Some anecdotes repeated from Be Here Now, but more about some Yogi saints from India. The message of this book is simple, once you realise that love iSome anecdotes repeated from Be Here Now, but more about some Yogi saints from India. The message of this book is simple, once you realise that love is the essence of the universe you transcend your physical existence into the divinity and become One with the One.
The theology here is a mix of everything, polytheism, monotheism, pantheism, and everything in between. I kind of understand, until I don't. I will read more and meditate more, and maybe I will get an epiphany one day. ...more
A short story set in the distant future about a descendent of humans coming back to their original planet they call Tellus, to collect some samples.
ThA short story set in the distant future about a descendent of humans coming back to their original planet they call Tellus, to collect some samples.
The planet as his information feed tells him has died long ago, and he was going to become a hero when he sources the sample that he is tasked to bring back. His reward, to get a beautiful skin because this lifeform has evolved to be encased in a protective membrane that protects from radiation and all other adverse effects of living in space. What the being finds surprises him.
This is a short story about a futuristic situation where fixing a broken but much depended upon AI becomes necessary. The main charachter is Rava the This is a short story about a futuristic situation where fixing a broken but much depended upon AI becomes necessary. The main charachter is Rava the wrangler of Cornelia the AI that organises the life of her ship, and is personified into a "Cornelia". Although short, the story tries to delve into dependence of technology and some ethical questions of human and AI existence. It is quite well-done with the correct amount of ambiguity and not too much explaining. We are dumped into the world of the story without much help, and left to put the pieces together, much like the main character.
I am glad the author re-wrote this because the first draft gave me a headache and I abandoned it. ...more
Short Scribd original about a girl working in an abandoned earth, taking care of its gift shop and accommodation. The story is set in the very distantShort Scribd original about a girl working in an abandoned earth, taking care of its gift shop and accommodation. The story is set in the very distant future with references to our present as the long gone history of earth where records are sketchy.
There are some thought-provoking ideas in this short piece but it is also depressing and sad, perhaps on purpose. ...more
A quick listen over the weekend. Ally shows up one morning to her office. She is wet from the rain and a tad confused. She ends up collapsing there afA quick listen over the weekend. Ally shows up one morning to her office. She is wet from the rain and a tad confused. She ends up collapsing there after she is told that she hadn't worked there for five years. It turns out that she was missing for two whole days where she did not return home. She had suffered a temporary memory loss triggered by some kind of trauma.
Over the next few days she tries to piece together what happened on the two missing days. The action is quick and the author throws in so many red herrings that it is quite hard to know who the baddie is. In the end the resolution is quick and satisfying, putting together many loose ends that may or may not be related. I still prefer an Agatha Christie mystery but this one was not bad. I enjoyed this more because of my past familiarity with Manhattan, and its environs. I felt like I made a quick visit to that crazy place, and the characters there surely fit the bill of high-strung New Yorkers....more
A little book of sound financial advice that is disguised as a story. Zoe is a 27-year old features editor who is struggling with controlling her finaA little book of sound financial advice that is disguised as a story. Zoe is a 27-year old features editor who is struggling with controlling her finances and paying back her loans. She meets a mentor who puts her on the right track to living the life of her dreams by controlling her spending.
The advice is a bit dated, and is heavily geared towards capitalist viewpoint, and the US in particular. I would never invest in the stock market for example, although I know that my retirement fund is possibly linked to US stocks, so it might all go bust in the end.
I now lean more towards a DIY sort of retirement plan, that does not rely as heavily on stocks or financial markets. ...more
It has been a while since I read a book that moved me as this one did. Part of it is a question of getting the book at the right time, and another is It has been a while since I read a book that moved me as this one did. Part of it is a question of getting the book at the right time, and another is the novel format and the relatable characters.
The story is not so big on events and happenings, but it is great in characterization and feeling. I could relate to the intensity of feelings, and the vulnerability of the characters. Also there was an element of nostalgia for a bygone era in music history where the cost of creativity and brilliance was extraordinary high, and it took blood, sweat and tears to produce a single record.
The advent of electronic gadgets and mixing software made this process simpler. Musicians can now produce their own music, and it is also easier to churn out a lot of meaningless songs that have the longevity of soap bubbles. People keep coming back to the old songs because of nostalgia and because the songs used to mean something, and the slow process of writing them made them grow into portraits of universal longing.
Daisy Jones and the Six is the imaginary band that people still remember, decades after their sudden breakup. It is written in the form of an interview with the different characters relating the story of their rise and breakup from their varying (and sometimes conflicting) perspectives. Throughout the telling you get a glimpse of their struggles, with emotional issues, with drugs and addiction and with their intensity. The structure makes their public struggle come alive, and reminds us of our own struggles in life.
I paraphrase another reviewer when I say here, that this book does what great fiction should. It makes you feel, and relate. The characters are brilliant because their pains and struggles are so relatable. They could have easily been my favourite band too....more
This is an enhanced edition of the original paperback. The book starts with what another reviewer rightly called "trippy" drawings and sayings and thenThis is an enhanced edition of the original paperback. The book starts with what another reviewer rightly called "trippy" drawings and sayings and then sums up the teachings of spiritual yoga. It is a brief introduction but in the end gives many references for deepening the knowledge.
The journey into spirituality is a life-long one for the seeker, and this is one good book to embark on it. I like its scepticism on the issue of psychedelic drugs. The opinion in the book mirrors mine that although these are helpful to show you other dimensions of yourself, and to let go of your ego, they are still chemical crutches. It is best to find the way on your own, and leave the drugs for an occasional thrill. ...more
Written by a psychologist on the little clues that give predict success, and how we make decisions about the competence of people. Quoting studies on Written by a psychologist on the little clues that give predict success, and how we make decisions about the competence of people. Quoting studies on the subject which seem familiar from other similar books.
The good: Party anecdotes to summarize the findings at the end of every chapter. The bad: Wooden narrator.
Please note that this is not the book that will help you "read" people, it is rather an explanation of how people judge the worthiness of dates, job candidates and politicians....more
Echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird, along with beautiful descriptions of nature, on a macro (marsh, ocean, weather) and micro scale (fireflies, praying mEchoes of To Kill a Mockingbird, along with beautiful descriptions of nature, on a macro (marsh, ocean, weather) and micro scale (fireflies, praying mantis, seagulls).
I could have rated it five stars, perhaps, if my reception of the book was not affected by reading a spoiler while perusing an article on Delia and Mark Ownen's past life and adventures in Africa.
The author was skilled in shining a light on petty racism, exclusion and small-town cruelty. It also shows that family may come in many forms, and that real human bonds can be created during times of desperation, to last a lifetime.
Kya is an interesting character who was abandoned as a child and learns to fend for herself living in her father's shack on the North Carolina marshes. Her connection to humans is always tenuous and fraught with fear of abandonment, but she compensates by connecting to the natural world and becoming part of it, and learning from it on so many levels.
This book was recommended to me by a fellow-reader, and although I would not rank it as my all time favourite it was a quick, and very enjoyable read. ...more
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