Spotlight Book Club - recommendations

[djjaycool]

I just read this book call Drift. It is about the use of American military power. It is well worth the read (I know it was off the subject of recent posts)

http://www.amazon.com/Drift-Unmoori...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338290170&sr=1-1

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Oh, and I just finished reading 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'. Have to say most of it lost me. I have a vague understanding of Buddhism, but Plato, Socrates, etc?! Maybe I just lost patience and wasn't reading closely enough, or maybe the people that recommended it to me already had some understanding of philosopy/philosophers... I'm sure it works better when you understand it.

Any books recommended in this genre (for novices)?

 

[Robder]

Any books recommended in this genre (for novices)?

Stay a novice - it's when you're at your most potent.

Gill Edwards - Stepping into the magic

^^^ very trippy read. Bit waaay out there for some but I loved it.

 

[WeLuvIbiza]

Oh, and I just finished reading 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'. Have to say most of it lost me. I have a vague understanding of Buddhism, but Plato, Socrates, etc?! Maybe I just lost patience and wasn't reading closely enough, or maybe the people that recommended it to me already had some understanding of philosopy/philosophers... I'm sure it works better when you understand it.

Any books recommended in this genre (for novices)?

lol. Thought I had mentioned this book somewhere, it's on the Buddhism thread! My comments were almost identical to yours; "Was over the top of my head tbh". Read it years ago and wanted to give it another go but might save myself the pain after your comments

 

[Barbie]

Currently reading Jonathan Safran Foer's 'Eating Animals' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eating-Anim...193X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338294310&sr=8-1

Way more than a book about eating meat vs not eating meat, it raises lots of thought provoking questions, and really questions why we eat what we eat and the implications of it without ever being preachy or sanctimonious. It's also extremely well written and the short chapter style make it easy to dip in and out of. Highly recommended to anyone who cares what they eat, vegetarian or meat eater.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

I'm rooting around on this Zen... site ( http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/Main/HomePage ) at the moment to see how others approached it or if anyone did prepatory reading.

Definitely reading Knut Hamsun's 'Pan' next.

 

[Barbie]

Also been reading a couple of books on Burma as we're visiting the country later this year and it's a country I've long been fascinated by. The best book I've read on the country is Zoya Phan's 'Little Daughter' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Daug...r_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338295374&sr=1-14 Very moving and enlightening book on a topic that has often been ignored in the West.

 

[Barbie]

We need to talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver

In case no one's mentioned it already.

Just finished it moments ago, amazing!

Love that book I remember literally being unable to put it down and missing my stop on the tube more than once as I was so engrossed in it.

On a very different subject matter (terminal cancer and the American health insurance system) her more recent book 'So Much for That' is well worth a read http://www.amazon.co.uk/So-Much-Tha...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338296742&sr=1-1

 

[djjaycool]

Has anyone read "50 shades of gray"? It is an erotic series of novels.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Went ahead and ordered 'Food of the Gods...'

 

[craig72]

Is there a sadder book than this..

 

[kimajy]

^^ haha ... written especially for men married to career women

 

[Jojo.Xx]

Is there a sadder book than this..

Everything about it oozes sad.. Even the cover looks like it was designed long before microwaves were invented