To the point

After reading this book I am able to appreciate what Richard Mitchell means by 'since time and place mean nothing to an alien trying to understand humanity' in his book 'The Gift of Fire'.
It was interesting to read about the observed motion seen in a timescale of many years contrasted with human life's dot appearance. Now I understand what a professed utilitarian that I know was trying to say with why should humans think themselves superior compared to other animals.
I really liked the statement where Scott says imagine the cosmos is gone sort of things.. while in fantasy you see the existence of new worlds.. I think he is creative when he says forget about things we know itself for a while..
It was even more interesting to read his explanation of Gods Debris

Jan 10, 2007

Good writing with a purpose

I like how the myths are woven into the story and prose. I cannot believe that what began as a funny account of a mother trying to make sure that her son does not take to drinking due to post war trauma ended up this way - telling the story of Laguna people, their attachment to the land and cattle even in the times of drought and vanishing land.

Aug4,2007

National Geographic Vol 179, No.5 May 1991

Elephants find Lianas tasty. While the Aka people in the article are in Africa, another Aka community with an undocumented language has been found.
Forest elephants prefer Monocots
A tamarind tree is a dicot. I say that from tiny green grass like stalk that have two seed leaves. After rain they were more prominent on the ground. Fresh green.

Beneficiaries of the elephants bull dozing. ... crested mangabey monkeys

Treculia
Balanites
Cauliflory
dehiscent
exstipulate

In Chicago, old women made Varenyky for their church. The feature on Chicago had a good comparision with NY city style of anyone can make it here Vs if you can make it here..

Another Six questions

This Socrates,Mr Philips, should have asked fewer questions. The questions in the beginning are in a realm, easily 'connectible to ' of a common man.
As you approach the middle of the book, one feels that as a very inquisitive present generation Socrates, he should have rephrased the questions or found answers relevant to the question. This disappointment is a show-stopper.
The answers in themselves deal with people of diverse backgrounds, as the discussions of philosophy are held in various parts of the world. You come to know of various cultures and their viewpoints.
A question on virtue just focusses on harmony, moderation on modesty. This steering of the answer to just one side, rather than a wider view could be partly due to a community's 'similar thinking'.
Even if just the first question was put to all the different groups, the book would have done the real job of exploring philosophy and its relevance to modern man.
One question well answered is better than any many questions that can be raised and never answered.

Aug 19 2005

Poet or not

This book is for anyone who has ever had to think if they could/should write or not. On a general note, if anybody had to sit and think if what they are doing is what they really want to do , they could glean some inspiration that all the questions that arise will lead you to 'worth the effort' results , if pursued, that can make a difference to your and many other lives.

Sep 19. 2005

Books are for

DHL has a very consistent way of writing. Each of his book only adds to the superset of his way of thinking.
This book has very few characters but strong ones at that. You can derive your philosophy from them. They can do the living at an abstraction which seems the most appealing to those who always look at the 'true core' of things. The characters will go through all the travails that are the outcome of an impossible living and finally descend back to the ground.
There are a gamut of feelings that can be felt by a man, its not possible to experience them all by ourselves and this book is one such, which lets you live the life of such intense people within the covers.
Miriam's character, as a person who draws life out of all things worth appreciating by vaccuming their essence into her, like say smelling the flowers so barbarously that they are devoid of their fragrance...
In today's life , where conversation cannot go beyond everyday needs, its hard to recognise such different traits in people. DHL's characters are so different. The feelings they have, the way they reconciliate to them.. how they realise that they go beyond the flesh and are more related in spirit .. making transactions in this not-ordinary space and then having the practicality to realise that life cant be lived like that .. the point abut how 'feeling life like souls' but 'need to live like humans'..
Oct 11, 2005

Push cart 2010

I want to speak for just one essay - 'The Sutra of Maggots and Blowflies' by Sallie Jiko Tisdale.In the essayists words it is a rewrite of Dogen's Sutra of Mountains and Waters as a natural history of flies, in Buddhist terms. I read this essay last night. And today I could make something of a housefly. I saw the four stripes on its gray thorax. I saw the 'halteres'. If I can tell that much of a fly, it has to be a dead one with its limbs detaching at the slightest touch. The fly is on a path of decay. The essay not only leaves you with the knowledge of what happens to our bodies when we die but it goes into suffering identified by Buddha.
It is a long essay. If you cant get your hands on it, you should read the excerpts of it on 'Dharma Rain'. [...]. After reading this essay I was reminded of an essay 'Not found Not Lost' by Joel Agee.

Other essays that I liked and recognized from magazines: 'Time and Distance overcome' by Eula Biss and 'How to succeed in Po Biz' by Kim Addonizio

Jul 17,2010