The Doors of Perception – Aldous Huxley
This book is written in the form of an essay and recounts the experiences of the author after taking mescalin for the first time. It is a fairly short read, about 80 pages, but the philosophical reflections require time to fully grasp. Huxley volunteers to be the guinea pig in a controlled experiment to observe the effects of mescalin. The resulting experience gave cause for Huxley to reflect deeply on the nature of reality and how humans shape this reality through perception. What is perceived in one state of consciousness as real can indeed become something altogether different in another. Huxley explores this intertwined relationship and places it in a larger historical context recalling the works and deeds of the visionaries and mystics of the past.
This work is a must for anyone interested in boundless possibilities that arise from hallucinogenic substances. The fact that Huxley is a very intelligent scholar as well as a gifted writer allow him to tackle a difficult subject and tell it in words that lend themselves to the initiated. Those interested in the remote frontiers and the unmapped areas of human consciousness would do well to read this.
*Side note: The band the Doors took their name from the book. The title of the book actually refers to a line in the poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, written by William Blake in 1793. “If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.”
Heaven and Hell – Aldous Huxley
Another rather short essay (about 100 p.) from Huxley in the vain of The Doors of Perception. In it Huxley takes on the fast unknowns of Mind at Large, examining the basic properties and functions of visionary experience. This essay is basically a philosophical discourse on the possibilities that exist for visionary experience. The contrast between the positive and negative experience are characterized in the contrasting realms of Heaven and Hell. What makes this an incredibly interesting read is that all arguments made are based on plausible grounds and quite often on scientifically sound grounds. Although written over a half century ago, this work has proved a classic that stands out in a field that is still insufficiently investigated. Together with The Doors of Perception, Heaven and Hell shows that Huxley is as much a force in the world of nonfiction thought as he is in fiction. Read what this man has to say and think about it. There is a lot there to digest.
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Consolation of Philosophy
The Consolation of Philosophy – Boethius
The Consolation is a philosophical treatise written by Boethius (c. 480-524 A.D.) while awaiting his execution after being imprisoned by the Gothic emperor Theodoric. The first time I heard of Boethius and his most famous composition was, as so often is the case, when I was reading another work. The work in question is A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O’Toole. The main character of O’Toole’s novel, one Ignatius J. Reilly, had based his entire life and worldview around the philosophy of Boethius and his assessment of Fortune. A great work in its own right, A Confederacy of Dunces left a lasting impression in my mind and, when by chance I came across a copy of the Consolation in the used bookstore (Boardwalk Books for all you Duluthians), I jumped at the opportunity to see for myself what Boethius had to say.
The work is composed of five books beginning with Boethius struggling to make sense of his imprisonment and pending execution. Confronted with a fate that is seemingly at odds with the virtue and faith with which he has conducted his life, Boethius is about to succumb to the sorrow that is filling his thoughts. Just then he notices the presence of a woman in his cell, the awe-inspiring Philosophy. She bemoans that Boethius, once such an avid student of hers, is now about to abandon all that he had previously gained. Thus begins a journey of reason and contemplation between the two until Boethius in the end finds the consolation that he had almost given up upon. Interspersed between the dialogues of Boethius and Philosophy are a number of poems that range in subject matter and content. More numerous at the beginning of the work, the poems often times serve as transitions between arguments or help to put difficult concepts into a clearer light. Thus a remarkable harmony is reached between prose and poetry that can be appreciated even in an English translation, a rare feat indeed. (For my reading I chose the V. E. Watts translation published by Penguin Classics).
It is perhaps significant to understand the time in which Boethius lived a bit better to gain a more accurate reading of his work. Living long after Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in the 4th century A.D., it is widely accepted that Boethius was a Christian and believer of the tenants of the Catholic Church (at a time when the Gothic emperor Theodoric, also a Christian but belonging like all Goths to the heretical Arian sect that believed that the father and son were not of one substance). One must find it a bit peculiar than that at no point in Boethius’ text is Christianity mentioned in any overt context. To find a believer in his last days before death turning not to theology for comfort, as one might expect, but rather to philosophy has raised many questions about the nature of Boethius’ belief. But one only has to look to the title of the work to see that Boethius is choosing philosophy for the subject of his work and could very well indeed have thought theology a better consolation, although one that would be and should be treated in an altogether separate treatise. With this in mind, Boethius draws on the works of the great philosophers and thinkers of antiquity; Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca, St. Augustine, the Stoics, and the Neo-Platonists. This feat being all the more remarkable because Boethius apparently relied on his own memory to produce the arguments and passages seeing as he had no access to any literary sources while imprisoned.
Boethius has rightly been called the last classical man. Indeed his thoughts and works can be seen as forming a bridge between the classical world and the Middle Ages. The Consolation influenced countless numbers of theologians throughout the Middle Ages and direct references are to be found in the works of masters such as Dante and Chaucer. His lonely contemplation of good and evil, fate and free will, fortune and the nature of happiness certainly still have an allure to inquisitive minds to this day.
