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otherhorde's reviews
123 reviews
The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin
There is a part near the end where Kropotkin gushes about how cool he thinks greenhouses are, and its pretty adorable. Like your reading this treatise on social reform and labour equality and then suddenly its an old man telling you about how much he loves his garden ❤️
The Conquest of Bread makes many points that are still as valid today as they were when it was written. It offers a view of a future that was missed and may still be found for us. The various topics range from inspiring drastic societal change to practical and helpful life advice.
5.0
There is a part near the end where Kropotkin gushes about how cool he thinks greenhouses are, and its pretty adorable. Like your reading this treatise on social reform and labour equality and then suddenly its an old man telling you about how much he loves his garden ❤️
The Conquest of Bread makes many points that are still as valid today as they were when it was written. It offers a view of a future that was missed and may still be found for us. The various topics range from inspiring drastic societal change to practical and helpful life advice.
Chapterhouse: Dune by Frank Herbert
5.0
A great end to a phenomenal series!
Chapterhouse is a delightful return to the schemes and feints within feints of the falling Old Empire of one million planets. With the scope of the God Emperor’s prescience and planning revealed in the second half of Heretics an interesting game happens in this book.
The major question being “How much of the scattering did he predict?”
Its an interesting question, and there is no definite answer given. Compare this to Asimov’s foundation! Wherein we are given a group whose statistical knowledge of psychology and society allows them to predict thousands of years into the future, only to be unable to see mutations that occur and so be enslaved by The Mule.
To me leaving the prediction of The Honoured Matre, and Futars vague created a more engaging narrative, where the reader is at odds with wether this is the true Golden Path, or if it is finally off course.
Further this novel contains a beautiful and touching eulogy for Frank Herberts late wife, Beverly, who had influenced the creation of the series, and was a source of inspiration throughout his life.
Chapterhouse is a delightful return to the schemes and feints within feints of the falling Old Empire of one million planets. With the scope of the God Emperor’s prescience and planning revealed in the second half of Heretics an interesting game happens in this book.
The major question being “How much of the scattering did he predict?”
Its an interesting question, and there is no definite answer given. Compare this to Asimov’s foundation! Wherein we are given a group whose statistical knowledge of psychology and society allows them to predict thousands of years into the future, only to be unable to see mutations that occur and so be enslaved by The Mule.
To me leaving the prediction of The Honoured Matre, and Futars vague created a more engaging narrative, where the reader is at odds with wether this is the true Golden Path, or if it is finally off course.
Further this novel contains a beautiful and touching eulogy for Frank Herberts late wife, Beverly, who had influenced the creation of the series, and was a source of inspiration throughout his life.
Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham
4.0
A noir tale set in the back drop of inter war and depression era America exploring the worlds of carnivals, magic, and spiritual con artists.
The Story of Stan Carlisle is tragic and gripping as we follow his decent from promise to wickedness.
More interesting though is the pedagogy of the book as a way to explore the archetypes of the tarots major arcana. Gresham uses the guise of noir story telling to educate his audience and personally explore the meaning and relation of the cards in an effort to come to terms with his own troubles and personal demons.
The Story of Stan Carlisle is tragic and gripping as we follow his decent from promise to wickedness.
More interesting though is the pedagogy of the book as a way to explore the archetypes of the tarots major arcana. Gresham uses the guise of noir story telling to educate his audience and personally explore the meaning and relation of the cards in an effort to come to terms with his own troubles and personal demons.
Book 4 by Aleister Crowley
4.0
Book 4 is somehow both incredibly straight forward and also absurdly dense. I feel it would best serve as the pallet cleanse to Crowleys other works, allowing the subconscious to mull over his more complicated symbolism.
The book can be broken into 3 main components, each with its own intent.
Part 1 is a concise look at Crowleys opinions on yoga and other traditional meditation, he explains the roles that basic practice plays in the later levels of his systems.
Part 2 looks at the symbolism and make up of Crowleys ritual tools.
There is also a brief interlude, which is quite fun, wherein Crowley takes a tongue in cheek approach to the analysis of occult symbolism explaining how anything can be used as an occult metaphor.
Book 4 if nothing else shows both Crowleys sense of humour and also how he was born into wealth and could afford the elaborate tools described within.
Really though it is a great resource and is incredibly straight forward and oddly enough reminded me alot of Ram Dass’ “Cookbook For a Sacred Life”
The book can be broken into 3 main components, each with its own intent.
Part 1 is a concise look at Crowleys opinions on yoga and other traditional meditation, he explains the roles that basic practice plays in the later levels of his systems.
Part 2 looks at the symbolism and make up of Crowleys ritual tools.
There is also a brief interlude, which is quite fun, wherein Crowley takes a tongue in cheek approach to the analysis of occult symbolism explaining how anything can be used as an occult metaphor.
Book 4 if nothing else shows both Crowleys sense of humour and also how he was born into wealth and could afford the elaborate tools described within.
Really though it is a great resource and is incredibly straight forward and oddly enough reminded me alot of Ram Dass’ “Cookbook For a Sacred Life”
How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are by Meg-John Barker, Alex Iantaffi
4.0
Its a good book, the type of book you wish you could have read in high school
Now Wait for Last Year by Philip K. Dick
5.0
Some real prime Dick right here!!!
An interesting political thriller where a drug can unstick you in time and across the multiverse.
As always the plot of the actual book is less interesting than seeing how PKD uses the tool set of the world.
I always love how his books that show his true stance on narcotics (Harlan Ellison was such a petty liar), and the fact that this book takes great pains to show the effects of fictional and real drugs puts it in league with A Scanner Darkly and Palmer Eldritch
An interesting political thriller where a drug can unstick you in time and across the multiverse.
As always the plot of the actual book is less interesting than seeing how PKD uses the tool set of the world.
I always love how his books that show his true stance on narcotics (Harlan Ellison was such a petty liar), and the fact that this book takes great pains to show the effects of fictional and real drugs puts it in league with A Scanner Darkly and Palmer Eldritch
The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
5.0
In the current landscape of daily monotony the Myth of Sisyphus shines.
With the pandemic bringing about more monotony and listlessness into my life, I gained a lot of solace from Camus’ essays. It is important to remember that we have the power to change how we view the monotony and that we are more powerful than our personal Rock
With the pandemic bringing about more monotony and listlessness into my life, I gained a lot of solace from Camus’ essays. It is important to remember that we have the power to change how we view the monotony and that we are more powerful than our personal Rock