Topic: What is everyone reading?

[ma2000]

Our priest gave me a book yesterday 'The Saint of the Prisons' about Valeriu Gafencu, who was imprisoned under the Communists in Aiud and then Pitești (famous for the brainwashing experiments) before eventually dying in Târgu Ocna. I've only read the first couple of chapters so far but it's very interesting, particularly because it contains extracts from his own letters as well as testimonies from those who knew him in prison.

James

I read the Romanian version and I think it's quite good.

I'm currently reading How can we become better by Fr Teofil Paraian

[jmbejdl]

Our priest gave me a book yesterday 'The Saint of the Prisons' about Valeriu Gafencu, who was imprisoned under the Communists in Aiud and then Pitești (famous for the brainwashing experiments) before eventually dying in Târgu Ocna. I've only read the first couple of chapters so far but it's very interesting, particularly because it contains extracts from his own letters as well as testimonies from those who knew him in prison.

James

I read the Romanian version and I think it's quite good.

I'm currently reading How can we become better by Fr Teofil Paraian

It is good. I don't have the time to read as much as I'd like nowadays (kids!) but I've almost finished it. It's also pretty much convinced me that Valeriu Gafencu is a saint, even if he hasn't actually been glorified yet.

James

[vamrat]

The Way of Men by Jack Donovan

[stavros_388]

Just picked up A Game of Thrones again after a long hiatus.

I have actually never read that.

Great books, those. I read the first three almost 10 years ago. It's a shame that G.R.R.Martin takes about five years to write each new book in the series.

[Shiny]

"I want you to see me naked and performing one or two dozen mad acts, which will take me less than half an hour, because if you have seen them with your own eyes, you can safely swear to any others you might wish to add." - Quijote

[pmpn8rGPT]

Right now I'm working on the Book of Enoch... I don't hold it as inspired but it certainly is one of the most interesting books I've ever read, next I will start the Epistle of Barnabas

[Shiny]

Almost at Part 2 of Don Quixote.

Boy I am a slow reader, yes?

Truthfully I wanted to play Halo this weekend with some people and I was waiting for another translation to come in the mail. So glad it was worth the wait, Dr. Lathrop has an awesome translation. Plenty of footnotes and extremely readable. Not quite the elegant prose Grossman tries so hard to reach on every sentence, but according to various sources this is more faithful, plus Lathrop is one of the preeminent Cerventine scholars.

It's getting to the point where I can hardly put down the book unless other things come up.

*SPOILER*
The scene between don Fernando, Luscinda, Cardenio and Dorotea meeting and reconcilling, man that was just perfect. It's amazing I care about these characters, but was so happy about this. Hope nothing bad happens...
*END SPOILER*

[Tallitot]

this thread:
http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,3406.0.html

[W.A.Mozart]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/115019217/Jesus-the-Liberator-A-Historical-Theologica-Reading-of-Jesus-of-Nazareth

Archbishop Romero, helped in this by Ignacio Ellacuria, analyzed idolatry
with greater theological precision and historical illustration." For Romero too,
what makes idolatry possible lies in our capacity to absolutize what we have made,
but he does not begin with this; he begins with a dynamic basic assertion, at once
transcendental and historical: "idolatry offends God and destroys human beings,"12
the second statement being a verification of the first.

[biro]

The Book of Hosea.

[vamrat]

A Hero of Our Time - Lermontov
The Way of Men - Jack Donovan
Sharpe's Triumph - Bernard Cornwell

[Adela]

Freedom of Mind by Steve Hassan. I read his book Combatting Cult Mind Control several years ago when I was trying to help someone get out of a cult.  (the one many Hollywood actors are in.)


(Below excerpt from http://freedomofmind.com/Media/bookFreedom.php)

Individuals More Vulnerable than Ever

The Internet is now the primary vehicle for recruitment and indoctrination. It is also a means for spreading sophisticated information about social psychology, hypnosis, and other techniques of social control, which are being used—in ways both effective and dangerous—by ‘influence professionals.’ Meanwhile, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Sleep-deprived, overweight and looking to improve themselves, overloaded with often frightening images and information; anxious about the current economic decline, climate change, and government corruption on all levels. People are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. These factors—the rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination.

