Reading
Anderson, Kevin J
Asimov, Isaac
Baxter, Joan
Blackmore, Susan
Cope, Wendy
Craig, William
Dawkins, Richard
Dawkins, Richard
Delay, Nelly
Downing, Michael
Feist, Raymond E
Fischer, Louis
Hanh, Thich Nhat
Herbert, Brian
Herbert, Frank
Hodge, Stephen
Humphries, Patrick
Juniper, Andrew
Le Guin, Ursula K
O'Brian, Patrick
Palahniuk, Chuck
Palmer, Douglas
Rice, Anne
Saunders, Nicholas
Simpson, Colin
Ward, Glenyse
Wells, Ann E

 

 

Joan Baxter

 Sword Of No Blade

A wonderful collection of short stories that Joan gathered whilst on her travels in Asia.

Lots of wisdom with a Buddhist slant.

Each story has a beautiful Japanese ink brush painting by Shifu Nagaboshi Tomio to accompany it.

 

  

 

Susan Blackmore

The Meme Machine

I would advise reading Richard Dawkins book, The Selfish Gene, before attempting this book as i think you really need to understand selfish gene theory to get the gist of it.

The first two thirds of this book are quite heavy going as Susan lays the foundations for her theory, but then ones interest soon pricks up as the theory is applied to examples. For the most part this is a fantastic book further developing the idea of memes as a theory that Dawkins first coined in The Selfish Gene.

What annoys me about the book, and what in the end almost ruins it, are the last two chapters, which for me are nothing short of meme driven quasi-buddhist proselytising pap - which is priceless after the statements she makes about memes and religious belief throughout the book. After a great book that is nothing short of genius she becomes a total moron in the last two chapters.

  

 

Wendy Cope

Serious Concerns

A book of great poetry. It's modern, it's alive, and i guarantee you'll smile at least once reading it!


  

 

William Craig

Enemy at the Gates
The Battle for Stalingrad

I got the idea to read this book after having seen the film of the same name.

The book however is nothing like the film. Whereas the film's hero sniper is mentioned, this book is actually a full and totally horrific account of the battle for Stalingrad in WWII.

It really does defy belief as to the amount of lives on both sides that were destroyed in Hitler's wreckless desire to take the city named after his nemesis in Russia and Stalin's absolute refusal to surrender it.

This was without a doubt the turning point of WWII. Had the Germans taken Stalingrad it's doubtful that the Russians would have had any spirit left to fight. Instead, the Russian victory gave them the knowledge that the Germans were not supermen and unbeatable, as they had been all the way up to that point, while the total destruction of the German 6th Army was a blow that the German's, especially Hitler, never recovered from.

Also, the resources that Hitler poured into this battle weakened the Germans on every other front allowing for their eventual destruction.

We have so much to thank the Russians who fought here for.

Well worth a read.

  

 

Richard Dawkins

The God Delusion

A great book looking at the delusion that people refer to as god, where it came from, why it still exists and many more things besides. Well worth a read - especially if you are one of the deluded.

I did feel that Richard does tend to lose himself in places. It's not that he isn't correct about what he's saying about god, but just that occasionally he doesn't seem to really know why he's correct.

Richard's Website

 

  

 

Richard Dawkins

The Selfish Gene

This is one of the most interesting and fascinating books i've ever read.

Richard really takes Darwin's theory of evolution apart and puts it all together from the perspective of the gene. Starting from nothing, Richard takes us through the whole of evolution up to humanity, explaining relationships, courtship rituals and a whole bunch of other stuff simply from the perspective of genes.

A must read book!

Richard's Website

  

 

Nelly Delay

Japan : The Fleeting Spirit

Only a small book, but packed full of the history of Japan and its culture.

A very interesting read.

  

 

Michael Downing

Shoes Outside The Door

Anyone interested in Buddhism, especially Zen's emergence into American culture, should read this book.

It certainly presents a lot of questions as to what constitutes enlightenment for these people. They sat meditating in poverty and slaving in unpaid jobs while their "enlightened" abbot went to Rolling Stones concerts, ate at expensive restaurants, drove a BMW, and claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and other expenses.

Certainly food for thought.

