Sunday Morning Book Thread - 03-31-2024 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

Jesus said to her, "Mary.""

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher").

Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

--John 20:11-18 (NIV)

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading (SPOILER: It's not about Jesus). Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...(eggs may contain delicious salmonella filling...)

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, eat the ears off your chocolate bunny rabbit, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

PIC NOTE

This is the floorplan of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. For Christians, this is one of the holiest places in all of Christendom, if not THE holiest place, as it marks the spot of Jesus' grave and his subsequent resurrection. As you can imagine, this site has been witness to quite a lot of history...

WHY READ FICTION?

This video is a bit longer than the ones I usually choose to share, which are around 10-15 minutes or so. However, I believe Tristan has some excellent points about reading fiction that are worth exploring. He argues that fiction does a few things very well when it comes to providing value for us as humans. It gives us a sense of who we are within the larger scheme of the cosmos. Second, it gives us a heightened awareness of our own thinking by directing our brains to focus in on *ideas* that shape who we are as people. Finally, "fiction tells us what it is to be human." Non-fiction is great for many things. It can tell us how to write a great story or even tell a joke or write a limerick. What it cannot do is *experience* the emotions that come from reading a great story, hearing a joke, or sounding out a limerick. Only we humans are capable of deriving emotional experiences from reading and then incorporating that experience into our "self," thus growing and developing as individuals.

The written language found in fiction is rarely exactly the same as how we think or speak. By design, it will be far more organized and coherent than how we normally communicate with other people throughout the day. The dialogue may feel "natural" to a certain extent, but it will not quite mirror a true spoken dialogue between individuals. The author has polished and refined the passages so that they gleam with precision and intent. Our minds will naturally gravitate towards the ideas they wish us to reflect on and we should--if the writer is skilled enough--walk away from our reading experience pondering the author's words for some time afterwards. Fiction, by its very nature, draws attention to itself and you will see the world in a different way through the lens of the writer's worldview. Observing the world, instead of just seeing it. Read Henry David Thoreau's descriptions of Walden pond and then take a walk outside. You may be surprised at how you perceive the world.

His final point is perhaps the most important: the notion that fiction is *insidious* (Tristan uses the word invidious but his usage suggests he meant insidious), seeping past our normal filters into our subconscious so that we are more open and receptive to the ideas that are presented by the author. In other words, we are likely to read in fiction material that we would NOT read in non-fiction, particularly when it comes to ideologies. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein is noted for being a "right-wing" manifesto disguised as military science fiction. How many people have adopted Ayn Rand's Objectivist philosophy after reading Atlas Shrugged? The Left is very much aware of how fiction can grab the imagination and coerce people to believe contrary ideas against their will. Why do you think they are so determined to keep explicit pornographic stories in school libraries? They *KNOW* that children are the most susceptible to reading fiction and being influenced by the ideas therein. I credit my own mostly moral upbringing to reading books that espoused certain values that helped shape my current social and political outlook. When I grew older, I switched to reading non-fiction books on the subjects, and that helped crystalize my personal philosophy that most people would characterize as "conservative," but it was reading fiction that put me on that path in the first place.

NOTE: We'll discuss non-fiction next week as it is just as important as reading fiction. Reading BOTH are necessary for developing a well-rounded personality...

KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS

How well do you know your friends and family? Do you fully understand what drives them to do what they do? Chances are, you do not. However, by the time you finish writing a good story (emphasis on "good" here), you should know your main characters quite well indeed. As the YouTuber above explains it, the deepest motivations for change in a character's life will most likely be tied to a fundamental fear. It could be a fear of rejection or of acceptance. Or maybe they are lacking in self-worth and self-esteem and need to find the strength to overcome a key obstacle. Whatever that fundamental fear is, it should be the driving force behind a character's actions and achievements. Note that this can be used by both the protagonists and antagonists in crafting the story.

