matyiom 1 -3...

Calvin & Hobbes...Possibly the most insightful 6 year old in history: A younger, smarter and more intellectual Bart Simpson.

Another (more literate) book I read about ten years ago was by A. Camus, and in french it was called L´etranger...Maybe the stranger, or more apt, the outsider, in english. Excellent insightful book, much along the lines of my earlier posting of Zeno´s COnscience, by Italo Svevo.

I am reading right now a book by Preston, R. called the Hot Zone.

Just thought I´d mention that.

[bkkmadness]

So odd Rav, I was enquiring about your whereabouts on Bedlam about an hour ago, coz not seen you post much.

Yep, Zen/Motorcycle is a great book, read it first in India and just picked it up the other day for a re read. What annoys me though is read loads when I'm on holiday and got no tv/computer but when in Bangkok hardly touch a book, too easily distratced surfing the net or watching crap telly.

That'll have to change soon after seeing all your recommendations, many of which I have not read yet.

[Jai Dee]

2. The Nature of Personal Reality: Specific, Practical Techniques for Solving Everyday Problems and Enriching the Life You Know (A Seth Book)

- by Jane Roberts

Hey, Jai Dee, can I get this in Thailand, namely Chiang Mai? Already had a look in a few book shops around Thapae. Best, most comprehensive book shop in CMai? Any takers? Geko books on Soi 1 seems good.

I don't know if you'd find such a book on the shelf, but if you went to a larger bookstore I'm sure they could order it for you.

Here is a link to the Amazon website with the book details.

I find it interesting that of over 50 posts now on this thread, you're the only one (apart from me of course) to indicate an interest in this particular book.

[camerata]

I find it interesting that of over 50 posts now on this thread, you're the only one (apart from me of course) to indicate an interest in this particular book.

I had never heard of it. The customer reviews on Amazon are pretty entertaining though. For example:

"I took an after life journey six years ago, and what Seth Speaks, and is describing, is the truth of our lives now and also what we are after we pass over to the other side. If you saw the movie Ghost, that is exactly what I was doing on the other side, only all the evil that was in the movie wasn't there."

[Plus+]

Short stories by Borghess (sp)

That Bulgakov book - Master and Margarita - someone mentioned earlier.

[Soi Mongrel]

Four pages of responses, and only one person said The Bible. I like you f**kers!

[kayo]

Four pages of responses, and only one person said The Bible.  I like you f**kers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh! Oh! You´ve opened up a can of worms here. Let´s see if I have the patience to focus on this long enough for a decent response.

I am pretty much a totally unfaithful bastard.

Let´s make that clear from the start. I believe in Beer, Blues, and Bullshit. A rock´n´roll lifestyle is what I try to acheive in life.

Right?!

I can, however, completely, unequivocally state that the bible has had large influeneces upon my life.

Í have taken from the bible the understanding that every person has the ability to acheive a state of mind, a comfort in the rivers of existence, equal (arguably superior - but ´tis not my destiny) to the level the prophets and primarily JC acheived.

This personal understanding has been further re-affirmed by multiple reading of the Koran, the Baghavad Gita, and several parts of various other holy teaching, scripts, from around the world. Recently picking up on history of the Maya people in central america has further re-affirmed this to me.

I am by no means any expert on any of this. I can only state the opinions I got from reading these books.

In the meantime, I keep drinking, listening to the blues, generally misbehaving, in an unoffensive way.

I just hope to keep on keeping on being a good person, and drifting along in those rivers of existence.

So maybe I do have some sort of faith

[Tornado]

CBNGOABO SMOOTHYZNS ARE THE BEST NZREM THEY JRRP CHAOCLATE FROK SWEEETING INGM SAOUT T,. GOOOD LUICK WITHNEVERYTHIJNGM, WE ALL APPRECIATA IT WHAT Y0OUR DOIJ NF.

[kayo]

Tor, You´r spelling recently appears to have been hit by a tornado...

I got you´r other post, but this one remains a mystery...