The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
Book Thread
Front-Ranger:
I am listening to a series of lectures given by Robert Thurman for the second time. It is called "Liberation Upon Hearing In the Between." "In the Between" is his way of translating the title of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. THe latter title is wrong, he says, because there are no dead, there is no such thing. It is an immensely interesting and enlightening series of lectures, and I will write some highlights here. I don't know if the lectures exist as a book, but he has written many books on Tibetan Buddhism.
One last thing, Buddhism is not a religion. It is an educational system. THere are no gods to be worshipped in Buddhism, only ordinary people like you or I who have become enlightened.
Front-Ranger:
Now I am reading two books. The first is The Virginian by Owen Wister. Based in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming, it was first published in the 1930s and is thought to be the first and most classic Western. (Although I'm not sure where Buffalo Bill's dime novels and Zane Grey fit in.) It is very interesting to see the parallels to BBM, which are many. The Virginian himself at first glance seems to be a melding of Jack and Ennis (Very sympatico!!) I have just started the book, and one of the first topics is the sharing of beds among all the male travellers in a small town!!
I am also listening to Laurel Canyon. It is a chronicle of the start of the folk-rock movement in Los Angeles, with the Byrds, CSN&Y, Joni Mitchell, the Mamas and the Papas, Bob Dylan, and Frank Zappa. It promises to be fun!!
delalluvia:
Just re-read 'Virtures of War' by Pressman. Fictional Alexander the Great novel. Nice fast reading. Doesn't go into much depth with character or place or action other than battle. He doesn't ignore Alexander and Hephaestion's relationship, but neither does he do much with it either. Author gets points for making the man/boy, boy/boy, man/man relationships the norm.
Still reading the letters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (leader of the all African-American Massachusetts 54th in the Civil War) in 'Blue-eyed child of Fortune, the Civil War letters of Robert Gould Shaw'. So far, is a lovely pleasant read. He seems to have been a truly sweet, nice, very empathetic positive person, always looking for the best in everyone and expecting the best out of everyone.
Andrew:
Here's Jeff Wrangler in front of the Robert Gould Shaw monument in Boston near Boston Common. It's from when he was here for the Boston Brokies get together in September.
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: Andrew on November 08, 2006, 10:27:41 pm ---Here's Jeff Wrangler in front of the Robert Gould Shaw monument in Boston near Boston Common. It's from when he was here for the Boston Brokies get together in September.
--- End quote ---
Cool!!!! 8)
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