The Consolation is a philosophical treatise written by Boethius (c. 480-524 A.D.) while awaiting his execution after being imprisoned by the Gothic emperor Theodoric. The first time I heard of Boethius and his most famous composition was, as so often is the case, when I was reading another work. The work in question is A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O’Toole. The main character of O’Toole’s novel, one Ignatius J. Reilly, had based his entire life and worldview around the philosophy of Boethius and his assessment of Fortune. A great work in its own right, A Confederacy of Dunces left a lasting impression in my mind and, when by chance I came across a copy of the Consolation in the used bookstore (Boardwalk Books for all you Duluthians), I jumped at the opportunity to see for myself what Boethius had to say.
The work is composed of five books beginning with Boethius struggling to make sense of his imprisonment and pending execution. Confronted with a fate that is seemingly at odds with the virtue and faith with which he has conducted his life, Boethius is about to succumb to the sorrow that is filling his thoughts. Just then he notices the presence of a woman in his cell, the awe-inspiring Philosophy. She bemoans that Boethius, once such an avid student of hers, is now about to abandon all that he had previously gained. Thus begins a journey of reason and contemplation between the two until Boethius in the end finds the consolation that he had almost given up upon. Interspersed between the dialogues of Boethius and Philosophy are a number of poems that range in subject matter and content. More numerous at the beginning of the work, the poems often times serve as transitions between arguments or help to put difficult concepts into a clearer light. Thus a remarkable harmony is reached between prose and poetry that can be appreciated even in an English translation, a rare feat indeed. (For my reading I chose the V. E. Watts translation published by Penguin Classics).
It is perhaps significant to understand the time in which Boethius lived a bit better to gain a more accurate reading of his work. Living long after Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in the 4th century A.D., it is widely accepted that Boethius was a Christian and believer of the tenants of the Catholic Church (at a time when the Gothic emperor Theodoric, also a Christian but belonging like all Goths to the heretical Arian sect that believed that the father and son were not of one substance). One must find it a bit peculiar than that at no point in Boethius’ text is Christianity mentioned in any overt context. To find a believer in his last days before death turning not to theology for comfort, as one might expect, but rather to philosophy has raised many questions about the nature of Boethius’ belief. But one only has to look to the title of the work to see that Boethius is choosing philosophy for the subject of his work and could very well indeed have thought theology a better consolation, although one that would be and should be treated in an altogether separate treatise. With this in mind, Boethius draws on the works of the great philosophers and thinkers of antiquity; Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca, St. Augustine, the Stoics, and the Neo-Platonists. This feat being all the more remarkable because Boethius apparently relied on his own memory to produce the arguments and passages seeing as he had no access to any literary sources while imprisoned.
Boethius has rightly been called the last classical man. Indeed his thoughts and works can be seen as forming a bridge between the classical world and the Middle Ages. The Consolation influenced countless numbers of theologians throughout the Middle Ages and direct references are to be found in the works of masters such as Dante and Chaucer. His lonely contemplation of good and evil, fate and free will, fortune and the nature of happiness certainly still have an allure to inquisitive minds to this day.
Ernest Hemingway in the Romano Archipelago
Ernest Hemingway in the Romano Archipelago – Enrique Cirules 134 pgs.
This short work recounts the life and times of Ernest Hemingway in Cuba. Although not widely studied, Hemingway’s experiences in Cuba formed a lasting impression on the writer and became a source of inspiration and material for much of his later work. The work was originally published in Spanish and the translation into English seems a bit simple at times, yet it gives a sort of enduring quality to the book. It is not only a record of Hemingway’s physical life in Cuba, but also rather a documentation of the legacy that Hemingway left behind him. The author recounts legends, myths, stories, adventures, and events that often resurfaced later in works such as The Old Man and the Sea, Islands in the Stream, For Whom the Bells Toll, and A Moveable Feast. Perhaps more importantly Cirules brings to life these tales by bringing us back to the Cuba of Hemingway and describes how he remains a part of the island to this day.
Cirules is a native of Cuba and an award winning essayist and narrative writer. His admiration for Hemingway and his work is apparent throughout the book. Cirules wants to shed more light on want he considers an essential part of Hemingway’s life, from his first visit to the island in 1928 to his final in 1960, a year before his death. In the intervening years Hemingway roamed the streets of Havana, took up residence in Finca Vigia, explored the vast archipelago to the northeast of the island, chased German U-boats during WWII on his yacht Pilar, had various love affairs, and brushed shoulders with everyone strata of Cuban society from political leaders to the meager turtle hunters of the unspoiled Cayo Romano.
I have read Hemingway before and always enjoyed his work, but this book has made me want to explore Hemingway the man more. It will be interesting to go back and reread some his works that I now have a background for, at least as far as where particular bits of inspiration came from. Certainly worth the read for anyone interested in the life of Hemingway and the experiences that helped to forge his creative force. The whole book is tinted with a bit of romanticism and one gets the feeling that Hemingway would have the story of his times in Cuba told no other way.
