Topic: What are you currently reading?

[Bogey]

A great book. Every other line, or every line, is an aphorism. Wilde is so wise and logical. And look... it's Liszt on the cover!

Great book!  It was our book club selection.  The discussion our group had was incredible.  The introduction was a book onto itself and worth the purchase.

Agreed about the book. But I wonder what's Liszt go to do with it? 

I thought the same thing as this is the printing I read.  The only connection I could come up with George was that Liszt I believe hung out with Chopin a bit and Chopin is mentioned a number of times in the novel.  Weak, but there you have it:

At a gathering one day, Franz Liszt asked Frederic Chopin to play in complete darkness as he had on a previous occasion. After extinguishing the lights and drawing the curtains, however, he intercepted Chopin on his way to the piano and whispered something in his ear. He then sat at the piano and played the same composition which Chopin had planned; the listeners were captivated.
After the performance, Liszt lighted the candles on the piano, revealing himself to his stupefied audience. "What do you say?" Liszt asked, turning to his rival. "I say what everyone says," Chopin replied. "I too believed it was Chopin!"

[Florestan]

At a gathering one day, Franz Liszt asked Frederic Chopin to play in complete darkness as he had on a previous occasion. After extinguishing the lights and drawing the curtains, however, he intercepted Chopin on his way to the piano and whispered something in his ear. He then sat at the piano and played the same composition which Chopin had planned; the listeners were captivated.
After the performance, Liszt lighted the candles on the piano, revealing himself to his stupefied audience. "What do you say?" Liszt asked, turning to his rival. "I say what everyone says," Chopin replied. "I too believed it was Chopin!"

Nice one! 

[George]

I'm currently finishing up the Dune series (reading Heretics of Dune now), Faust, and getting a bit side-tracked by the Tao Te Ching and books on various aspects of Buddhism.

Which books on Buddhism?

I am currently reading "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Suzuki.

[Harvested Sorrow]

Which books on Buddhism?

Primarily material on meditation, although one of them couldn't technically be called 'Buddhist' as it deals with meditation of all forms, including methods more focused around Hinduism.

To be more specific: Ananda Maitreya's translation of the Dhammapada (second reading) followed by Gil Fronsdal's translation, along with Thich Nhat Hanh's The Long Road Turns To Joy: A Guide to Walking Meditation, Ram Dass' Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Handbook and Chogyam Trungpa's Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior.

[George]

Primarily material on meditation, although one of them couldn't technically be called 'Buddhist' as it deals with meditation of all forms, including methods more focused around Hinduism.

To be more specific: Ananda Maitreya's translation of the Dhammapada (second reading) followed by Gil Fronsdal's translation, along with Thich Nhat Hanh's The Long Road Turns To Joy: A Guide to Walking Meditation, Ram Dass' Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Handbook and Chogyam Trungpa's Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior.

Thich Nhat Hanh is an excellent guide for the westerner. And that last one is of course a classic. 

[Harvested Sorrow]

Indeed.  I'm a bit....iffy about the whole 'use of magic' sections in there, however, I'm sure that'll be a fun read at least and the rest should be useful.

Not to mention, it's a pocket edition so I can take it anywhere quite easily.

[George]

Indeed.  I'm a bit....iffy about the whole 'use of magic' sections in there, however, I'm sure that'll be a fun read at least and the rest should be useful.

Not to mention, it's a pocket edition so I can take it anywhere quite easily.

Yeah, that's the one my g/f has. I've been meaning to borrow it form her.

[E d o]

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It's very good. I think it got a Booker prize too.

[Robert]

Donna Tartt

A secret History

great......

[Harry]

I am currently re-reading "'Oscar Wilde" by Richard Ellmann.
A fascinating book, about a fascinating man.

[Florestan]

I am currently re-reading "'Oscar Wilde" by Richard Ellmann.
A fascinating book, about a fascinating man.

You'd better read the libretto of Boris Godunov. 

[Harry]

You'd better read the libretto of Boris Godunov. 

Is not in my possession!

[Steve]

More Proust, I'm reading the Cambridge Companion at the moment.

[George]

It's good, just not quite as accessible as Joko Beck's books. 

[rockerreds]

Mary Robison-Why Did I Ever

[bwv 1080]

It's good, just not quite as accessible as Joko Beck's books. 

If Zen is all about personal experience and being in the present rather than doctrine or theory, then how come there are so many damned books on it?

[karlhenning]

Well, Steve, you might just as well ask how a publication could be "informal talks" . . . .

[Danny]

The poetry of Neruda, Burns, and Hopkins.

[jwinter]

Been reading a lot with eReader for my Palm Tungsten E2.  There's nothing quite so amusing as reading the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on a small, digital, hand-held device -- now if I could just find a "Don't Panic" sticker...

Besides that, I've recently been perusing Don Quixote, Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, and Christopher Hitchens' God is not Great, all on the Palm.  I've always been curious about ebooks, and I have to say that it's a nifty concept.  The screen is nice and clear, customizable fonts & colors, provides it's own light, easy to use, and I can carry 1,000 books in my shirt pocket.  It's even got a built-in dictionary, so I can click on a word and look it up.  I've had it almost 2 months, and the "geek's latest toy" fascination still hasn't worn off -- this one's a keeper, I think.  And it plays solitaire too. 

Oh, and the strategy guide for Civilization IV, I just got a new laptop

[Drasko]