Sasun Posted November 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Why shocked Sasun? And yes one of my favorites as well...a classic...can always get some useful meaning out of just opening it up to about any random page... Thoth it was shocking for me to find truth/wisdom written in such a concise and paradoxical manner. You can read a whole philosophy book, and you can read one page in Tao The Ching and get the same amount of philosophy/mysticism. I am planning to read it again. I think it is worth to read other variations as well, and once in a while I do open a random page and enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 The oldest books i've read are those collections of Platon writings published... like Parménide. Other old works which I have, are the Six meditation of Descartes(in its french orginal version) oh and of course "Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les hommes." by Rousseau, it is a humanistic work, that even if atheistic see a hope for the humanity. I handle this work, as one of my bibles. There is the work refered by Armat, which is not really recent(80s) as well, this work has been recently translated into English, where before it was believed it was impossible to translate it into English... but I do have the French version, if I can still find it. There is as well theatres that I still have on my collection, like Shophocle, Aristophane etc... In conclusion, I have many of those old works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 last week i tried to read his (Garcia Marquez's) memoirs (volume 1) but couldn't finish it. he has lost his magic touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 The oldest books i've read are those collections of Platon writings published... like Parménide. sorry, i found PARMENIDES incomprehensible; but i love the 3 dialogues dealing with Socrates's last days; also the SYMPOSIUM, the LAWS, the REPUBLIC.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Did you read it in an English traduction? I've heard they were badly translated in English, I don't think they come any closer to the French traductions. Le dialogue entre Parménide et Socrate was what you should read... forget the other ones... and tell me if this part is as incomprehensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sev-mard Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I like textbooks actually, I like facts, numbers and historical events. Fiction that takes place in Japan, or some ancient culture is cool. Read about every religious/spirtual text I can grab Lots of Egyptology and Cosmology books.Socrates and those cats every now and then just to have a grip on what people call "classics" Now Reading: History of the World, Oxfords Complete Companion of Archeology, Spoken Eastern Armenian by Fairbanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accelerated Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Mostly history/military history (non-fiction) and some of the more famous/best novels: Dune, Catch 22 etc. Havnt read a book in over a year though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 21, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 last week i tried to read his (Garcia Marquez's) memoirs (volume 1) but couldn't finish it. he has lost his magic touch. Maybe his muse is gone at this age, but I am quite content with what he has written earlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKGIRL28 Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 I enjoy reading allsorts really... depends on my mood! At the moment Im reading two books, I have a habit of doing that..last time I read Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter together...dont ask me why! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Accelerated - Dune is one of my all time favorite books. And I love all of Herbert's works (and have read all) - and if you liked Dune I would suggest reading more of his novels - all entertaining and insightful and well written. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1984 right before he died and it was very special for me. Another classic in a similar genre is Startide Rising by David Brin (and the entire series is worthwhile and entertaining). I also met him in 1984 right before the book won the Hugo and Nebula that year - and I didn't know of him or had not read his book. Well i have a history of dissing Sci Fi authors (who are full of themselves etc)...I go to conventions and such and this was at a WorldCon in LA. We were at the Atlanta bid party and had each been drinking many Peach Daquries! Well I was saksing his what he had written etc and he told me...and for whatever reason (drink) I started giving him a hard time. It was funny how he was really scincerely and desperatly trying to convince me that his book wasn't just ther same old garbage. So I did read it after (and its now one of my all time favorite novels!)...and it won both awards at the very convention I was attending! LOL. So I got to meet him again last year - at a technical (non-Sci-Fi) conference and related my sotry to him (which he didn't remember) - but he was highly amused...LOL (and got him to sign a bunch of my books as well!) And UKGIrRL - Lord of the Rings is of course and has been a favorite of mine as well. I've read it dozens of time - recently to my children. Also have read all the Harry Potters to them (excepting the most recent one - as my eldest has mangerd to read it to himslef - twice now)...they are alos very enhjoyable (and very British!) LOL)...and in fact - everyone coments how much my eldest looks like Harry Potter - and its ture. In fact I think he looks more like HArry Potter then the kid who plays him in the movies! (and he has been harry Potter for Halloween etc ...I made up a nice Nimbus 2000 for him aways back!)...and of course the kids are really into LoTRs as well. For his last two birthdays I've conducted a game with minatures re-enacting the trip through the Mines of Moria - 2 years ago , and the Battle of Helms Deep - this last year. I suppose we'll do The battle of Pelanor firlds or some such this year - I really will have to start paintin up those minatures and designing a game layout (lots of work...but great fun)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKGIRL28 Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Yeah, I love the Harry books - read em all 3 times over. The films werent so good though, bit dissaponted overall, but still amusing and entertaining...I bring my lil cousins along to the cinema to watch them coz they all love Harry.. and yes, its very English!! LOL You gotta show me a pic of your son who looks like Harry sometime... My bf got me into the LOTRs books, at first I didnt want to read it coz its like 3 books, plus the Hobbit! But I got into them and couldnt put them down afterwards! LOL Love the films, cant wait to see the last instalment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Agreed - can't wait for the Return of the King film. I loved the first moivie - and understood all the variation and ommision form the books (though I had a way to get Bombadil in their that would only have taken a number of seconds...Oh well)...but I was nto happy with some decsions made for the send movie - not at all. strill enjoyed it however - bette ron second viewing - as I was outraged when i first saw it in theater. Yeah I'd be happy top show you a pic of my boy...but you'll nedd to give me your email or such in a PM. And i'm not at all exaggerating either. Of course i noticed it first...but he really does get stopped and people say so all the time. Agree with you on the films - a bit bland and unemtional - much of the fun is not there...but gotta admit - they were at least accuratly done and can't really point to anything that was doen out right wrong - or poorly...its just that the way Rowling writes is just so evocative - and I think its hard to carry over into film... