Member: Makifat

Thank you for your reference to 'apophatic theology.' I want to look at the Wikipedia article longer, later. I have known that notion for some time. My sympathy for it comes from my being finite and expecting God to be infinite. I don't know whether I have seen the word before or read more than several mentions of it.

Robert

posted by Mr.Durick at 5:58 pm (EST) on Dec 21, 2009

Philippe Halsman, as I recall.

posted by colukben at 11:03 am (EST) on Dec 16, 2009

Kind of hard to make out the details, but I don't believe I've laid eyes on him before in my life.

posted by benwaugh at 9:28 am (EST) on Dec 14, 2009

Thank you for your kind comment on The Lectern. As always, it's harder knowing what to leave out of the review, than knowing what to put in.

I agree, though, it's a super super book.

posted by tomcatMurr at 8:50 pm (EST) on Dec 10, 2009

How nice of you makifat, yes I like that!

posted by marieke54 at 4:32 pm (EST) on Dec 8, 2009

I like the work of the old school type paranormal investigators and local historians/story tellers. Ghost Hunters on tv is just another dumb reality show.

posted by OldSarge at 11:14 am (EST) on Dec 3, 2009

Nice addition of works by Hans Holzer. I've got a few of his books myself.

posted by OldSarge at 7:16 pm (EST) on Dec 2, 2009

Thanks - we will be leaving in a couple of weeks... I think I have picked up enough Italian to order beer and acquire coordinates for the consequences.

I found the Bachelor's Quarters anthology in a local thrift shop - if I recall correctly, it had a ton of interesting out of print stuff in it. Stuff that only untamed roue old celibates could handle ;). What's great about things like this is that they open up new alleys of interest for us and help us do our part in beefing up the economy. The $2 anthology of 19th c. Swedish short stories I found, in the long run, cost me close to $100.

By the note below mine I see you too have enjoyed John Collier's His Monkey Wife. I used to grab copies to send to friends every time one turned up in a used bookshop. Now it seems it has been reprinted in several different editions - and about time! Collier also wrote some great supernatural stories (in Fancies and Goodnights... and some others whose titles escape me).

Any way - happy holidays to you and your family!

posted by benwaugh at 9:21 am (EST) on Nov 26, 2009

Thanks for the tip (His Monkey Wife). It looks like it could be a fun read. I'm reading the other one because my daughter handed it to me quite awhile ago and said she thought I would like it. She's usually pretty accurate.

posted by solla at 9:16 pm (EST) on Nov 9, 2009

Appreciate that. Not sure how much of a handle I have on it but it's a debate I always enjoy. I tend to waffle sometimes though - I'll read Peter Heather and he'll be very persuasive, then I'll go to Halsall and think something else.

posted by cemanuel at 6:18 pm (EST) on Nov 6, 2009

Great treatment of Brunists. BTW I recently read somwehere something that made me realize the title of Pricksongs also refers to the female organ.

posted by slickdpdx at 4:35 pm (EST) on Nov 4, 2009

On Levi-Strauss, it's hard to know where to start such a thread; I'd be willing to chime in a few thoughts though.

posted by theoria at 11:58 am (EST) on Nov 4, 2009

I am pretty good at hunting down scarce books at a decent price. But most people are not as prepared as I am to wait for books to come to them. I will wait for a hardcover book to be released in a paperback before buying. If a PB is unlikely I will hunt down the hardcover used. There are books I've been looking for well over a decade! I have no problem with underlining/notes because I am a guilty of this practice too. However, I do not usually do that with Lit/Fic/Crit books and those are the only books, for the most part, that I've reluctantly let go over the years.

I just ordered a book, "A Study of Spiritual Motion in the Philosophy of Proclus", that I've been hunting for several years. It is now selling for $128, but sometimes (I believe this is related to seasonal college courses) it goes for around half that. I picked it up for $12.00! Since I am only a reader, not a collector, I am prepared to take books in almost any condition. - Well, no fungus or spine missing; books like that are on the verge of disintegrating. I already have enough books in two or three pieces thanks to my note writing! I know, some people fill notebooks; but all that whitespace in the texts themselves is sooo tempting.

posted by pomonomo2003 at 4:04 pm (EST) on Oct 10, 2009

I just noticed that archive.org collection in your library today.