This short work recounts the life and times of Ernest Hemingway in Cuba. Although not widely studied, Hemingway’s experiences in Cuba formed a lasting impression on the writer and became a source of inspiration and material for much of his later work. The work was originally published in Spanish and the translation into English seems a bit simple at times, yet it gives a sort of enduring quality to the book. It is not only a record of Hemingway’s physical life in Cuba, but also rather a documentation of the legacy that Hemingway left behind him. The author recounts legends, myths, stories, adventures, and events that often resurfaced later in works such as The Old Man and the Sea, Islands in the Stream, For Whom the Bells Toll, and A Moveable Feast. Perhaps more importantly Cirules brings to life these tales by bringing us back to the Cuba of Hemingway and describes how he remains a part of the island to this day.
Cirules is a native of Cuba and an award winning essayist and narrative writer. His admiration for Hemingway and his work is apparent throughout the book. Cirules wants to shed more light on want he considers an essential part of Hemingway’s life, from his first visit to the island in 1928 to his final in 1960, a year before his death. In the intervening years Hemingway roamed the streets of Havana, took up residence in Finca Vigia, explored the vast archipelago to the northeast of the island, chased German U-boats during WWII on his yacht Pilar, had various love affairs, and brushed shoulders with everyone strata of Cuban society from political leaders to the meager turtle hunters of the unspoiled Cayo Romano.
I have read Hemingway before and always enjoyed his work, but this book has made me want to explore Hemingway the man more. It will be interesting to go back and reread some his works that I now have a background for, at least as far as where particular bits of inspiration came from. Certainly worth the read for anyone interested in the life of Hemingway and the experiences that helped to forge his creative force. The whole book is tinted with a bit of romanticism and one gets the feeling that Hemingway would have the story of his times in Cuba told no other way.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers
The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers – Paul Kennedy
History/Political Science – 540 pages
A good book for anyone interested in an overview of nation-state history spanning the past 500 years. While definitely taking a macro approach to world history (which any attempt at a world history must take), Kennedy does a very good job in examining two of the very prominent factors that lead to rise of some powers and the subsequent decline of others. These two factors are military, i.e. how various wars and military developments shaped the destines of certain nation-states, and economic, i.e. how trade, manufacturing, and finance all form a base for what a state can and cannot do militarily. The attention given to both these areas is comprehensive and thorough, while at the same the reader is not weighed down by endless statistics, dates, or other numbers. I personally found the economic analysis to be the most insightful part of the book, allowing the lay reader to become acquainted with the complex world of monies that is essential to a complete understanding of the time period and subject covered.
Unfortunately, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers does not provide enough information to cover the presumptuous title of the book. What is lacking is any kind of social analysis of the various situations that existed in the different nation-states examined. To ignore the underlying social forces in any one nation-state is to ignore the lives and experiences of the people who allowed the states to work, for without the cooperation of the people in fighting the wars, manufacturing the goods, and providing the labor, no state could rise to the status of world power. This is a particularly glaring omission because it is during this period that capitalism develops out of feudalism and becomes the driving force and engine of modern Europe. This economic development and the drastic changes it brought to all aspects of the different societies under examination seems to me to be a crucial factor. Without it we lack an understanding of how the inner mechanics of the societies were changed and used to the governments advantage in acquiring wealth and hence power.
To the authors’ credit, he has no illusions about the scope of is book. Indeed his goal is to focus on the two aforementioned areas and leave the others factors for other authors to investigate. Even with this acknowledgement I still felt he book to come up short. The perspective was too telescoped at the apex of power in governments, financial, and trading industries. It must be taken in to account that power was and is acquired from the labor of the people, especially so in the years covered in this book.
All in all, this book provides a good starting point for anyone interested in the subject matter. Although it is a bit dated, published 1987, it has an interesting final chapter concerning the future and the role of the current powers, their decline, and the subsequent rise of new powers to take their place. Hint, hint, the USA is not one of the rising ones. Its always fun to see whether or not an authors forecasts for the future come true. The final chapter may indeed turn out to be the best section given a few decades.
History/Political Science – 540 pages
A good book for anyone interested in an overview of nation-state history spanning the past 500 years. While definitely taking a macro approach to world history (which any attempt at a world history must take), Kennedy does a very good job in examining two of the very prominent factors that lead to rise of some powers and the subsequent decline of others. These two factors are military, i.e. how various wars and military developments shaped the destines of certain nation-states, and economic, i.e. how trade, manufacturing, and finance all form a base for what a state can and cannot do militarily. The attention given to both these areas is comprehensive and thorough, while at the same the reader is not weighed down by endless statistics, dates, or other numbers. I personally found the economic analysis to be the most insightful part of the book, allowing the lay reader to become acquainted with the complex world of monies that is essential to a complete understanding of the time period and subject covered.
Unfortunately, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers does not provide enough information to cover the presumptuous title of the book. What is lacking is any kind of social analysis of the various situations that existed in the different nation-states examined. To ignore the underlying social forces in any one nation-state is to ignore the lives and experiences of the people who allowed the states to work, for without the cooperation of the people in fighting the wars, manufacturing the goods, and providing the labor, no state could rise to the status of world power. This is a particularly glaring omission because it is during this period that capitalism develops out of feudalism and becomes the driving force and engine of modern Europe. This economic development and the drastic changes it brought to all aspects of the different societies under examination seems to me to be a crucial factor. Without it we lack an understanding of how the inner mechanics of the societies were changed and used to the governments advantage in acquiring wealth and hence power.