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKGIRL28 Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 I actually saw the secodf LOTRs film in France, and that was hard work - its not one of my strong points, foreign languages, but Ive already read the book, so it was bearable! Saw it agin when I came back to London, so it was cool!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKGIRL28 Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Agree with you on the films - a bit bland and unemtional - much of the fun is not there...but gotta admit - they were at least accuratly done and can't really point to anything that was doen out right wrong - or poorly...its just that the way Rowling writes is just so evocative - and I think its hard to carry over into film... I agree there, its hard to reproduce a film from a book/novel.. most films from books are dissapointing anyway, which is why I always read more books than watch films! Then you can be the better judge/critique after seeing the film...Im not saying there arnt GREAT film diectors and producers out there but subsequently, has there ever been a film based on a novel that did it justice? or more to the point, was much better than the book? Enlighten me.... <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Yes - A clockwork orange And funny - I had a DVD of the Two Towers since last February! A friend was vacationing in Russia and saw it in one of those market stalls 9aprently they have evryhing now)..it's a pristine copy made from the release for the Acadamy Aewards or some such - no extra's though...funny it can be viewed in Russion, English (of course) and Turkish! Turns out it was bootlegged in Turkey it seems..even though the cover is in Russian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 but I am quite content with what he has written earlier so am i...but i couldn't overcome the shock that he could be boring. / ara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Le dialogue entre Parménide et Socrate was what you should read... forget the other ones... and tell me if this part is as incomprehensible. i am sure the french are better and much more compatible with ancient greek but i regret to say our library does not list plato in french..../ara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 21, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 I recently discovered a Russian bookstore in Brooklyn (Brighton Beach) where all books are dirt cheap. I bougth 3 Dostoevsky books for $10, the English ones would cost at least 5 times more - its a very good deal. They of course have non-Russian authors' translations (a lot of them). If someone knows Russian then it is the perfect place to shop for books. I mean what is the difference if you read Balzak in Russian or English, while reading Russian costs you a lot less. I highly recommend anyone this option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 21, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 By the way, how come books are so expensive in the US? Could it be because they are seen as luxury goods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armat Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Some books that I read and whole hearty recommend are…Any Henry Miller specially Tropic of cancer, Time of the Assassins a Study of Rimbaud, Stand Still Like the HummingbirdHermann Hesse Siddhartha, STEPPENWOLF and short storiesDostoyaskiy the idiot, The Karamazov BrothersThe Black MonkBy Anton ChekhovThis particular storie is very poignant and Arshile Gorky read it before killing himself and the title of his last painting. This story is incredible and will shed light on the state of mind Vazdanik was before killing himself…There are numerous others but these few I can think now considering I am typing this drunk… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Could it be because they are seen as luxury goods? Antique The last book that impressed me a lot was Patric Zuskind's "Perfumer". Extraordinary stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 I recently discovered a Russian bookstore in Brooklyn (Brighton Beach) where all books are dirt cheap. I bougth 3 Dostoevsky books for $10, the English ones would cost at least 5 times more - its a very good deal. They of course have non-Russian authors' translations (a lot of them). If someone knows Russian then it is the perfect place to shop for books. I mean what is the difference if you read Balzak in Russian or English, while reading Russian costs you a lot less. I highly recommend anyone this option. Sasun, I agree with you, but I don't think Balzak is a good example. While being able to reed Dostoevsky and Tolstoy in original is kind of a privilege, with Balzak and many other especially French authors the English translation is better one. Some of the Russian translations from the Soviet times were brutally censured, not necessarily for ideological reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Sasun, I agree with you, but I don't think Balzak is a good example. While being able to reed Dostoevsky and Tolstoy in original is kind of a privilege, with Balzak and many other especially French authors the English translation is better one. Some of the Russian translations from the Soviet times were brutally censured, not necessarily for ideological reasons. Yeah, I didn't think about that... hope now they are not censuring any more. These books seem to be fresh out of print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 My favorite books:The best book on the Caucasus and one of the very few non-fiction books that I have read three times and plan to read again: THE SABRES OF PARADISE by Lesley Blanch. There are many Armenians here, not all of them admirable specimens - one notable exception: a young Armenian girl called "the Pearl" who is abducted by Muslim warriors, falls in love with her captor, and when her family shows up to pay the ransom and take her back home, she refuses to go with them.*Two American novels that I have read three times: LOLITA by Vladimir Nabokov, and FAREWELL , MY LOVELY by Raymond Chandler.*Two favorite short stories: "The Lady with the Pet Dog" by Anton Chekhov, and "Dead Yellow Women," by Dashiell Hammett.*Two books that changed my life: THE IDIOT by Dostoevsky, and AN INTRODUCTION TO ZEN BUDDHISM by D.T. Suzuki.*The only book that I never get tired of rereading: Arnold J. Toynbee's RECONSIDERATIONS (Volume 12 of his STUDY OF HISTORY).*My favorite biography: THE LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI by Louis Fischer.*My favorite autobiography: Jean-Paul Sartre's WORDS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara baliozian Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Antique The last book that impressed me a lot was Patric Zuskind's "Perfumer". Extraordinary stuff. i read it too and it is a horror story about a pathological midget-murderer. please correct the name of the author and title of book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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