Ten years ago, when I was new to the internet, and the internet itself was a fledgling monster, I used to print out long essays/chapters at my university and spiral-bind them (talk about being stuck in the analog world!) from the Marxists Internet Archive, which already had an impressive collection of philosophy texts/excerpts online. It's even more of a behemoth now. A Kindle would have been nice then! I haven't bought one, but I think it might be an eventuality. Certainly preferable to trying to pack, move, unpack and reshelve thousands of volumes.

And yes, even though the Internet has boomed and software has come a long way, there is still no comprehensive, consistent and cross-referenced database of classical music anywhere! It drives me crazy when I try to look up obscure recordings (fortunately, there is one excellent and almost always reliable site for the Bruckner discography - http://www.abruckner.com/ - which is a model in terms of the kind of information a typical CD database should contain. Unfortunately, it is not well cross-referenced and the search is iffy (you need to stick to one term at a time.)) I have fantasized about designing a site like http://www.allmusic.com which was even more detailed, inclusive, etc. but it would require the efforts of dozens of committed, highly knowledgeable people, at least, so it's unfeasible. Not to mention the computer skills are lacking, and there would probably be no revenue I can foresee that would offset the costs of building and maintaining such a site. This is especially painful when it comes to tagging your music in software like iTunes. I have a little book in me when it comes to the frustrating combination of classical music and iTunes!

Sorry - I do go on - and there's even more coming up. I don't meant to take up so much of your time, so just think of this as future reference.

Bruckner: below are some of my favourite symphonies/recordings (i.e. among the ones I have heard/own; there are some famous ones missing from this list simply because I don't yet own them, though I would love to).

No. 5: almost any Jochum recording of the 5th (with the Concertgebouw in 1964 on Philips is a standout); Sinopoli/Staatskapelle Dresden (DG); Matačić/Orchestre National de France (Naïve); Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic on DG (1976); Shuricht with the Vienna Philharmonic from '63 (rare, bad sound, but worth finding if you've already heard the others.) The most recent, recommendable and easily available recording of the 5th is by Zander on Telarc, in excellent sound, and it's accompanied by a bonus disc that goes into detail about the structure of the symphony.

No. 7: Matačić/Czech Philharmonic (Supraphon); either Giulini recording (on BBC/DG), or Karajan's on EMI and DG; Jochum again, pref. with Concertgebouw again; and Furtwängler with the Berlin Philharmonic.

No. 8: Too many to choose from here! Boulez on DG; Giulini on DG; Furtwängler and Jochum and Karajan (multiple recordings); Wand on RCA in Lübeck cathedral, recording '86, released '88 (I think) - rare, but definitely exceptional.

No. 9: Giulini/Vienna Philharmonic on DG is a first choice, followed by multiple recordings by the usual suspects: Furtwängler; Karan with Vienna on Andante; Jochum's mono recording, Horenstein's from '53 with the Vienna Pro Musica, etc.

A famous Bruckner conductor I haven't mentioned is Celibidache, mostly because I am trying to save up to buy a now rare set of his Bruckner recordings for EMI . He has a partial, earlier cycle on DG but it didn't sound quite as interesting to me based on a small number of samples. Didn't select Horenstein for most; still in the process of collecting more of his recordings. Harnoncourt's 7th is on my list; conflicted about Walter on Sony; Dohnányi with the Cleveland Orchestra on Decca is interesting, excellent sound; Barenboim and Blomstedt and Haitink are yet to be heard, but not enough curiosity on my part so far; Knappertsbusch is another famous historical figure, I have an eye on Konwitschny. Goodall on BBC is also of interest, and Tintner on Naxos draws a lot of praise. Tintner was the first Bruckner conductor I heard but for some reason I am not intrigued by these recordings now; maybe my opinion will change again. Sawallisch on Orfeo and on EMI is also very good.