To the authors’ credit, he has no illusions about the scope of is book. Indeed his goal is to focus on the two aforementioned areas and leave the others factors for other authors to investigate. Even with this acknowledgement I still felt he book to come up short. The perspective was too telescoped at the apex of power in governments, financial, and trading industries. It must be taken in to account that power was and is acquired from the labor of the people, especially so in the years covered in this book.
All in all, this book provides a good starting point for anyone interested in the subject matter. Although it is a bit dated, published 1987, it has an interesting final chapter concerning the future and the role of the current powers, their decline, and the subsequent rise of new powers to take their place. Hint, hint, the USA is not one of the rising ones. Its always fun to see whether or not an authors forecasts for the future come true. The final chapter may indeed turn out to be the best section given a few decades.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
The World of Odysseus
The World of Odysseus – M. I. Finley 177 pg.
This relatively short work by the famed ancient historian M. I. Finely remains as influential and important today as it was when it was published over 30 years ago, no small feat in field that has seen major shifts in opinion over the same time period. Finley is one of those unique authors that can combine solid historical scholarship within an engaging framework that makes his works accessible to all, from the lay reader to a student of the field. I found the book to be both an interesting companion to The Odyssey as well as an interesting read in its own right, although I have been know to be a bit partial to Greek history. Regardless of ones interests, Finley is a very accessible author who consistently leaves me craving more.
The main goal of the book is too illuminate the obscure world of Greek prehistory using the later of the two major epic poems attributed to Homer, The Odyssey. Finley set himself no small task, for both the Iliad and The Odyssey have been regarded as representing a picture of the Greek Bronze Age to varying degrees since the founding of modern historical scholarship and indeed even before. What Finley proposes is a departure from this line of thought, namely that the epics of Homer recall the memory of the ‘Heroic Age of the Greeks’ that is traditionally associated with the Mycenaean civilization of the later Bronze Age. Instead he suggests that the poems represent a time closer to Homers own, thought to be c. 800-750 B. C. The time period in question is known by various names but is most often called the Greek Dark Age, the period of time between the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization c. 1200 B.C. and the onset of the Archaic Age c. 750. Through an examination of the texts in combination with modern archeological findings, Finley paints a very convincing picture of what life was like in the Mycenaean and Dark Age and how The Odyssey much more closely reflects the latter. Outlining his thesis and the marked resistance it has met from a good portion of the scholarly community, Finley methodically addresses criticisms and in a good many cases turns the table on those that would rather reject his work.
Being that the poem is concerned mainly with the exploits, travels, and trials of Odysseus, mythical King of Ithaca, the social, economic, and cultural conditions exposed are necessarily not representative of the vast majority of the people living in the society. This is something we must be content with in a comparison of text and archeology of this sort, as a rule of thumb epic poems, our only written record of the time, can have nothing to do with the lives of most people, only those at the very apex of society. Although this certainly has its limitations, any light provided for this period no matter how narrow the focus shines a bit more on all the other parts. Particularly interesting are the sections dealing with ancient economy of the ruling class, primarily characterized in a reciprocal gift giving system that conferred the most respect and power to those ruler who could give wealth away to others as ‘presents’ thereby ensuring that they owed him something when need arose. In this means wealth was accumulated in order to be dispersed in exchange for service and the acknowledgement of ones social position. An essential book for anyone trying to find the very real world that lays just beyond on the pages of western literature’s greatest epics, a world that Finely brings to life again almost as much as Homer does, if not in a different sphere.
This relatively short work by the famed ancient historian M. I. Finely remains as influential and important today as it was when it was published over 30 years ago, no small feat in field that has seen major shifts in opinion over the same time period. Finley is one of those unique authors that can combine solid historical scholarship within an engaging framework that makes his works accessible to all, from the lay reader to a student of the field. I found the book to be both an interesting companion to The Odyssey as well as an interesting read in its own right, although I have been know to be a bit partial to Greek history. Regardless of ones interests, Finley is a very accessible author who consistently leaves me craving more.
The main goal of the book is too illuminate the obscure world of Greek prehistory using the later of the two major epic poems attributed to Homer, The Odyssey. Finley set himself no small task, for both the Iliad and The Odyssey have been regarded as representing a picture of the Greek Bronze Age to varying degrees since the founding of modern historical scholarship and indeed even before. What Finley proposes is a departure from this line of thought, namely that the epics of Homer recall the memory of the ‘Heroic Age of the Greeks’ that is traditionally associated with the Mycenaean civilization of the later Bronze Age. Instead he suggests that the poems represent a time closer to Homers own, thought to be c. 800-750 B. C. The time period in question is known by various names but is most often called the Greek Dark Age, the period of time between the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization c. 1200 B.C. and the onset of the Archaic Age c. 750. Through an examination of the texts in combination with modern archeological findings, Finley paints a very convincing picture of what life was like in the Mycenaean and Dark Age and how The Odyssey much more closely reflects the latter. Outlining his thesis and the marked resistance it has met from a good portion of the scholarly community, Finley methodically addresses criticisms and in a good many cases turns the table on those that would rather reject his work.
