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Michael is Currently Reading

Michael rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Paradise Lost, a New Edition: A Poem in 12 Books

by John Milton

bookshelves: classics, left-hand-path, poetry, currently-reading

recommended to Michael by: Michael A Aquino

recommended for: Theology students, philosophy students, Satanists

read in January, 2002

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Michael said: "It's always a challenge to write about an accepted "classic," and this is no exception. What can I say about Paradise Lost that is new? Probably nothing.

I read it at a time when I was interested in the Promethean aspects of the Lucifer character, and...more It's always a challenge to write about an accepted "classic," and this is no exception. What can I say about Paradise Lost that is new? Probably nothing.

I read it at a time when I was interested in the Promethean aspects of the Lucifer character, and in some ways this edition was less than ideal for that. The editor, Merritt Y Hughes, downplays that aspect in his introduction, and seems to feel that the story of the Fall of Man was of more interest to Milton and his audience, and thus should be the true focus of study. This introduction is written in an oddly archaic style as a series of aphorisms, or numbered paragraphs, each of which seems to be intended to stand alone as an essay on some aspect of the epic. The style is perhaps more interesting than the content, which just seems heavy-handed and conservative to me.

But, the editorial matter aside, the poem itself was of greater interest to me. Whatever Milton “really” meant Satan to be, to a modern audience he appears heroic and tragic and easy to identify with. On the other hand, “God” is portrayed as an unfathomable Other, a pure light which, so beyond understanding, cannot be anthropomorphized. For me, that makes Him seem more like an It, an indescribable Lovecraftian alien Thing, which manipulates the Universe for imponderable motives (if we think of It as Azathoth, then Messiah serves as his Nyarlathotep). Satan’s motives are clear, and at times even noble, based in a desire for freedom and the sense of self-worth, and he liberates nearly 1/3 of the angelic servants from their bondage, although the end result is as tragic for them as for Satan himself.

Parts of the book are fascinating, like the best parts of an epic Greek poem, but written in masterful English with minimal need for translation for modern readers. There is a great description of the original revolt, followed by the War In Heaven, the banishment of the rebels, their journey through the outer Chaos that surrounds the Cosmos, and the foundation of Hell as their new refuge. We meet some fascinating demigods or monsters, including Anarch (the ruler of Chaos), and Sin and Death, Satan’s offspring.

That said, it is true that a great deal of the poem is about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a story which is told well enough in the Bible. At this point, it seems like Satan diminishes in stature and nobility, and becomes the cartoon villain we are accustomed to. The language remains fascinating, but for me the real power of the story is gone, and it doesn’t hold my interest as well. Doubtless this simply reflects my modern prejudices.(less) "

May 16, 2013 12:58pm · see review

Michael rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)

by Frank Herbert

bookshelves: science-fiction, currently-reading

recommended to Michael by: overwhelming popularity

recommended for: sci fi fans, young adults

read in January, 1988

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Michael said: "This is essentially a coming-of-age story set in space, on a planet that resembles the modern Middle East in many ways. Its main character is a spoiled noble heir in a vast decadent ancient galactic empire, who comes to believe (and to convince other...more "

progress:

(page 487 of 512)
"The Emperor was studying Feyd-Rautha, seeing the heavy shoulders, the thick muscles. He turned to look at Paul - a stringy whipcord of a youth, not as dessicated as the Arrakeen natives, but with ribs there to count, and sunken in the flanks so that the ripple and gather of muscles could be followed under the skin." — May 16, 2013 12:35pm

Mar 10, 2013 11:35am · see review

Michael is currently reading:

Das ferne Ufer (Erdsee-Zyklus 3)

by Ursula K. Le Guin

bookshelves: currently-reading

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(page 104 of 220)
">>Ein Feind?<< fragte Arren.
Sperber nickte.
>>Als sie von dem Grossen, von dem Koenig der Schatten...?<<
Sperber nickte wieder. >>Ich glaube ja.<<, sagte er." — May 16, 2013 12:32pm

Apr 07, 2013 11:40am

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Michael rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Paradise Lost, a New Edition by John Milton

Paradise Lost, a New Edition: A Poem in 12 Books
by John Milton

recommended to Michael by: Michael A Aquino
recommended for: Theology students, philosophy students, Satanists

read in January, 2002

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

It's always a challenge to write about an accepted "classic," and this is no exception. What can I say about Paradise Lost that is new? Probably nothing.

I read it at a time when I was interested in the Promethean aspects of the Lucifer character, and...more It's always a challenge to write about an accepted "classic," and this is no exception. What can I say about Paradise Lost that is new? Probably nothing.

I read it at a time when I was interested in the Promethean aspects of the Lucifer character, and in some ways this edition was less than ideal for that. The editor, Merritt Y Hughes, downplays that aspect in his introduction, and seems to feel that the story of the Fall of Man was of more interest to Milton and his audience, and thus should be the true focus of study. This introduction is written in an oddly archaic style as a series of aphorisms, or numbered paragraphs, each of which seems to be intended to stand alone as an essay on some aspect of the epic. The style is perhaps more interesting than the content, which just seems heavy-handed and conservative to me.

But, the editorial matter aside, the poem itself was of greater interest to me. Whatever Milton “really” meant Satan to be, to a modern audience he appears heroic and tragic and easy to identify with. On the other hand, “God” is portrayed as an unfathomable Other, a pure light which, so beyond understanding, cannot be anthropomorphized. For me, that makes Him seem more like an It, an indescribable Lovecraftian alien Thing, which manipulates the Universe for imponderable motives (if we think of It as Azathoth, then Messiah serves as his Nyarlathotep). Satan’s motives are clear, and at times even noble, based in a desire for freedom and the sense of self-worth, and he liberates nearly 1/3 of the angelic servants from their bondage, although the end result is as tragic for them as for Satan himself.