Sorry for posting/correcting this multiple times, but I can't believe I left out Klemperer, one of my favourite conductors! For some reason most of his Bruckner recordings are out of print or hard to come by. Another day...

I'm sure there are others that will come to me later.

Safest best for an overall cycle: Jochum's first complete cycle on DG with the Bavarian RSO/Berlin Philharmonic, or his second (which I haven't yet heard, and will probably hold off on for a while) with the Staatskapelle on EMI - both sets are very affordable, well-known, usually mentioned as first choices by every other critic/guide/etc.

I have to warn you, though you probably know this, that buying CDs can be far more expensive than buying books, which might explain why I have been cutting back on adding to my library as of late.

posted by existanai at 8:42 pm (EST) on Oct 9, 2009

Thanks for the headsup about archive.org. I've just added the link. Amazing that Bacon was sending this (the "Opus Majus") to a Pope! God almighty, he quotes ancient pagans and contemporary (i.e., his contemporaries) Moslems long before getting to some Christians! I just got the books in today and am halfway thru part one... I am more interested in the "political/theology" than I am in the Science. To me, science is method (experiment + mathematics); that is what matters. - Not the results of that method at any particular time. The results of the scientific method are but fashion; the method is Truth!

Thus I hope to read:
Part 1: Causes of Error
Part 2: Philosophy
Part 7: Moral Philosophy
this weekend in order to see for myself how Bacon was influenced by his great Moslem contemporaries. If it is as good as I hope it will be I will begin to look around for more secondary sources.

Most of my books I pick up used. Got these two volumes for $8.00 each!

Joe

PS.

"Location: occultation"

How long do you intend to remain 'occulted', or is that up in the air because of the Will of the One God or the (Ha!) 'free will' of your innumerable minions?

PPS. There don't seem to be many bookstores in occultation... Pity.

posted by pomonomo2003 at 11:14 pm (EST) on Oct 8, 2009

Really enjoyed your review of "Tuck Everlasting". Thumbs up!

posted by richardderus at 5:56 pm (EST) on Oct 8, 2009

I'm not certain - I think they probably are original stories. I came across teh book years ago and dismissed it for the same reason. The after I saw your post I mixed up Tom Ahern/Tom Moran and took a shot. Luckily, I think, the item was not in stock and my order was canceled(likely the shopkeeper saw his competition are trying to hawk the think for way more than he was offering it). I have a query into one of the LT floks who owns a copy - but have as yet no response.

posted by benwaugh at 4:17 pm (EST) on Oct 6, 2009

Thanks! Considering your collection, I'll definitely take that as a compliment. My problem's not letting my wishlist outnumber what's on my shelves. My reading always falls off in the summer. And if you want a great Late Antiquity Collection, check out Chilperic - fantastic stuff. I raided his library extensively.

posted by cemanuel at 8:56 pm (EST) on Sep 28, 2009

Loved your review of Insatiability. Just oredered a copy: likely beaten to hell, but under $20.

posted by benwaugh at 9:03 am (EST) on Sep 5, 2009

The english Master and Margarita DVD can be ordered through Amazon Marketplace:

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Margaret-Ma...

posted by PimPhilipse at 3:52 pm (EST) on Aug 29, 2009

Thanks on the tags. I still have not even come close to tagging all my books. I too have a lazy streak so It may be awhile before it is correct. What do you suggest I pick up as a must have for Medieval Spain? Also even though I am loath to admit it I have never read any Graham Green. Where do I start with his works?

posted by AmanteLibros at 5:39 pm (EST) on Aug 25, 2009

I love your library, your collection is impressive. I have just started to acquire more literature so I can not boast your fine selection, but I'm working on it. I have a fair non-fiction/history selection. Feel free to browse my collection any time and thanks for the great reviews.

posted by AmanteLibros at 1:40 am (EST) on Aug 25, 2009

Thanks for your review of the Master and the Margarita. Based on it, I have ordered a copy.

posted by omaca at 12:22 am (EST) on Aug 20, 2009