This lack of character understanding may be why Asimov's characters in his Foundation books seem rather flat and uninteresting at times--Asimov doesn't take the time to really drive the characters based on their fundamental fears and insecurities, though they do come up from time to time. Just not in profound, meaningful ways.

Think of some of your favorite stories. What is driving the main characters? How do they channel their energies into overcoming those fears and triumphing over them via character development?

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

After CBD included a couple of Hudson River School artists in this week's art thread I found The Hudson River School: Nature and the American Vision at the library. (I was shocked they had it on the shelves.) It's a gorgeous book with high quality color plates of most of the School members and well done text providing information on the artist's life, influences, and techniques. Also, their philosophy. Part of their purpose, bless them, was to get out from under the European attitude about American landscape art, which they regarded as provincial and unworthy. The American artists knew that this country offered glorious views of nature and creation and used their immense talents to show that. I like that 'in your face' approach and love the beautiful art they made. It will takes weeks, off and on, to go through the whole book. That's fine. It should be a slow, pleasurable experience.

I was so impressed with the library edition of The Hudson River School book I went on Amazon to buy a copy. It is out of print but plenty of used copies are listed. My gripe is that the original price Amazon listed was 38 dollars. Not cheap but not bad for this kind of book. I went back less than a minute later and the price had jumped to 52 bucks. Same book, higher price. I ended up ordering a very good condition copy for half that cost. More and more I'm thinking Amazon can go F itself. It can be convenient but isn't always a bargain. I often have better results bypassing Amazon and going through the actual company offering the item. And they don't hike up their prices in the course of a few seconds.

Posted by: JTB at March 24, 2024 09:15 AM (zudum)

Comment: Art books can be a nice way to pass the time, just admiring the skill and talent of the artists who created those amazing works. CBD and Kris bring us a wonderful selection of art on the weekday Art Threads. Some I like and some I don't like, but that's what is so fun about art. In the library where I work (but do not work for) we have a whole shelf of art books outside my office. They are the large, oversize editions so that the reader can get a good sense of the detail in each work. Like reading fiction, admiring works of visual art can stimulate our senses, speak to the soul, and give us an idea of our place in the universe.

I finished reading Folly and Glory by Larry McMurtry. The book was on sale at the library, and as soon as I saw the author's name, I had to have it. Realized too late that it was Book 4 in the Berrybender Narrative. I'm fastidious about reading books in a series in their proper order but that went out the window with this book. The novel completes the story of the Berrybender family's journey from England to the American West in the early 1800s. The tale weaves a fascinating story of passion, boredom, pain, joy, discovery, and grit. We are introduced to a wide cast of characters and learn that it was not just the Indians who were brutal in this new world: Spaniards, Mexicans and the various white explorers were rough and not always kind to their fellow man. This volume picks up with the Berrybenders in posh confinement in Santa Fe, courtesy of the Mexican governor who is none too pleased to have them there, but who treats this upper crust English family as peers, mostly. The road leads through southern Nuevo Mexico, and ends in the disputed Texas territory. The fall of the Alamo plays a small part. Easy read, recommended.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at March 24, 2024 09:45 AM (U3L4U)

Comment: I, too, have picked up books at used bookstores and library booksales solely on the strength of an author's name, only to realize later that I had picked up a later book in the series. *sigh* However, now that I'm older--with disposable income--and amazing technology at my fingertips, I can go online and "fill the gaps" in those series. As for the book described above, it sounds like it portrays the people in the story realistically, without "romanticizing" the Native Americans, Mexicans, or Spaniards the characters encountered.

Just finished Paulette Jiles's Chenneville, set in 1866, a Federal war vet that spent a couple months in a hospital near Richmond recovering from a head injury suffered in the action just post-surrender, conducts a solo mission way south for vengeance.

There is a lot concerning telegraph messages. You went to a telegraph office, wrote out your message, paid 13 cents a word, and it got tapped out.

Telegraph operators DM'd each other. The phrase "OK" as we understand it today, originated with telegraph operators.

