BookTalk.org

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
Why Weren't We Told by Henry Reynolds
A Voice In The Wilderness: Listening to the Statement from the Heart

Him, Sarina Bowen

A Journal of the Plague Year, by Daniel Defoe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journal ... lague_Year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Defoe

The book seems appropriate to the times. It's interesting how Defoe describes people sensing that the plague was coming. Reminds me of how here, in the U.S., many people sensed that things weren't right even while the W.H.O. conspired with China to delay warnings about the Wuhan virus. People were already stocking up on food before the announcement was made. Defoe describes that kind of awareness in the opening of his book.

Since my last post here, I have gone through a few books... My current read is "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren. Part memior, part introduction to plant science (and other sciences). I am about half way through it, and it is very interesting. This is not her only book; she has a web site: hopejahrensurecanwrite.com.

I'm in the middle of reading the Dune series. I read the first one about 20 years ago and enjoyed it but at the time I wasn't as big of a reader and the idea of reading more than a trilogy was beyond my attention span. So I re-read that and the other 5 of Herbert's original series (and a handful of his short story collections) and Road To Dune which is billed as "Dune's Silmarillion". Then I moved on to the 2 part conclusion written by Frank's son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson. I still have like 6-7 books to go, I just started Brian and Kevin's Prelude To Dune trilogy and after that I'll read their Legends Of Dune trilogy. There are plenty of other books but after those I'll probably just read 1 more, Paul Of Dune, which fills the gap between the first and second books.

Overall I've really enjoyed it but it's not Tolkien In Space like some people (including Arthur C. Clarke) led me to believe. There's just not that level or detail or planning, with the exception of one planet (Dune) and the power structure of the galaxy but the universe is extremely vague. You get a VERY intricately detailed bureaucracy but learn next to nothing about the planets/people they govern. Brian Herbert catches a lot of flack for his novels, and they are pretty silly and over the top but there's more world building in one of his novels than any of Frank's besides the first. After the first book Frank seemed more interested in using the series as a mouthpiece for his opinions on anything from religion to restaurant decor rather than creating a lived in universe.

There are some amusing parts in Gulliver's Travels. I have a really nice edition bought used years ago. Never read much of it until recently. Just came across this part, from Gulliver's visit to Luggnagg. He's summoned to appear before the king.

"A messenger was despatched
half a day’s journey before us, to give the king notice of my
approach, and to desire, ‘that his majesty would please to
appoint a day and hour, when it would by his gracious pleasure that I might have the honour to lick the dust before his
footstool.’ This is the court style, and I found it to be more
than matter of form: for, upon my admittance two days after my arrival, I was commanded to crawl upon my belly,
and lick the floor as I advanced; but, on account of my being a stranger, care was taken to have it made so clean, that
the dust was not offensive.

However, this was a peculiar
grace, not allowed to any but persons of the highest rank,
when they desire an admittance. Nay, sometimes the floor
is strewed with dust on purpose, when the person to be admitted happens to have powerful enemies at court; and I
have seen a great lord with his mouth so crammed, that
when he had crept to the proper distance from the throne;
he was not able to speak a word. Neither is there any remedy; because it is capital for those, who receive an audience
to spit or wipe their mouths in his majesty’s presence.

There is indeed another custom, which I cannot altogether approve of: when the king has a mind to put any of his nobles
to death in a gentle indulgent manner, he commands the
floor to be strewed with a certain brown powder of a deadly composition, which being licked up, infallibly kills him
in twenty-four hours. But in justice to this prince’s great
clemency, and the care he has of his subjects’ lives (wherein it were much to be wished that the Monarchs of Europe
would imitate him), it must be mentioned for his honour,
that strict orders are given to have the infected parts of the
floor well washed after every such execution, which, if his
domestics neglect, they are in danger of incurring his royal displeasure.

I myself heard him give directions, that one
of his pages should be whipped, whose turn it was to give
notice about washing the floor after an execution, but maliciously had omitted it; by which neglect a young lord of
great hopes, coming to an audience, was unfortunately poisoned, although the king at that time had no design against
his life. But this good prince was so gracious as to forgive
the poor page his whipping, upon promise that he would do
so no more, without special orders."

I am currently reading "Iron Gold" the 4th book in Pierce Brown's "Red Rising" series. I would recommend this series to any Sci-Fi fan.

Seasons in the Sun
The Battle for Britain, 1974-1979 by Dominic Sandbrook

To quote an acquaintance of mine “Yes, we British are rather clever,” says the UK magician. “That’s how we won the Empire. I don’t quite know why we lost it”.

This book explains why. More so, it demonstrates some of the fallacies of socialism. It covers a lot of areas: Ireland, education reform, labor party, and more.

It was a pleasant surprise and easy listen (audiobook). Recommend.

Only Love can break your heart by Katherine Webber..Brillant book Im on chapter 22 at the moment