[stavros_388]

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

[Alpo]

Still working on the The Plague by Camus and The Name of the Rose by Eco.  As I'm moving out of here my friends gave me yesterday Don Quijote as a farewell gift so I now I have third book to work on.

[vamrat]

Freedom of Mind by Steve Hassan. I read his book Combatting Cult Mind Control several years ago when I was trying to help someone get out of a cult.  (the one many Hollywood actors are in.)


(Below excerpt from http://freedomofmind.com/Media/bookFreedom.php)

Individuals More Vulnerable than Ever

The Internet is now the primary vehicle for recruitment and indoctrination. It is also a means for spreading sophisticated information about social psychology, hypnosis, and other techniques of social control, which are being used—in ways both effective and dangerous—by ‘influence professionals.’ Meanwhile, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Sleep-deprived, overweight and looking to improve themselves, overloaded with often frightening images and information; anxious about the current economic decline, climate change, and government corruption on all levels. People are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. These factors—the rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination.

People are just tribalizing again.  People thought that the internet would open us up into one world community, the goal of the globalists.  Human nature takes over once again, and people are now free to consort with like minded individuals as they have always done.  Us vs them is the basis of all human thought and the driving force in human nature.  I think this is ultimately a good thing.

But perhaps this is another conversation for another place in time.  Feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss or we could start a new thread.  Very interesting subject.  I hope you enjoy the book!

[Shiny]

Pavel Florensky's The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.

It's on my Christmas wishlist.

[Justin Kissel]

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

Hope you enjoy it more than I enjoyed the book by him 

[Shiny]

I've been reading some Raymond Williams as of late, a fantastic critic, eventhough he was a Marxist. I haven't gotten yet to where he comments on identity politics but read some stuff on cultural materialism.

I like this quote from him: "The human crisis is always a crisis of understanding: what we genuinely understand we can do."

[Cyrillic]

I'm reading "The Orthodox Eastern Church" by Adrian Fortescue.

[Iconodule]

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

Hope you enjoy it more than I enjoyed the book by him 

Did you already post your thoughts on Human Image: World Image? I'd be interested to read them.

[biro]

I'm reading "The Orthodox Eastern Church" by Adrian Fortescue.

Neato!

[Orthodox11]

The Didascalia Apostolorum

[biro]

The Didascalia Apostolorum

I bet that's a lot of points in Scrabble.

[Cyrillic]

NVM!

[Cyrillic]

I'm reading "The Orthodox Eastern Church" by Adrian Fortescue.

Neato!

It is a great work despite its RC bias. It is very informative and witty. I was almost dying of laughter when I read this passage:

"Mr. Skarlatos Byzantios has composed a very useful Greek- French lexicon. When he comes to the preposition ἐξ, one example of its use at once occurs to him, and he illustrates the fact that it takes the genitive by this sentence: "Τὸ ἂγιου Πνεῦμα ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ μόνου τοῦ Πατρός" which he proceeds to translate for the Western student by informing him, "le Saint-Esprit procede du Pere seul." (p. 373)

[Orthodox11]

I bet that's a lot of points in Scrabble.

Lots of interesting stuff in there. The author suggests, for example, that the Lenten Fast (or at least our fasting on the day of Passover) is partly for the sake of the Jews. We fast and pray that God may turn them around from the disbelief that led them to crucify Christ on that day.

[Ioannis Climacus]

The Key to Theosophy and Isis Unveiled by H. P. Blavatsky.

[Justin Kissel]

Did you already post your thoughts on Human Image: World Image? I'd be interested to read them.

I didn't post anything about it, but I'll try to go back through and collect some thoughts, probably this upcoming weekend.

[vamrat]

Finished Sharpe's Triumph and am almost done with Sharpe's Fortress.

Started "War Before Civilization".  Pretty fascinating book.