Travelers going into states that had rebelled, carried ID papers, and you needed to show them to check into a hotel or rooming house.

Posted by: Mr Gaga at March 24, 2024 09:50 AM (KiBMU)

Comment: Back in those days, a telegraph was the fastest way to get information across the country in record time (sorry, Pony Express). Paying 13 cents a word sounds like a lot of money for the time. I read the blurb for this book on Amazon. Sounds like the protagonist was driven by his overwhelming need to avenge his family. The antagonist tried to hide behind the law while committing numerous atrocities. Remember, the most dangerous men are those who have either have *everything* to lose and those who have *nothing* left to lose--because it's all been taken from them. Those men will hunt you down to the end of the earth to ensure that you can never cause harm again. Think John Wick and you get a picture of this type of man. Piss him off at your own peril.

More Moron-recommended reading material can be found HERE! (1000+ Moron-recommended books!)

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

After reviewing some of OregonMuse's old Book Threads, I thought I'd try something a bit different. Instead of just listing WHAT I'm reading, I'll include commentary as well. Unless otherwise specified, you can interpret this as an implied recommendation, though as always your mileage may vary.

Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov

The Second Foundation has been "defeated" by the First Foundation, though one member of the First suggests that the Second is still alive and well. He is sent off on a quixotic search for them, accompanied by a historian on an equally quixotic quest to search for old Earth, the supposed ancient birthplace of all of humanity. Meanwhile, the Second Foundation believes a third faction may be attempting to implement their own version of the Seldon Plan...

As was pointed out in last week's Sunday Morning Book Thread, Asimov is *not* the most engaging read, as his characters lack a lot of depth. However, he is an *easy* read and explores some interesting ideas on how history could perhaps be shaped if someone just knew the *right* equations to guide humanity on a path towards greatness. I'm enjoying the reading experience, but Asimov will only get a "B" from me for this series. I do see how he has influenced other authors who came later, though.

Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov

Golan Trevize, Councilman of the First Foundation, did not find Earth, but now he believes he has some idea of where to look. He brings his companion, the historian Janov Pelorat, with him in his journey. "Gaia" also chooses to come along, though for its own inscrutable purposes. ALL mention of Earth has been deliberately erased from Galactic history and how it's up to Trevize and his companions to find out why...Is Earth truly an uninhabitable radioactive cinder? Or have the mysterious robots taken it over and now rule the Galaxy from behind the scenes? Will the discovery of Earth hinder or help Gaia's designs of creating "Galaxia," a shared galactic consciousness?

Discovering Scarfolk: For tourists and other trespassers by Richard Littler

Needing to find a new vacation destination this year? One that is not riddled with mosquitoes the size of housecats? Try gloomy Scarfolk, located somewhere in northwest Britain! This quaint little town has something for everyone, such as a 2,000 foot cliff where you can embrace a final end to your vacation, and Scarpark where you will not be bothered by nature within the pastoral concrete jungle. In all seriousness, though, this book is hilarious if you have a dark and twisted sense of humor. Though not everyone will find the idea of The Bumper Book of Handicapped and Disabled Jokes, published by Penguin Books, as entertaining as I do. It's a book that has to be read to be believed. Weirdly, it was sitting on the shelf of the library in which I work (and do not work for), as though it was *waiting* for me to pick it up...

Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Written shortly before Asimov's death, this is the final novel in the Foundation series, though it's technically a prequel. It starts out a few years after Prelude to Foundation and documents Hari Seldon's journey of developing psychohistory into a useful tool that will minimize the effects of the collapsing Galactic Empire. It's really a collection of novellas, as each segment of the story takes place after significant time jumps. Within each segment, Seldon has to make use of proto-psychohistory to stave off a Galactic calamity, aided by his wife, his son, and a few trusted individuals who know the truth behind psychohistory.

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Disclaimer: No Morons were harmed in the making of this Sunday Morning Book Thread. Sadly, the Easter Bunny never learned to read...

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