Being that the poem is concerned mainly with the exploits, travels, and trials of Odysseus, mythical King of Ithaca, the social, economic, and cultural conditions exposed are necessarily not representative of the vast majority of the people living in the society. This is something we must be content with in a comparison of text and archeology of this sort, as a rule of thumb epic poems, our only written record of the time, can have nothing to do with the lives of most people, only those at the very apex of society. Although this certainly has its limitations, any light provided for this period no matter how narrow the focus shines a bit more on all the other parts. Particularly interesting are the sections dealing with ancient economy of the ruling class, primarily characterized in a reciprocal gift giving system that conferred the most respect and power to those ruler who could give wealth away to others as ‘presents’ thereby ensuring that they owed him something when need arose. In this means wealth was accumulated in order to be dispersed in exchange for service and the acknowledgement of ones social position. An essential book for anyone trying to find the very real world that lays just beyond on the pages of western literature’s greatest epics, a world that Finely brings to life again almost as much as Homer does, if not in a different sphere.
In Patagonia
In Patagonia – Bruce Chatwin 199pgs.
Chatwin’s account of his journey across Patagonia in the late 1970’s certainly is embellished with all the qualities of a good English romantic. His tale begins with a memory from his childhood about a piece skin that was in the procession of his grandmother. She told him that is belonged to a Brontosaurus and came from the distant land of Patagonia in the south of Argentina. It turns out that the piece of skin in question actually belonged to a Mylodon, an ancient Giant Sloth native to Patagonia, and Chatwin received his fair share of belittlement from his schoolmasters for claiming it came from a dinosaur. Still, he held a special revere for the skin though and hoped to become its caretaker one day. Unfortunately the skin was tossed out after his grandmother passed away. He never lost his fascination with the distant and mysterious land of Patagonia though and always hoped to secure a piece of Mylodon skin for himself one day.
Fast-forward about 25 years and we pick up Chatwin’s story as he arrives in Argentina, finally fulfilling his dream to visit Patagonia. His journey takes him all over modern Patagonia, if one can use the word modern in regards to the region, bouncing from town to town in search of old legends and odd tales. He investigates the haunts of the last known days of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, visits the beaches the Darwin visited during his famous voyage aboard the Beagle, even visits the famous Mylodon cave where the archaic animal’s remains were discovered.
Chatwin tells a remarkable tale and brings a nice mingling of history, myth, travel and local flavor all into one narrative. At several points he takes time to digress on several side stories that have a connection to the place he is visiting or a story that he is in the progress of rooting out. In spite of all this, or perhaps because of it, one gets the felling that all that Chatwin writes is not the stone cold truth. Certainly some areas are embellished to facilitate the flow of the narrative. Due to this it is hard to separate fact from fiction, but in a work such as this it is not especially important. Chatwin conveys the magic and mystery of the land that has for so long held a special place in his mind. He gives us a glimpse of what Patagonia has meant and stood for for generation after generation of seekers and travelers.
Chatwin’s account of his journey across Patagonia in the late 1970’s certainly is embellished with all the qualities of a good English romantic. His tale begins with a memory from his childhood about a piece skin that was in the procession of his grandmother. She told him that is belonged to a Brontosaurus and came from the distant land of Patagonia in the south of Argentina. It turns out that the piece of skin in question actually belonged to a Mylodon, an ancient Giant Sloth native to Patagonia, and Chatwin received his fair share of belittlement from his schoolmasters for claiming it came from a dinosaur. Still, he held a special revere for the skin though and hoped to become its caretaker one day. Unfortunately the skin was tossed out after his grandmother passed away. He never lost his fascination with the distant and mysterious land of Patagonia though and always hoped to secure a piece of Mylodon skin for himself one day.
Fast-forward about 25 years and we pick up Chatwin’s story as he arrives in Argentina, finally fulfilling his dream to visit Patagonia. His journey takes him all over modern Patagonia, if one can use the word modern in regards to the region, bouncing from town to town in search of old legends and odd tales. He investigates the haunts of the last known days of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, visits the beaches the Darwin visited during his famous voyage aboard the Beagle, even visits the famous Mylodon cave where the archaic animal’s remains were discovered.
Chatwin tells a remarkable tale and brings a nice mingling of history, myth, travel and local flavor all into one narrative. At several points he takes time to digress on several side stories that have a connection to the place he is visiting or a story that he is in the progress of rooting out. In spite of all this, or perhaps because of it, one gets the felling that all that Chatwin writes is not the stone cold truth. Certainly some areas are embellished to facilitate the flow of the narrative. Due to this it is hard to separate fact from fiction, but in a work such as this it is not especially important. Chatwin conveys the magic and mystery of the land that has for so long held a special place in his mind. He gives us a glimpse of what Patagonia has meant and stood for for generation after generation of seekers and travelers.
Persephon's Quest: Entheogens the Origins of Religion
Persephone’s Quest – R. Gordon Wasson, Stella Kramrisch, Jonathan Ott, Carl A. P. Ruck 256 pg.
