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IJROTH rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Träume Von Flüssen Und Meeren
by Tim Parks

read in April, 2012

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The Corpse Walker: Real Life Stories: China From the Bottom Up
by Yiwu Liao

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IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Sickster
by Thomas Melle

read in January, 2012

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Die Frau, die ihren Mann auf dem Flohmarkt verkaufte oder wie... by Rafik Schami

Die Frau, die ihren Mann auf dem Flohmarkt verkaufte oder wie ich zum Erzähler wurde
by Rafik Schami

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IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Ai Weiwei Speaks
by Ai Weiwei

read in December, 2011

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We met in one of my most favorite places in Europe: The Museum Shop at TATE Modern, London. We spend some time together, intensive sessions, once in a local pub, over beer and fish&chips, then during our train ride back to the airport. The second...more We met in one of my most favorite places in Europe: The Museum Shop at TATE Modern, London. We spend some time together, intensive sessions, once in a local pub, over beer and fish&chips, then during our train ride back to the airport. The second time we met, he had home advantage. It was a Chinese coffee shop in Shanghai; now definitely one of my favorite places in Asia.

‘Seeker’, with its mysterious and dead-on name near Ferguson Lane, has the special charm of an old Scottish house with worn-out parquet floors, dismounted velvet chairs and -it is the truth- an original Gaggia coffee machine, the best on this planet (if you ask me). I am the only foreigner in this magical place. The other guests are talking (even if I do not understand a single word, I love to listen to the Chinese language), playing online poker or just sitting around; doing nothing over a cup of coffee. In this fast urban environment, in which Shanghai sucks you in immediately, this was my personal peace-on-earth-spot. And the first place, where I felt “a sense of Chinese locality” during my entire China trip (1o days in late November, the first visit to the country). No expats. No English. Just the best café latte of this year reminds me that I am situated in one of the most buzzing urban centers in this world. But as long as the entrance door is closed, I am a true ‘seeker’. And this is where the story starts.

***
I bought “Ai WeiWei speaks… with Hans Ulrich Obrist” during a weekend trip to London mid-November at the TATE Modern Museum Shop. I did not know much about the artist, his concept of life, his work, his success, his background. But this little book, a Penguin Special, with Ai WeiWei himself on the cover, attracted my attention immediately, no clue why. After watching the outstanding Gerhard Richter show, ‘Panorama’, I sat down for a while in the cafeteria and started reading. “Ai WeiWei keeps extending the notion of art: he is an artist, a poet, an architect, a curator, an expert on antique Chinese craftwork, a publisher, an urbanist, a collector, he has his own blog, and so on. The parallel realities in his work are very complex – and this is what makes him so unique.” Hans Ulrich Obrist, one of the most active curators, critic and historian of art, has not only written these words – the five interviews in “Ai WeiWei speaks” are conducted by him as part of his “Interview Project” (check out this little video on the project here) from 2006 until 2010. Hence, the focus of the book lies on the holistic artistic approach of Ai WeiWei and his transformation during the years being an ‘interdisciplinary social sculpture’. Especially with the Beijing Olymics in 2008 (he co-designed the famous ‘bird’s nest stadium’), as a milestone of modern China’s development in a global context, the temporal dimension of the interviews gives the clueless reader (such as me) a fantastic introduction- with ease. And that is important to understand his work – and therefore, the artist himself.

***
Ai WeiWei talks about his childhood in China (he is the son of one the greatest modern Chinese poets, Ai Qing), his time in New York, where he met beat poet Allen Gingsberg and discovered his sense of photography, as well as about his blog (2006-2009; the Chinese government shut it down), with more than 100,000 people visiting the website every day. (By the way: MIT Press published the English translation of the blog (click here) – actually, a book about life and culture in China, true to the motto: ‘Blogging produces reality rather than simply representing it’. I am currently reading it – the book review is following soon.) Ai WeiWei is talking about his work as an architect and his admiration for Wittgenstein (for example, Ai WeiWei’s studio in Beijing is inspired by the house Wittgenstein built for his sister in Vienna in 1928). To say it in a nutshell: “Ai WeiWei speaks…” is the best introduction out there.

