The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson - I picked up this book in mass-market paperback at the end of June, the day we left Atlantic City. I'd seen it in hardback at work while working in Acquisitions and been intrigued by it; I didn't expect it to suck me in like a giant black hole and expel me into some alternate universe, forever changed by having read it. It's a thriller, it's social commentary, it's a vast northern forest of impronounceable Swedish names, and I could not put it down. Lisbeth Salander is an unforgettable heroine.
Misery by Stephen King (R) - I have a perverse fondness for this book about a writer's antagonism with his "Number one fan" (who's also a baby-killing psycho). The movie was disapointing, despite the talents of Kathy Bates.
Lucifer v. 8: The Wolf beneath the Tree by Mike Carey et al. - I have the last three volumes of this series in my possession but haven't felt like reading them. Overall I like it very much.
The Evening Sun, poems by David Lehman (R) - David Lehman set out to write a poem a day and produce a sort of personal journal in poems. I think I like his first collection of daily poems, The Daily Mirror, better than this, the second, but they are both good.
Magic University I: The Siren and the Sword by Cecilia Tan - I don't think I mentioned this at all when I read it; I almost forgot to list it because I read it as an ebook, at my computer, rather than in the hand. I think the author (who's on LJ) will excuse me for summarizing this book as "An American, college-age Harry Potter, with sex by the author instead of the fans". *g* Kyle Wadsworth thinks he's going to Harvard to talk about a scholarship, but instead he winds up a student of Veritas, the secret magical university that shares a campus with the prestigious mundane college. Tan provides an engaging mix of characters, pleasing erotic writing, and magical workings closely based in historic Western occultism. I'm looking forward to what I predict will be at least three more books; the first book's motif is air, so we have fire, water, and earth to cover.
Columbine by David Cullen - I found this book interesting yet oddly disappointing. Cullen's thesis is that everything we thought we knew about the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 is simply wrong. Harris and Klebold weren't tormented aesthetes who suddenly cracked and began shooting up the jocks who bullied them; they were a cunning sociopath and his suicidal sidekick who planned not merely to shoot a few of their schoolmates, but to blow up much of the school and then pick off the bomb survivors as they fled the building. It was only Harris's incompetence at constructing the bombs he was so proud of that prevented thousands of people from dying. While police created a perimeter and collected around it, watching for signs of movement within the school building, Harris and Klebold shot a few people, got bored, and shot themselves. A teacher bled to death while paramedics hovered outside the perimeter. A girl who supposedly died a Christian martyr, defending her faith, was in fact shot before she could even scream; another student entirely was shot after declaring her faith in God. Cullen's research is extensive, including tapes and diaries from the two killers that were only released years after the incident, yet in the end, I found myself not deeply disturbed or deeply caring. The mystery of psychopathy touched this community through the high school at its heart, yet afterward people grieved and life went on.
A Tibetan Buddhist Companion, ed. by Erik Pema Kunsang: A wonderful compilation of Tibetan Buddhist texts that I'm going to read over and over.
In the Land of Invented Languages by Arika Okrent: This recently published title turned out to be a lot of fun. The author began with an engaging account of getting interested in the Klingon-speaking Trek fan community and studying to gain first-level certification in the language. From there she goes on to eighteenth-century attempts to create a rational universal language that would mirror the structure of reality (as perceived by European philosophers of the day), international languages as a means to world peace (including the most successful of the lot, Esperanto), and constructed languages as art form (Tolkien's languages, Klingon, and other by-products of speculative fiction). It's been years since I read any current popular books on linguistics; I read Mario Pei's books over and over as a child, but they were written in the forties and fifties. Okrent is clear, funny, engaging, and ultimately sympathetic to Klingon speakers and all those for whom language is not merely a tool but an art form.
Teachings of the Earth by John Daido Loori: Dogen and other classic Zen masters on the wisdom of the earth and the wisdom of preserving the environment. I'll keep re-reading this one until I understand it.
Introduction to Tantra: The Transformation of Desire by Lama Thubten Yeshe, ed. by Johnathan Landaw: This is a wonderful clear and simple book on a profound and difficult topic. Say "Tantra" and most Westerners will think of languorous sacred sex play, but in Buddhism Tantra is one of many names for the accelerated methods of reaching enlightenment that include mantras, visualizing self as a deity, devotion to one's guru, and ultimately, under some conditions, engaging in sexual meditations with a partner. Lama Yeshe, one of the first Tibetans to teach Western students, comes across in this book and in people's reminiscences of him as a warm, funny, accessible, deeply compassionate and wise person. For grasping the basic principles of the accelerated method to buddhahood, I don't know a better place to start than this book.
Wizard's Holiday by Diane Duane: An enjoyable re-read. I'm delighted that she now has a publication date for the next book in the series; A Wizard of Mars is due in early 2010.
Maskerade by Terry Pratchett: This was my first Pratchett, and I enjoyed it a lot. It made a wonderful follow-up to watching the musical Phantom film and the classic black-and-white. Strangely enough, though, I did not actually run off and start reading all his other work. I think I'll get back to him eventually.
Mi vidas kion vi faras tie = I see what you do there.