The subtitle to this book is Entheogens and the Origins of Religion. For those not familiar with the term entheogen it literally means ‘god generated within’ and refers to the various psychoactive substances that have been used throughout history in a spiritual context. These include the mushroom cults of rural modern Mexico, the use of a soma by the ancient Indo-European Aryan culture of pre Hindi India, and even in the rites of the Eleusis ceremonies of classical Greece. As can be inferred at this point, the book concerns itself to the investigation of these different spiritual rites that appear to form an almost common theme throughout the development of religion around the world. Wasson is the driving force behind not only the book, but also the study of entheogens as a discipline around the world. His pioneering world in the field of ethnomycology and ethnobotany in the 1940’s and 50’s lead him to be the first person from the western world to partake in the sacred mushroom rituals of Mesoamerica in 1953.
The book itself is divided into two parts. The first consists of different essays from the first three authors mentioned, covering everything from analysis of the last meal of the Buddha and the connections in mythology between the lightning bolt and the mushroom to the systematic gathering of evidence across cultures and history of the widespread use of entheogens in religious rites. The second part of the book consists of three essays from Carl A. P. Ruck, a distinguished Greek scholar. As would make sense, Ruck’s essays focus a bit more intently on the relation of entheogens to ancient Greek society.
Any book that is a compilation of separate works from separate authors is inevitably going to suffer from a general lack of flow or cohesion and Persephone’s Quest is no exception. Certain parts read better than other, notably Wasson’s efforts lead the way in this regard, but as a whole the theories and ideas raised are of the prime importance. Ruck’s efforts could also be viewed as a bit tiresome, but I am a bit biased in this regard as Greek history is of immense interest and an area of study for me. Some of what Ruck describes may be lost on readers not familiar with the ancient Greek world, but then again this is the case regarding almost any area. Anyone with an interest in entheogens of psychedelics in the parlance of recreational usage will do themselves well to read this book.
It certainly holds a great deal of relevance for today’s world and can in fact still be seen in some of the worlds great religions such as Hinduism, where often times a surrogate has replaced the original entheogen, in the Hindu case soma was replaced with the putka mushroom, which is not psychoactive. The simple fact that the use of entheogens was/is so widespread throughout human history is a reason to study it and the current prejudice held against such substances by many academics and authority figures is completely unfounded. It seems almost to be part of a larger movement within a certain section of society that is willing to dismiss the scientific-analytical approach to such diverse topics as global warming, evolution, stem cell research and other so called ‘controversial’ topics. In fact it seems to me that this dismissal of reason is usually coming from some sort of religion inspired dogma.
In light of this the book will probably not be accepted very warmly in religious circles, which is unfortunate. What is maybe more unfortunate is that the will the part of society that readily accepts the side of reason in most of the aforementioned topics continues to persist by in large to a wholesale rejection of examining entheogens and their importance in the development of human civilization. This book is a good start to hopefully change the popular perception on these remarkable substances.
The subtitle to this book is Entheogens and the Origins of Religion. For those not familiar with the term entheogen it literally means ‘god generated within’ and refers to the various psychoactive substances that have been used throughout history in a spiritual context. These include the mushroom cults of rural modern Mexico, the use of a soma by the ancient Indo-European Aryan culture of pre Hindi India, and even in the rites of the Eleusis ceremonies of classical Greece. As can be inferred at this point, the book concerns itself to the investigation of these different spiritual rites that appear to form an almost common theme throughout the development of religion around the world. Wasson is the driving force behind not only the book, but also the study of entheogens as a discipline around the world. His pioneering world in the field of ethnomycology and ethnobotany in the 1940’s and 50’s lead him to be the first person from the western world to partake in the sacred mushroom rituals of Mesoamerica in 1953.
The book itself is divided into two parts. The first consists of different essays from the first three authors mentioned, covering everything from analysis of the last meal of the Buddha and the connections in mythology between the lightning bolt and the mushroom to the systematic gathering of evidence across cultures and history of the widespread use of entheogens in religious rites. The second part of the book consists of three essays from Carl A. P. Ruck, a distinguished Greek scholar. As would make sense, Ruck’s essays focus a bit more intently on the relation of entheogens to ancient Greek society.
Any book that is a compilation of separate works from separate authors is inevitably going to suffer from a general lack of flow or cohesion and Persephone’s Quest is no exception. Certain parts read better than other, notably Wasson’s efforts lead the way in this regard, but as a whole the theories and ideas raised are of the prime importance. Ruck’s efforts could also be viewed as a bit tiresome, but I am a bit biased in this regard as Greek history is of immense interest and an area of study for me. Some of what Ruck describes may be lost on readers not familiar with the ancient Greek world, but then again this is the case regarding almost any area. Anyone with an interest in entheogens of psychedelics in the parlance of recreational usage will do themselves well to read this book.
