What are you currently reading?

[Opus106]

Thanks a lot, Antoine. I shall start reading one of the three you recommend tonight, putting Tlön... on hold for a while.

[Opus106]

I would recommend you to begin with the more realistic stories in that volume: Emma Zunz, Theme of the Traitor and the Hero and Deutches Requiem, after them the more metaphysic stories will appear more natural.

I read the second work. That was a better start -- 4 pages in a few minutes. The story reminded me of an epiosde from The Simpsons. Although I have not seen it mentioned anywhere on the 'net, I wonder if the writer of that episode was inspired by Borges.

[Ten thumbs]

I have found once again in 'The Wild Irish Girl' the expression 'hit by a torpedo' but now I have the answer. A torpedo is a small rayfish of the genus Torpedo that gives off electrical discharges. I presume this must have been experienced by travelers to the Mediterranean.

[Elgarian]

Found this recommended over at the Sibelius forum and, having dallied a bit with things Elgarian, you might say, thought I'd have a go. Halfway through, I can say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It's nicely written, decidely spooky, has characters that intrigue me, and is saturated with entertaining Elgar-lore, wearing its scholarship lightly. I suspect that the ghostly goings-on will turn out not to be what they seem, but who knows? So far, one of my more successful experiments.

[Xenophanes]

I have been reading Charles Hartshorne, a process philosopher who was a persistent critic of classical theism, and some of his critics.  I have also looked up some things in Thomas Aquinas and modern Thomists on the relevant questions and arguments.  The anthology by Hartshorne and Reese is wide ranging but the extensive comments are biased, basically expositions of Harthorne's own philosophy, but that makes it valuable source for Hartshorne's own views and arguments.

PROCESS THOUGHT

Charles Hartshorne and William R. Reese, eds., The Philosophers Speak of God

Charles Hartshorne, The Divine Relativity

F. S. C. Northrop and Mason W. Gross, Alfred North Whitehead: An Anthology

John B. Cobb and David Ray Griffin, Process Theology: an Introductory Exposition

STUDIES

W. Norris Clarke, S. J., The Philosophical Approach to God (contains chapter on Whitehead)

Santiago Sia, ed., Charles Hartshorne's Concept of God (contains an article by Norrie Clarke on Harshorne)

Dom Illtyd Trethowan, Process Theology and the Christian Tradition (deals at length with the Cobb and Griffin book)

I have also looked up journal articles by William P. Alston and Merold Westphal and will no doubt be reading others.

CLASSICAL THEISM

A. D. Sertillanges, L'Idee de Creation et ses retentissements en Philosophie

St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (can be found on line at New Advent)

Jacques Maritain, Art and Scholasticism
______________, Creative Intuition in Art and Poetry
______________, Existence and the Existent

Eric Mascall, He Who Is

REFERENCE WORKS

Paul Edwards, ed., The Encyclopedia of Philosophy

E. Craig, ed., Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (on lne)

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

[CD]

[MN Dave]

The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires by Eric Stener Carlson

[Carolus]

Darcy O'Brien's  "Two of a Kind", The Hillside Stranglers. The complete story of Buono and Bianchi; the murders, the investigation, the trial. Very well written and very nasty. What a couple of soab!

[Bogey]

[Air]

The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Oh well, we'll see how it goes.  This book has the power to turn an atheist into a christian and vice-versa. 

[Scarpia]

Luigi Pirandello is a writer that is often discussed but which I had never read, aside from a few trifles. I decided to remedy this by reading one of his well known Novels, the title of which is generally translated as "The Late Mattia Pascal." It is a story of a man who is oppress by misfortunes in life. When he goes off on a little trip a suicide is found in a nearby mill run and mistakenly identified as him. He has won some money in a casino and decides to take advantage of the situation and run off to start a new life. When that proves unsatisfactory he tries to return to his old life, but finds that impossible as well. I gather that this is supposed to be a metaphor for man's existential predicament. It tries hard to be profound but isn't, and isn't a brilliantly told story either. Not the worst book I've read, but far far from the best.

[val]

TZVETAN TODOROV:         "La Peur des barbares"

A very intelligent perspective of the interaction of different cultures, in special in the present, regarding the West and the Islam.
It is a book full of good intentions but I have doubts concerning the possibility of a true dialogue with the Muslim world.

[MN Dave]

[MN Dave]

"The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires by Eric Stener Carlson"

Can we no longer quote ourselves? I couldn't in this thread.

You might want to look into the above novel if you'd fancy a mix of Kafka, Eco and a smart Dan Brown. There are only 300 of them however. Google "Tartarus Press" if interested.

[karlhenning]

"The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires by Eric Stener Carlson"

Can we no longer quote ourselves? I couldn't in this thread.

Sure we can.

[karlhenning]

Sure we can.

Sure we can.

[Valentino]

This is your brain on music

Just started. Seems ok, I've learned a bit and been entertained a lot so far.
But the authors stubboness on calling the note H B makes me wait for BACB and DSCB.  0:)

[karlhenning]

But, en anglais there is no note H . . . .

[MN Dave]

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

"The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires by Eric Stener Carlson"

Can we no longer quote ourselves? I couldn't in this thread.

You might want to look into the above novel if you'd fancy a mix of Kafka, Eco and a smart Dan Brown. There are only 300 of them however. Google "Tartarus Press" if interested.

I read your excellent review, Dave. Sounds interesting... BUT - there is so much I still have to read and, yes, to write...