38. The Crooked Inheritance, poems by Marge Piercy (R)
41. Long Quiet Highway by Natalie Goldberg (R)
42. Cave of Tigers: The Living Zen Practice of Dharma Combat by John Daido Loori
45. A Beginner's Guide to Tibetan Buddhism: Notes from a Practitioner's Journey by Bruce Newman
46. The Poetry of Zen ed. & trans. by Sam Hamill and J.P. Seaton
47. Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual by John Daido Loori (R)
48. 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn
(The numbers refer to my count for the year--I've finished one book so far this month, so I'm up to forty-nine books read this year.)
Zen, poetry, and disasters seem to be the themes of this month. I finished Cave of Tigers after many months of reading it in small increments; it reflects the Zen practice of Dharma combat, in which the teacher proposes a theme, students one by one express their experience of it, and the teacher responds with a reality check. It's kind of like reading transcripts of live-action koans--which, I guess, is what koans originally were.
Hamill and Seaton's collection of Zen poetry was good, especially for the great haiku masters, but it was awfully short on female poets, and I still like Ryokan best.
I get into a mood sometimes where I want to read about how people react under stress: hence, the Donner Party, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and the 9/11 book. There are disturbing parallels between the 1911 Triangle fire and the situation in the World Trade Center towers in 2001; fire safety codes ignored, firefighters inadequately prepared for the situation, desperate people jumping to escape overwhelming flames at their backs. Then I spent two nights on the sixty-second floor of a hotel, whee!
My first book for this month was Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and OMG I have succumbed. I tore through 700 pages in about two days, barely putting it down, and now WANT MOAR PLZ. Larsson's debut novel deserves to be an international bestseller in multiple languages; it has a host of engaging characters, a richly twisted plot, and a strong thread of theme running through. I feel I can hardly wait for the second novel to be released at the end of this month. He apparently had about ten books in various stages of planning, from the three that were completed to rough notesfor the later ones, and if he had lived to write them all, I think I'd read them.
OnceUponAWin.com's most recent entry as of this writing is a movie I loved as a child yet tend to forget about: Bedknob and Broomstick with Angela Lansbury. The person who submitted it characterized it as Epic for two reasons: It combined live action with animation, and it allowed the characters to solve their problems by magical means. I watched this clip with tears in my eyes, as Miss Price the witch (Lansbury) magically animates a museum full of weapons and armor and sends them out to do battle with the invading Germans.
StarIQ.com New Moon Report, June 22, 2009 by Jeff Jawer The Moon is our constantly changing companion. She lifts our tides and lights our nights. She reflects our needs, moods and daily deeds. StarIQ cofounder Jeff Jawer looks at astrological events for this lunar cycle to describe energy patterns for the month ahead. This is a big picture view of the general cosmic weather that affects us all. Visit Heaven on Earth Workshops to learn about amazing seminars in Bali, Mexico and the UK with the world's leading astrologers. Join Jeff Jawer and Rick Levine for a life changing workshop, Astrology Relative to Our Times: Co-creating the Waves of Change, March 7-13, 2010 in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. New Moon in Cancer Uranus Retrograde Mercury in Cancer Venus in Gemini Mars square Jupiter and Neptune Full Moon in Capricorn Jupiter conjunct Neptune Mars in Gemini Mercury in Leo This New Moon in Cancer can take us back to our roots, touching childhood memories and reopening old wounds. This is not an exercise in nostalgia or regret nor is it a time to hide in fear or to carry on while ignoring our feelings. This New Moon is an opportunity to trim the family tree of its broken branches of pain and self-limitation and nourish ourselves with passion for new growth that can take us higher than we've ever gone before.
Saturday, June 20, 10:46 pm PDT, Sunday, June 21, 1:46 am EDT
This is a very important lunation because it is opposite transformational Pluto and arrives only two days after the solstice, a pivotal time of the year. Security-conscious Cancer makes us aware of our needs and fears and Pluto facing this Sun-Moon conjunction intensifies those emotions. Power struggles personally, professionally and in the political arena can undermine trust and overthrow governments and relationships. If extremism and infantile behavior are avoided, though, this could be a healing time as unresolved issues rise to the surface where they can be addressed consciously.
Wednesday, July 1
The planet of rebellion's five-month reversal period turns the struggle for freedom inward. While external innovation will continue, the most significant field for breakthrough lies within each of us. Freedom from oppression is important, yet liberation of the mind through meditation is available to everyone. Cutting through our interior walls of doubt and ignorance is the first step to changing ourselves and then the world.
Friday, July 3, 12:20 pm PDT, 3:20 pm EDT
Cerebral Mercury's stay in subjective Cancer colors thoughts with feelings that could easily overcome logic. Still, filtering information through the lens of personal experience can turn cold facts into living truths. Conversations grow warmer and hearts open wider when thinking is felt this deeply. Expressing our own needs and our care for others will bring closeness that rational minds often miss.
Sunday, July 5, 1:23 am PDT, 4:23 am EDT
Sociable Venus loves variety in the diverse sign of the Twins. Flirtation and conversation are high on the list of pleasurable activities now. Tastes may shift quickly, which can be a challenge when making major aesthetic decisions. Yet Venus in Gemini adds flexibility in relationships and personal values that can overcome roadblocks and attract new sources of pleasure.