It certainly holds a great deal of relevance for today’s world and can in fact still be seen in some of the worlds great religions such as Hinduism, where often times a surrogate has replaced the original entheogen, in the Hindu case soma was replaced with the putka mushroom, which is not psychoactive. The simple fact that the use of entheogens was/is so widespread throughout human history is a reason to study it and the current prejudice held against such substances by many academics and authority figures is completely unfounded. It seems almost to be part of a larger movement within a certain section of society that is willing to dismiss the scientific-analytical approach to such diverse topics as global warming, evolution, stem cell research and other so called ‘controversial’ topics. In fact it seems to me that this dismissal of reason is usually coming from some sort of religion inspired dogma.
In light of this the book will probably not be accepted very warmly in religious circles, which is unfortunate. What is maybe more unfortunate is that the will the part of society that readily accepts the side of reason in most of the aforementioned topics continues to persist by in large to a wholesale rejection of examining entheogens and their importance in the development of human civilization. This book is a good start to hopefully change the popular perception on these remarkable substances.
The Life of Pi
The Life of Pi – Yann Mantel 319 pgs.
So I finally took a crack at this book after hearing so much about it from various people, the first being my mom I believe. Modern fiction is certainly not my preferred choice when it comes to something to read; in fact fiction in general usually takes a backseat to nonfiction for me. I am conscious however that limiting oneself to only one area of interest only serves to narrow the field of vision and perspective. In light of this I try to dabble in various areas, fiction and non-, new and old, technical and general in pursuit of the universal ideal of knowledge expressed by some of the great ancients of the past as well as some more recent adherents, particularly Hermann Hesse.
The Life of Pi first and foremost was a quick read, it took me about 2 days. This is a surefire sign of at least an engaging book, one that draws the reader into it and almost forces them to keep reading. Secondly the topic of the book dealt with, mainly religious synthesis, reason, and ever-changing conceptions of thought systems employed throughout time, is an extremely interesting topic to me. The study of religion has always been intriguing, if not for the insight it provides into so many contemporary issues today then it is for the rich history that comes hand in hand with almost all religions. Mantel makes the case that reason should be included in the category of religion, for although it has no godhead at its apex, it is an attempt to explain life and the world around us in absolute terms, something that unfortunately has continually escaped human grasp. Armed with the thought system of reason to explain the world around them, rationalists are necessarily putting their faith in reason as the means to explain everything, which it does not. In this view reason is just a substitute for religion in answering the questions that humans have pondered over for thousands of years.
The story is an intriguing one. Pi Pental has grown up around animals, water, and religion all his life. His father is a zookeeper in a part of southern India that used to be a French colony. His whole family has been involved with zoo and the upkeep of the animals as long as he can remember. A friend of the family, a former champion swimmer, has taught Pi to swim, something Pi takes to with pride as no one else in his family can do. From a few early chance encounters with Christianity and Islam, Pi becomes incredibly interested and invested in the religions, as well as his own native Hinduism.
All seems to be going well for Pi in life when his parents decide they have had enough of the life and government in India. Pi and his brother are informed that the decision has been made to move with all the animals to Canada where zoos are more appreciated and life holds more opportunities. The family makes their preparations to leave and sets off on the voyage that will change Pi’s life forever. Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific the cargo ship Pi and his family are riding on with the animals sinks in a storm leaving Pi stranded on a lifeboat together with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger. It is at this point the struggle between faith and reason emerges. The allegorical potential is certainly abounds in such a situation with such a topic, but as with any good allegory the surface story is entertaining in its own right.
So, does Mantle believe in the supremacy of reason over religion? Well the main character of his book is an adherent of three different and seemingly conflicting faiths, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. The fact that Pi draws on his faith continually throughout his many ordeals and uses it to overcome situations at which reason balks says a lot about what Mantel thinks. I don’t think abandoning reason is ever suggested, simply the point that reason is a good and useful tool for understanding the world, but that it can only take one so far.
The book is definitely worth the read and provokes some interesting thoughts. On top of that it is a pretty good story to boot. The only knock I can give it is that the plot is reminiscent of a similar story involving a lone soul on a boat in the middle of the ocean tackling spiritual questions. Did you guess it? The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway. I would say there is a pretty good chance that Mantel has read this book once or twice before coming up with his own story. The footsteps of Hemingway aren’t bad ones to be following in though.
So I finally took a crack at this book after hearing so much about it from various people, the first being my mom I believe. Modern fiction is certainly not my preferred choice when it comes to something to read; in fact fiction in general usually takes a backseat to nonfiction for me. I am conscious however that limiting oneself to only one area of interest only serves to narrow the field of vision and perspective. In light of this I try to dabble in various areas, fiction and non-, new and old, technical and general in pursuit of the universal ideal of knowledge expressed by some of the great ancients of the past as well as some more recent adherents, particularly Hermann Hesse.
The Life of Pi first and foremost was a quick read, it took me about 2 days. This is a surefire sign of at least an engaging book, one that draws the reader into it and almost forces them to keep reading. Secondly the topic of the book dealt with, mainly religious synthesis, reason, and ever-changing conceptions of thought systems employed throughout time, is an extremely interesting topic to me. The study of religion has always been intriguing, if not for the insight it provides into so many contemporary issues today then it is for the rich history that comes hand in hand with almost all religions. Mantel makes the case that reason should be included in the category of religion, for although it has no godhead at its apex, it is an attempt to explain life and the world around us in absolute terms, something that unfortunately has continually escaped human grasp. Armed with the thought system of reason to explain the world around them, rationalists are necessarily putting their faith in reason as the means to explain everything, which it does not. In this view reason is just a substitute for religion in answering the questions that humans have pondered over for thousands of years.