[Justin Kissel]

I'm going to participate in a reading program at another site, but I'm not sure what to do. It's sort of like a new years resolution, only with books, and you get to choose how you want to set it up. For instance, you can read 1 book per week, or 1 book for each letter of the alphabet, or all the books by a particular author, etc.  Any thoughts on what I could do? I want something challenging and enjoyable, but which won't be too much considering I'll also have reading from full-time college work.

[stavros_388]

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

Hope you enjoy it more than I enjoyed the book by him 

I'd say that I am! I'm just over a third of the way through, and I've been underlining on nearly every page. Whether one agrees with all of his premises or not, it makes for fascinating reading. Highly recommendable.

[Iconodule]

The Key to Theosophy and Isis Unveiled by H. P. Blavatsky.

Dude, are you becoming a theosophist?

[Cyrillic]

I'm reading the Iliad, Aeneid, Odyssey trilogy now. Just started with the Iliad.

[Ioannis Climacus]

The Key to Theosophy and Isis Unveiled by H. P. Blavatsky.

Dude, are you becoming a theosophist?

Yes, in the truest sense of the word. I have no intention, however, of becoming a member of the Society (which became nothing short of ridiculous following H.P.B.'s death). You can PM me if you want (so as not to derail the thread).

[J Michael]

The Didascalia Apostolorum

I bet that's a lot of points in Scrabble.

It only counts if played in Latin and at the Scrabbelorum.

[Andrew21091]

Right now, I'm reading:
For the Life of the World by Fr. Alexander Schmemann
The Way of the Ascetics Tito Colliander
Glories of Czestochowa and Jasna Gora. A collection of miracles attributed to the Mother of God in Czestochowa, Poland.

[Orthodox11]

It only counts if played in Latin and at the Scrabbelorum.

Academia's funny that way. Greek original in Syriac translation with a Latin title.

[Justin Kissel]

Well since no one was interested in my last post... 

I'm going to do a program of reading through all the works of Albert Camus and taking notes. I expect a treasure trove of psychological and philosophical insights. (<-- I'm serious, but I figured that'd make you laugh 'norm  )

[Justin Kissel]

The Stranger - Albert Camus
A Nietzsche Reader - Nietzsche
Is Pluto a Planet? A Historical Journey Through the Solar System - David A. Weintraub

[Jetavan]

Is Pluto a Planet? A Historical Journey Through the Solar System - David A. Weintraub

Please, I'm trying to forget the greatest scientific scandal and moral offense since Galileo.

[Justin Kissel]

Is Pluto a Planet? A Historical Journey Through the Solar System - David A. Weintraub

Please, I'm trying to forge the greatest scientific scandal and moral offense since Galileo.

Hmm?

If you are speaking of him, I believe the main gist of the book is that the idea of what a "planet" is has changed throughout history. I would assume by this that he will conclude that what happened with Pluto several years ago is perfectly normal and acceptable. But I could be wrong.

[stavros_388]

The Stranger - Albert Camus
A Nietzsche Reader - Nietzsche
Is Pluto a Planet? A Historical Journey Through the Solar System - David A. Weintraub

I want to read Camus. What book should I start with?

[Justin Kissel]

Of his works of fiction, The Stranger is a short work and somewhat simple, and The Plague is a bit longer and more drawn out (in a good way). Others (and plays) are not quite as good. Fwiw I preferred The Stranger of the above two. The Myth of Sisyphus is his main non-fiction work, and details his ideas about what might be called absurdism.

[stavros_388]

Of his works of fiction, The Stranger is a short work and somewhat simple, and The Plague is a bit longer and more drawn out (in a good way). Others (and plays) are not quite as good. Fwiw I preferred The Stranger of the above two. The Myth of Sisyphus is his main non-fiction work, and details his ideas about what might be called absurdism.

Thanks for the info. I just realized that I did read The Stranger waaay back when I was in high school. I can't remember much about it, though. Anyway, I just placed a hold on The Plague because my library has a copy. Cheers!

[Justin Kissel]

Great! You'll be crying "the existentialists haven't gone far enough!" from the roof tops in no time!