Monday, July 6
Pursuing dreams and chasing illusions can be time consuming and exhausting. However, enterprising Mars could be heroic, imaginative and compassionate when aspecting outgoing Jupiter and idealistic Neptune. It simply takes discrimination and a willingness to test the waters before diving in to catch the inspiration of this wave without being pulled under by it.
Tuesday, July 7, 2:21 am PDT, 5:21 am EDT
The Capricorn Full Moon sometimes triggers a sense of frustration as we tend to notice how far we are from achieving our goals. This is a Lunar Eclipse that asks us to drop childish behavior, buck up and take care of business. The Full Moon receives a favorable trine from sturdy Saturn, Capricorn's ruling planet, that provides a strong sense of purpose and direction. Discipline comes more easily with this supportive alignment as public and private needs are recognized as complimentary rather than conflicting.
Friday, July 10
This is the second of three conjunctions of astrology's most expansive and optimistic planets. The first occurred on May 27 when a rising tide of hope or escapism through fantasy began. This second meeting of Jupiter and Neptune is a chance to correct erroneous assumptions and to inspire ourselves with reachable dreams. The third and final union on December 21 should expose any leftover illusions or mark the infusion of a lasting spiritual force.
Saturday, July 11, 7:56 pm PDT, 10:56 pm EDT
Single-minded Mars gets scattered in diversified Gemini, making it harder to stay on track and complete tasks. The aggressive aspects of the warrior planet are readily verbalized in this chatty sign. Yet for those stuck in patterns of repetitive behavior, Mars in Gemini reveals a multitude of alternative activities and methods. An ability to adapt to a wide variety of tasks is another benefit of this multi-dimensional alignment.
Friday, July 17, 4:08 pm PDT, 7:08 pm EDT
Ideas are strengthened and communication emboldened with verbal Mercury in creative and proud Leo. This transit can add courage, humor and a sense of style to sell ideas while stubborn thinking is its downside. Overidentification with one's thoughts makes it difficult to listen to opposing ideas. Try not to let pride get in the way of a potentially meaningful dialogue.
I cannot stop looking at this. I keep going back and re-reading it, or studying it.
What would happen if your milk teeth (i.e., baby teeth) came home to stay after years of living with the tooth fairy? MY MILK TOOF is what would happen if you were a creative person with a talent for crafting miniature things....
(So. Cute!)
(And thanks to Cute Overload for the link.)
I want to be compassionate.
I want to be compassionate toward Scott Roeder, the man who murdered Dr. George Tiller, as well as toward Dr. Tiller and the women he helped.
I want to be compassionate toward James von Brunn, who opened fire in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., as well as toward Stephen Tyrone John, the security guard he murdered.
I want to be compassionate toward George Bush and Dick Cheney and all the dead-eyed, well-dressed rich white males who don't see or don't care that their greed for money and for power harms people, as well as toward the American soldiers and Iraqi soldiers and civilians their decisions have killed and the people their policies have thrust out of their homes, robbed of their jobs, forced onto the streets or into their cars.
I want to be compassionate toward white people who are so saturated in their privilege they don't see it or feel it and toward black people who are so choked with rage, so close to a heart attack or a stroke from the continual stress of living with racism, that sometimes the anger boils over and corrodes things like acid.
I want to remember that we are all suffering. Buddhism teaches this; I feel that it is true, and the more I think about the teachings of Buddhism, the more they make sense, the more I verify them from my own experience.
I want to be compassionate. Do you honestly think that George Bush is any happier, deep down, than the homeless man who sleeps in the park that you walk through every day on your way to work? Bush is not happier; he's just better anesthetized.
I want those who do harm to others to be held accountable, so that we may have a safe and orderly and just society. On the relative level, that's tremendously important.
On the absolute level, I really do want us all to grow out of doing each other harm--both George Bush and the homeless man, the Chinese Communist soldier and the imprisoned Tibetan monk, the blandly privileged white woman and the angry black woman with dangerously high blood pressure, myself and my readers, the mice I have to kill to keep them out of my birds' food and my own food, all of us.
I want to be compassionate. I want us to be free and joyful. I want to help.
As I was walking to work, a mourning dove flew across the street from my side to the other and settled, with much flapping, on the roof of a green Cooper Mini.
Recent Comments
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Bookmole said:
Best bit for me was Vir Cotto waving at Mr Morden's severed head. He quite enjoyed that! read more
on So many books, so little time -
Pariforma said:
A fellow B5 fan! Londo is my Woobie. [g]My mother-in-law is a strong, intelligent, vital woman in her eighties. She... read more
on So many books, so little time -
Bookmole said:
I got those sort too - Andre Norton's complete Witch World somehow never makes the cull. Or Pratchett. Or Tom... read more
on So many books, so little time -
Pariforma said:
No, I haven't joined any groups here on Vox. But I am a passionate advocate of re-reading. I have thirtysome... read more
on So many books, so little time
Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! "This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights... read more
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