The story is an intriguing one. Pi Pental has grown up around animals, water, and religion all his life. His father is a zookeeper in a part of southern India that used to be a French colony. His whole family has been involved with zoo and the upkeep of the animals as long as he can remember. A friend of the family, a former champion swimmer, has taught Pi to swim, something Pi takes to with pride as no one else in his family can do. From a few early chance encounters with Christianity and Islam, Pi becomes incredibly interested and invested in the religions, as well as his own native Hinduism.
All seems to be going well for Pi in life when his parents decide they have had enough of the life and government in India. Pi and his brother are informed that the decision has been made to move with all the animals to Canada where zoos are more appreciated and life holds more opportunities. The family makes their preparations to leave and sets off on the voyage that will change Pi’s life forever. Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific the cargo ship Pi and his family are riding on with the animals sinks in a storm leaving Pi stranded on a lifeboat together with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger. It is at this point the struggle between faith and reason emerges. The allegorical potential is certainly abounds in such a situation with such a topic, but as with any good allegory the surface story is entertaining in its own right.
So, does Mantle believe in the supremacy of reason over religion? Well the main character of his book is an adherent of three different and seemingly conflicting faiths, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. The fact that Pi draws on his faith continually throughout his many ordeals and uses it to overcome situations at which reason balks says a lot about what Mantel thinks. I don’t think abandoning reason is ever suggested, simply the point that reason is a good and useful tool for understanding the world, but that it can only take one so far.
The book is definitely worth the read and provokes some interesting thoughts. On top of that it is a pretty good story to boot. The only knock I can give it is that the plot is reminiscent of a similar story involving a lone soul on a boat in the middle of the ocean tackling spiritual questions. Did you guess it? The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway. I would say there is a pretty good chance that Mantel has read this book once or twice before coming up with his own story. The footsteps of Hemingway aren’t bad ones to be following in though.
The Alchemist
The Alchemist –Paulo Coelho 167 pgs.
Coelho’s classic tale ranks as one of the best travel books of all time. As with any other great travel story the voyage is not simply a physical one but a personal and spiritual one as well. The book follows the wanderings of the young Spaniard Santiago. Struck by the desire to see the world at a young age, Santiago leaves his family to take up the life roaming life of a shepherd. After exploring the rolling hills and pastures of southern Spain for two years a series of strange events lead Santiago to sell his flock and set out in quest of his own personal legend. The resulting journey is a classic description of one persons attempt to find the meaning of his life.
Coelho’s writing is heavily influenced by his own personal understanding of religion and spirituality. Often such authors find a narrower audience for their work because of this, but this is not the case with Coelho. His words take on a sense of universalism that seems to transcend any one set of beliefs. This is due to the mystical quality that permeates his writings and thoughts, the belief that the world and everything in it and outside of it share connections that at first glance are hard to discern.
His words are also very personal in nature and one often has the impression that Coelho’s characters share something with oneself. To be able to write about something that everyone already knows but to present it in a new form is the key to being a great writer and this is what Coelho does so well. He taps into some general truths or human universals that everyone can relate to, something that one has felt but not known how to organize in any systematic fashion. In this way his stories are not only about the characters contained on the pages, but also about the reader who is holding the book.
It is not the most profound book you will ever read but it will make you take a step back and view your life a bit differently. Sometimes the most important things are the simplest ones.
Coelho’s classic tale ranks as one of the best travel books of all time. As with any other great travel story the voyage is not simply a physical one but a personal and spiritual one as well. The book follows the wanderings of the young Spaniard Santiago. Struck by the desire to see the world at a young age, Santiago leaves his family to take up the life roaming life of a shepherd. After exploring the rolling hills and pastures of southern Spain for two years a series of strange events lead Santiago to sell his flock and set out in quest of his own personal legend. The resulting journey is a classic description of one persons attempt to find the meaning of his life.
Coelho’s writing is heavily influenced by his own personal understanding of religion and spirituality. Often such authors find a narrower audience for their work because of this, but this is not the case with Coelho. His words take on a sense of universalism that seems to transcend any one set of beliefs. This is due to the mystical quality that permeates his writings and thoughts, the belief that the world and everything in it and outside of it share connections that at first glance are hard to discern.
His words are also very personal in nature and one often has the impression that Coelho’s characters share something with oneself. To be able to write about something that everyone already knows but to present it in a new form is the key to being a great writer and this is what Coelho does so well. He taps into some general truths or human universals that everyone can relate to, something that one has felt but not known how to organize in any systematic fashion. In this way his stories are not only about the characters contained on the pages, but also about the reader who is holding the book.
It is not the most profound book you will ever read but it will make you take a step back and view your life a bit differently. Sometimes the most important things are the simplest ones.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