Parts of the book are fascinating, like the best parts of an epic Greek poem, but written in masterful English with minimal need for translation for modern readers. There is a great description of the original revolt, followed by the War In Heaven, the banishment of the rebels, their journey through the outer Chaos that surrounds the Cosmos, and the foundation of Hell as their new refuge. We meet some fascinating demigods or monsters, including Anarch (the ruler of Chaos), and Sin and Death, Satan’s offspring.

That said, it is true that a great deal of the poem is about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a story which is told well enough in the Bible. At this point, it seems like Satan diminishes in stature and nobility, and becomes the cartoon villain we are accustomed to. The language remains fascinating, but for me the real power of the story is gone, and it doesn’t hold my interest as well. Doubtless this simply reflects my modern prejudices.(less)

May 16, 2013 12:58pm · see review

Michael rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Illuminatus! Trilogy: The Eye in the Pyramid/The Golden Apple/Leviathan
by Robert Shea

recommended to Michael by: Steve Jackson
recommended for: Hippies, Discordians, Young Men

read in January, 1986

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For me, this book was a moment of Awakening, and the changes I wrought in myself after first reading continue to reverberate today. I had been brought to it through playing the card game it inspired. A desire to Seek the Mysteries caused me to follow...more For me, this book was a moment of Awakening, and the changes I wrought in myself after first reading continue to reverberate today. I had been brought to it through playing the card game it inspired. A desire to Seek the Mysteries caused me to follow up on the "Bibliography" included with that game, and I picked up this book expecting a sort of "In Like Flint"-style spy thriller/parody that exploited theories of vast conspiratorial networks. What I found was an exploration of reality on various levels that deconstructed my assumptions about the nature of politics and existence. It won't work this way for everyone; all Awakenings are personal. It remains, however, a very funny book with a surprising amount of metaphysical insight - a pretty rare combination (although I daresay that the truly Enlightened laugh while reading the Bible or the Tao Teh Ching).
On re-reading it today, I perceive that I came upon it at a propitious moment in my life. It has also become clear to me that it works less well for others than it did for me - in the book club I was in, none of the women were able to finish even the first book, which seems to result from the rather adolescent attitudes toward sex expressed by the authors. It was healthy enough for me as a 16-year-old male, but it does occasionally make me wince as an adult. A more minor concern is that there is so much bad German (since the "Illuminati" were Bavarian, of course). It's pretty clear that neither author spoke German, yet they tried to insert it in various places to spice things up. When I read the German translation of the book, this led to some amusing moments as the translator often just left their nonsensical German phrases in the midst of the prose. The many English puns often went right over his head as well, so I guess it was even.
A lot of the book hinges on then-current political events, which makes it a kind of funky-hippy lesson in American history: Watergate, Vietnam, the Kennedy assassination(s), the 1968 Democratic National Convention, Woodstock, the Weather Underground and the Civil Rights movement all play their parts. Discerning between the parody and the reality may require some knowledge of the period, or perhaps one could create annotations to the text through frequent reference to Wikipedia. Part of the awakening aspect I spoke about for me was figuring out what it was everyone was so worked up about when I was a kid, and seeing the political world through the eyes of concerned and disillusioned adults.
I suspect one of the reason people have difficulty reading it is that it is written in an experimental and seemingly random third-person omniscient perspective, which floats into the first person and occasionally changes from past tot present tense. The sort of thing that was common enough at the time, but today gives editors (and many readers) fits. This may help to explain why I have such a hard time reading contemporary fiction - if the point of view hasn't changed after three chapters, I'm bored. I do think however that Wilson & Shea handle their transitions and pacing well, it just takes some getting used to if you're new to it.
I still enjoy the book greatly, and it belongs in the pantheon of "important" books of my life. It is not without flaw, but I owe it a great deal nonetheless.(less)

May 16, 2013 12:55pm · see review

Michael is on page 487 of 512 of Dune: The Emperor was studying Feyd-Rautha, seeing the heavy shoulders, the thick muscles. He turned to look at Paul - a stringy whipcord of a youth, not as dessicated as the Arrakeen natives, but with ribs there to count, and sunken in the flanks so that the ripple and gather of muscles could be followed under the skin.

Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)
by Frank Herbert

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May 16, 2013 12:35pm · like · see status

Michael rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Invisible Man (Paperback)
by H.G. Wells

recommended to Michael by: Universal
recommended for: Sci fi fans, horror movie fans, English historians

read in January, 2001

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I read this book along with several others which had become "classic" monster movies from Universal Studios at the beginning of the twenty first century. This one really stood out as being well-written and approachable for a modern reader. I enjoyed...more

May 12, 2013 06:56pm · see review

Michael rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Imperial Russia
by Jane Burbank

recommended to Michael by: Louise McReynolds
recommended for: Russian historians, European historians, History instructors

read in January, 2006

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Like many books I read in grad school, I mainly gave this a thorough skimming in order to be able to discuss it intelligently in seminar, then moved on quickly to the next book and forgot about it. I can't say that much about it really stands out, ho...more

May 12, 2013 06:29pm · see review

Michael marked as to-read:

Mysteries Of The Temple Of Set
by Don Webb

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May 12, 2013 06:14pm

Michael marked as to-read:

Hitler Black Magic
by Gerald Suster

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May 12, 2013 06:12pm

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Quotes Michael Likes

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.”
― H.P. Lovecraft

tags: dread

37 people liked it

“...What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life.”
― Dashiell Hammett

tags: pulp-wisdom

8 people liked it