What are you currently reading?

[ritter]

I've had an Aragon novel called Paris Peasant unread on my shelves for a while now. Have you read that one? Do you know if I should move it closer to the top of the pile?

No, I haven't read that one. It is from his earlier surrealist period, and looks quite appealing (but I think it's not really a novel...). The reviews I've read are very positive.

[AnotherSpin]

Read this today, going to re-read it tonight, and then give my thoughts on it (obviously, he and I disagree very fundamentally regarding predication, but I don't necessarily disagree with the mantra):

I will read your review with interest. In particular, what are the differences regarding predication.

[Bachtoven]

This is a wonderful memoir about a man who rekindles his passion for pianos and Paris.

[vers la flamme]

A few tragedies by Shakespeare, Hamlet and Othello, both long overdue first-time reads for me. Enjoying both greatly, especially as I begin to get used to the archaic language and start understanding more of what's going on. Definitely an author I intend to read much more of... probably the biggest gap in my literary knowledge.

[steve ridgway]

Started Alex Ross: The Rest Is Noise at the beginning again after getting bored about half way through a year ago. This time I'm exploring some of the music referred to as I go so am progressing very slowly.

[AnotherSpin]

"Once man loses his faculty of indifference he becomes a potential murderer"

[ando]

"Once man loses his faculty of indifference he becomes a potential murderer"

Oof; what an awful quote. Hope it's a better book. 

[Florestan]

Oof; what an awful quote. Hope it's a better book. 

This is typical of Cioran: an aphorism which sounds provocative and profound but which on closer inspection proves to be either a truism or an absurdity. A philosopher for teenagers in their rebel-without-a-cause period.   

[ando]

MOZART: The Reign of Love Jan Swafford (2020, Harper)
Anyone here read it? Found a 1st edition on my local bookstore sale table and flipped to Leopold imparting to the young Wolfgang that all men were essentially scoundrels and to be wary of them. And a bit further on that all of French music wasn't "worth a sou". Apparently, Wolfie's arrogance came honestly. The volume's bound to be entertaining if nothing else.

[DavidW]

Ando I was just looking at reading that or the Brahms bio... didn't pull the trigger on either though.

For me, I just finished reading The Expanse by James SA Corey.  Great character driven space opera.  5500 pages long (including the short stories and novellas).  Took me a couple of months.

[AnotherSpin]

This is typical of Cioran: an aphorism which sounds provocative and profound but which on closer inspection proves to be either a truism or an absurdity. A philosopher for teenagers in their rebel-without-a-cause period.   

I've read about a third of the book, and a lot of it resonates with me. It seems to me that Cioran is not an author for teens. This is a new name to me, I will check out his other books.

[vers la flamme]

Ando I was just looking at reading that or the Brahms bio... didn't pull the trigger on either though.

For me, I just finished reading The Expanse by James SA Corey.  Great character driven space opera.  5500 pages long (including the short stories and novellas).  Took me a couple of months.

Swafford's Brahms bio was a phenomenal read, highly recommended. I'd like to read his Beethoven and Mozart tomes.

[SimonNZ]

Started: another from the Baille Gifford prize longlist, one I'd been looking forward to since the list came out in September:



"Milad is five years old and excited for his school trip to a theme park on the outskirts of Jerusalem, but tragedy awaits: his bus is involved in a horrific accident. His father, Abed, rushes to the chaotic site, only to find Milad has already been taken away. Abed sets off on a journey to learn Milad's fate, navigating a maze of physical, emotional, and bureaucratic obstacles he must face as a Palestinian.

Interwoven with Abed's odyssey are the stories of Jewish and Palestinian characters whose lives and pasts unexpectedly converge: a kindergarten teacher and a mechanic who rescue children from the burning bus; an Israeli army commander and a Palestinian official who confront the aftermath at the scene of the crash; a settler paramedic; ultra-Orthodox emergency service workers; and two mothers who each hope to claim one severely injured boy. A Day in the Life of Abed Salama is a deeply immersive, stunningly detailed portrait of life in Israel and Palestine, and an illumination of the reality of one of the most contested places on earth."

[Florestan]

"Once man loses his faculty of indifference he becomes a potential murderer." - Cioran

Rubbish on stilts.

Slavery was abolished precisely because some men and women were not indifferent to it.

Ukraine is still standing precisely because some states were not indifferent to the Russian aggression on her.

[Florestan]

Slavery has not been abolished.

Where?

[AnotherSpin]

Rubbish on stilts.

Slavery was abolished precisely because some men and women were not indifferent to it.

Ukraine is still standing precisely because some states were not indifferent to the Russian aggression on her.

Perhaps if you try to read this book, you will be able to understand what the author meant. It is not a sure thing you could, but it won't hurt to try.

Compare it to Samuel Johnson's comment, hell is paved with good intentions.

Your mention of Ukraine is apropos. If people (or states) were sufficiently indifferent, aggressions would not happen.

[Florestan]

Perhaps if you try to read this book, you will be able to understand what the author meant. It is not a sure thing you could, but it won't hurt to try.

 

I have read all of Cioran's books and it's precisely on reading them that my opinion on him is based.

He's at his best when writing about music --- but his ideas about life and world are teenage-ish and of no use to a well-adjusted adult.

[AnotherSpin]

I have read all of Cioran's books and it's precisely on reading them that my opinion on him is based.

He's at his best when writing about music --- but his ideas about life and world are teenage-ish and of no use to a well-adjusted adult.

That's marvellous. You've seen philosophy for teenagers and rubbish. I saw something else. Everyone sees what they want to see and can see. The world around us is just a mirror in which we see ourselves

[steve ridgway]

I'm currently reading a PDF of Oscar Wilde: Salome, with notes and illustrations, from archive.org

"Neither at things nor at people should one look. Only in mirrors should one look, for mirrors do but show us masks." - Herod

[Florestan]

That's marvellous. You've seen philosophy for teenagers and rubbish. I saw something else. Everyone sees what they want to see and can see. The world around us is just a mirror in which we see ourselves

If you believe that culture and civilization can be built on, and maintained by, the complete indifference preached by Cioran be my guest. I don't.