could be convinced for 4 stars. lots of interesting ideas here about the relation of spirituality and art, and on the nature of art itself. only criticould be convinced for 4 stars. lots of interesting ideas here about the relation of spirituality and art, and on the nature of art itself. only critique is it can be a bit technical, jargony, drag a bit. solid book though, glad i read it....more
Good lil book. The writing itself is fantastic. He does a great job capturing a dreamlike, surreal vibe. The only problem is there isn't much of an acGood lil book. The writing itself is fantastic. He does a great job capturing a dreamlike, surreal vibe. The only problem is there isn't much of an actual story, sort of just a brief glimpse into the ghosts and spirits and memories of the town. Also certain elements of how the story was told made it confusing. Overall though, the writing was fire and I loved the mystical aspects. I just wish there was more of a coherent story. ...more
If you are anyone else, I think you will like this book more than me. But I have mixed feelings about this one. Akbar manages to hit almost all of my If you are anyone else, I think you will like this book more than me. But I have mixed feelings about this one. Akbar manages to hit almost all of my personal writing pet peeves, the biggest offense being a relentless mention of contemporary brands e.g., "hair the color of Pepsi," Rumi drinking a "red Solo cup" and smoking a "Swisher," scenes that remind him "of a show with Sandra Bullock on TNT." Type of shit that makes me want to blow my brains out.
But it's a testament to the actual story and characters that I finished (and even liked) this book, the style of which I would normally have DNF'd in a heartbeat. In other words, I found the writing kinda mid (though there are some great moments), but the story itself was good enough to pull me through. I also thought the themes of addiction, martrydom, and the aspects of Iranian culture/history/identity were really interesting as well. Like I said, if you're anyone else, I think you'll like this more than me. But for Big Nate it's a high 3-star/low 4-star....more
banger little book. picked this one up very spontaneously and found it genuinely insightful into the nature of artmaking. very readable, highly recommbanger little book. picked this one up very spontaneously and found it genuinely insightful into the nature of artmaking. very readable, highly recommend if you're interested in this stuff....more
Tons of good stuff in here. Love a tormented, unreliable, philosophical narrator. Feels like the germ-text for all the themes Dostoevsky goes on to wrTons of good stuff in here. Love a tormented, unreliable, philosophical narrator. Feels like the germ-text for all the themes Dostoevsky goes on to write about.
I do have critiques: the writing is a bit all over the place, the tone and style of part 1 and 2 are super different, etc. But overall, a banger. I've been book clubbing this w some homies and it's been fire discussion....more
Sojourner Truth seems truly incredible. The biographer, however, is mid. More Sojourner and her life and her works, less riff raff from the peanut galSojourner Truth seems truly incredible. The biographer, however, is mid. More Sojourner and her life and her works, less riff raff from the peanut gallery. ...more
Loved it. This book ends up being Soseki's philosophy of nature and art and life, told loosely through the narrative of an artist who goes on a spiritLoved it. This book ends up being Soseki's philosophy of nature and art and life, told loosely through the narrative of an artist who goes on a spiritual retreat in the mountains. Found it deeply insightful. Ate that ish right up. ...more
What can I say? Bro lives up to the hype. He gives me Cicero vibes he so clean w the rhetoric, but instead of bighead topics he's preaching civil righWhat can I say? Bro lives up to the hype. He gives me Cicero vibes he so clean w the rhetoric, but instead of bighead topics he's preaching civil rights in 1967. Huge emphasis on nonviolence, and yet massive civil disobedience. This book is a 5-part series of speeches so it was pretty short, but has left a deep impression on me.
MLK on nonviolence: "Nonviolence had muzzled their guns and Negro defiance had shaken their confidence. When they finally reached for clubs, dogs, and guns, they found the world was watching, and then the power of nonviolent protest became manifest. It dramatized the essential meaning of the conflict and made clear who was the evildoer and who was the undeserving victim."
MLK on civil disobedience: "Nonviolent protest must now mature to a new level to correspond to heightened black impatience and stiffened white resistance. This higher level is mass civil disobedience. There must be more than a statement to the larger society; there must be a force that interrupts its functioning at some key point."
Bro really just has banger on banger in this book. Shoutout to MLK jr forreal. ...more
really interesting account of the author's apprenticeship with the yaqui shaman don Juan. lots of super trippy psychadelic experiences. plenty of insireally interesting account of the author's apprenticeship with the yaqui shaman don Juan. lots of super trippy psychadelic experiences. plenty of insight and wisdom from don Juan, which reads like the native american version of other ancient spiritual texts i've been reading. i thought this was a great book.
(note though i stopped after 'The Teachings of Don Juan'. The last 'A Structural Analysis' section was horrible. Reads like a shitty academic paper trying to systematize all of don Juan's teachings in an overly logical, academic way that completely misses the point. Extremely disappointing and bad. Other than that though, fire.)...more
So profoundly good but at times so inexpressibly bad. At its best, it is one of the most cogent and insightful texts on dreams and the unconscious I hSo profoundly good but at times so inexpressibly bad. At its best, it is one of the most cogent and insightful texts on dreams and the unconscious I have ever read. At its worst it is literally embarrassing to read. Interpreting *everything* in dreams as dicks or vagina is okay for a couple dozen pages, but once we're in the 100-150+ range... let's move the fuck on. and then the whole end part is just flat out one of the worst things i've read to date (that's saying something). Glad I read this I suppose, at the very least for what end up being truly invaluable insights. But goddamn... lotta chaff to get that wheat....more
I could be convinced for 5 stars. Freud is on some genuinely wacky shit...but bro's got bars. Undeniable.I could be convinced for 5 stars. Freud is on some genuinely wacky shit...but bro's got bars. Undeniable....more