***
I wasn’t reading the book in one go. But while going through interview via interview, my so-called ‘meetings’ with him, thousands of thoughts came into my mind, like you have during a good and intense conversation. Even at ‘Seeker’, I scribbled tons of ideas in my notebook, not being fully aware about Ai WeiWei’s supercritical status in China itself. Only when one of the waiters, who spoke a bit of English, came to my table and asked me, what this book says about Ai WeiWei, I understood the social dimension of an artist in a capitalistic driven, but tongue-tied society. Caught in the act! Scared in the beginning, I explained the waiter what I read so far, and why especially Germans are so fascinated by Ai WeiWei after the 12th documenta (one of the world’s leading contemporary art fairs in Kassel, Germany), where he was one of the star exhibitors with ‘Fairytale‘. The waiter was quiet for a while, and then asked me more and more questions about art, my perception on China and the difference to a country like India. Even though we both aren’t English native speakers, the way of asking and the reaction on his face while I was trying to answer was a stunning moment: Intercultural communication at its best. For me a glimpse of the Chinese soul, a true hermeneutic conversation. In his introduction to “Ai WeiWei speaks…” Hans Ulrich Oberst wrote: “This book is published to support him and to celebrate the many dimensions of his practise.” And I think, the conversation with the ‘seeker’, which started in Shanghai between me and the waiter, is one way of support, Ai WeiWei would be happy about.(less)

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Rickshaw Boy
by Lao She

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IJROTH rated a book 4 of 5 stars

How to Be an Existentialist: or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses
by Gary Cox

read in December, 2011

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During my first phenomenology-course at the University of Heidelberg, I almost gave up the idea to continue my studies of philosophy. I did not understand a single word as the professor started to talk about the two heavy-weights Edmund Husserl and M...more During my first phenomenology-course at the University of Heidelberg, I almost gave up the idea to continue my studies of philosophy. I did not understand a single word as the professor started to talk about the two heavy-weights Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger and their concepts of ‘Dasein’ (German for ‘being-there’). “The term refers to a person’s unique spatial and temporal situated-ness in this world.”, I remember him saying. I was too scared to ask, what the heck this was supposed to mean. Most of the other students, however, clicking their tongues due to this epiphanic realization, seemed to get it immediately. I only developed the concept of “not-being-there” in this unique spatial and temporal classroom.
***
Why did this handsome post-graduate, writing his PhD on Satre, tell me (a clueless undergraduate, after a couple glasses of red wine), that, if i really want to dive into Satre’s world, I have to understand his predecessors? For me, existentialism so far, only meant to wear black dresses, drinking tons of coffee and /or wine and smoking in cafés while writing smart things on tissue papers. And I was quite happy with that concept – existential philosophy as a vivid, practical and hip lifestyle; a way of ‘being’ I could easily relate to. Why change something that is already as good as it is?
Well, because after a few days of drinking too much black coffee and smoking too many heavy cigarettes, my body seriously complained. Hence, I started studying, reading up, whatever I could get into my hands, to understand more and also impress the PhD-guy at the next discussion round. Long and lonely nights in the library were following: Me vs. Satre. Everyone, who has been busily engaged in studying philosophy, knows that kind of feeling. I really wanted to crack the nut! Because I figured out that the ideas behind existentialism can be quite explosive. Sentences like “We are all free and can’t stop being free.” or “Existentialists recognize that life is ultimately absurd and full of terrible, inescapable truths.” shook me up. But – to tell you the truth – if Gary Cox’s book ‘How to Be an Existentialist’ would have been out there already, it would have enlightened my mind – and hence, saved precious life time.
‘How to Be an Existentialist’ is a concise and clearly entertaining introduction into the philosophy of existentialism, nicely explaining much-worried-about notions such as “authenticity” or “bad faith”. The long and well written chapters on “What is existentialism” and “How not be an existentialist” accompany the curious reader through concepts, including true-to-life examples. The following chapter “How to be authentic” focuses on the acceptance of how things really are: “Authenticity involves a person confronting reality and facing up the hard truth that he is at all times a free being.” This is where Cox makes fun of the reputation existentialism has for being gloomy and pessimistic, exposing it for what it really is – an honest, uplifting and potentially life-changing philosophy!
***
With the publication of ‘How to Be an Existentialist’, Gary Cox qualified as Britain’s new ‘pop-philospher’, as the book has a slightly light, but definitely witty touch. On the other hand, Cox’s aim is to jolt the I blame everyone but myself-society, where it became fashionable and so easy for all of us to not take over responsibility for our own (and freely chosen) actions. Hence, he chose to bridge the gap between the academic ivory tower-research and the worldly needs of an interested but theoretically untrained reader. “In an age where philosophy is simply regarded as an academic subject alongside other academic subjects, the claim that profound personal enlightenment can result from the study of philosophy sounds grandiose. According to the Ancient Greek founders of Western philosophy, however, achieving personal enlightenment is precisely the point of studying philosophy. The trouble with too many philosophy students and teachers is that they think the point of studying philosophy is to get a degree – and to hell with enlightenment!” (page 94)
Branding his work as self-help-literature surely helps to catch some of the lost souls roaming around in book stores, searching for alternatives to “How to life my life…for Dummies”. And Cox is not be blamed for it – such a substantial and entertaining introduction to existentialism, which also makes you chuckle (and that’s quite rare in philosophy, believe me!), deserves a place even in your library.(less)

IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Delhi Metropolitan
by Ranjana Sengupta

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Very good introduction. Gives an overview on Delhi's development since 1911, its architectural development etc. Lacks a scientific approach and sources (especially on numbers). Good read though!

IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Martin Parr In India: 1984 2009
by Martin Parr

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IJROTH is now friends with Infonauts Infomen
May 06, 2013 10:50am · like
IJROTH rated a book 4 of 5 stars Träume Von Flüssen Und Meeren by Tim Parks read in April, 2012	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
Apr 06, 2012 10:19pm
IJROTH is currently reading The Corpse Walker: Real Life Stories: China From the Bottom Up by Yiwu Liao	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
Jan 21, 2012 07:01pm
IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars Sickster by Thomas Melle read in January, 2012	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
Jan 16, 2012 09:31am
IJROTH wants to read Die Frau, die ihren Mann auf dem Flohmarkt verkaufte oder wie ich zum Erzähler wurde by Rafik Schami	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
Dec 30, 2011 04:58am
IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars Ai Weiwei Speaks by Ai Weiwei read in December, 2011	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
We met in one of my most favorite places in Europe: The Museum Shop at TATE Modern, London. We spend some time together, intensive sessions, once in a local pub, over beer and fish&chips, then during our train ride back to the airport. The second...more
Dec 30, 2011 04:56am · see review
IJROTH wants to read Rickshaw Boy by Lao She	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
Dec 30, 2011 04:55am
IJROTH rated a book 4 of 5 stars How to Be an Existentialist: or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses by Gary Cox read in December, 2011	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
During my first phenomenology-course at the University of Heidelberg, I almost gave up the idea to continue my studies of philosophy. I did not understand a single word as the professor started to talk about the two heavy-weights Edmund Husserl and M...more
Dec 11, 2011 10:36am · see review
IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars Delhi Metropolitan by Ranjana Sengupta	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
Very good introduction. Gives an overview on Delhi's development since 1911, its architectural development etc. Lacks a scientific approach and sources (especially on numbers). Good read though!
Dec 01, 2011 05:53am · see review
IJROTH rated a book 3 of 5 stars Martin Parr In India: 1984 2009 by Martin Parr	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
Dec 01, 2011 05:53am

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