 

  

 

Louis Fischer

The Life of Mahatma Gandhi

A superb look into the life of one of the 20th Century's greatest men. It's also an excellent detailed account of the formation of modern India and Pakistan.

There are many lessons within this book that many people would benefit from; Gandhi's message was eternal, not just confined to one place at one time.

 

  

 

Thich Nhat Hanh

No Death, No Fear

A great little book about living and dying.

  

 

Stephen Hodge

Zen Master Class

A history of Zen given as a discription of various Ch'an & Zen masters, their lives and their teachings.

A very interesting look at Ch'an & Zen history.


  

 

Patrick Humphries

Nick Drake : The Biography

Nick was undoubtably one of the great guitarists. The tunings and fingerings he used still confuse people today. Little wonder that many of his songs have never been covered.

Anyone who has given Nick's work a decent listening to will appreciate the absolute artistry that was within this young man. Any guitarist can only but wonder how he does it.

Nick only lived a short life due to mental illness that resulted in a fatal overdose of anti-depressants in 1974. This book tells some of the truths of that life.

An absolute must read for anyone who enjoys Nick's music. And if you haven't listened to Nick's music then go and get some - now!

 

  

 

Andrew Juniper

Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence

Wabi Sabi is an aesthetic that while existing everywhere has only really been truly recognised within Zen Buddhism.

As with most things Zen it's a very difficult concept to describe, but this book goes a long way to giving the reader a clear idea of what Wabi Sabi is.

I also found it an excellent book on Zen itself, as instead of most books on Zen trying to describe what Zen is and what Zen isn't, this book simply uncovers Zen thought through its effect on art.

A very interesting read whether you're into Zen or not.

  

 

Patrick O'Brian

Master and Commander

The film "Master and Commander", was taken from the books written by Patrick O'Brian - 20 of them in all.

In this, the first book in the series, we are introduced to our heroes, Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin, and the ups and down of Nelson's navy. Patrick's writing is absolutely wonderful, and if you liked the film you'll love this book.

Fantastic historical writing!

  

 

Chuck Palahniuk

Fight Club

I read the book before i watched the film and boy, was i disappointed with the film. The film really doesn't work at all.

However, the book is a great little read into one man's madness and society's woes, and if you're looking for something quick to read to pass the time on a bus journey or whatever then i'd definitely recommend it.

  

 

Douglas Palmer

Neanderthal

This is the book that accompanies the Channel 4 series of the same name.

An amazing look into the lives of the Neanderthal people. Beginning by looking back through history at our first thoughts about the Neanderthal since the first discovery of their bones in 1856, then bringing together all the current fossil evidence to explore their lives and the 'Neanderworld' in which they lived, and finishing up with the arrival of Cro Magnon hunters and the Neanderthal people's subsequent extinction.

A fascinating look at one of Homo Sapiens' closest relatives.


  

 

Nicholas Saunders

In Search of the Ultimate High

Anyone who's ever tripped or is thinking about tripping should read this book. The author collected dozens of personal accounts from around the world of people's experiences using pyschoactive substances, mainly in traditional religious settings but also in modern settings.

The accounts in this book give very detailed discriptions of the sensible use of physchoactives for spiritual and mind expanding reasons. There's also a detailed section dealing with Set, Setting, Integration, Sitters, Workshops and Bad Trips.

A must read for all trippers, even experienced ones and certainly inexperienced ones.

  

 

Colin Simpson

Adam In Ochre

A very interesting book on the plight of Aboriginal Australia in the middle of the twentieth century.

The book is basically the experiences of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition To Arnham Land 1948, and some further writing.

An absolute must read for anyone interested in indigenous people's and their treatment by christian society.

  

 

Glenyse Ward

Wandering Girl

A big thanks to Mich for lending me this book.

A real eye opener about the plight of a young Aboriginal woman stolen away from her parents at one year old, brought up in a catholic mission and later sent to work for upper class white people as little better than a slave.

Definitely worth searching out a copy.

  

 

Ann E. Wells

Tales from Arnhem Land

Three short children's stories based around two Aboriginal children in Arnhem Land who learn how their people account for themselves coming to Australia, creating fire for the first time, and the making of the first canoe.

An interesting and enjoyable read for anyone interested in Aboriginal culture.