Books like this, including the books highlighted in this book, are one of the reasons why it still makes sense to read a printed publication. Yes, you can probably get all the same information online (or even in PDF), but you will not have the same experience of viewing the scrolls and fragments in full… Read More »
The biggest book I’ve ever read (quite literally) except for encyclopedias. It is massive tome – 600+ pages in fine print on a foot-long page. But do not be daunted by the scale of things. If you set aside 15 minutes or so during your break to read the obituaries in random order (obviously you… Read More »
The first chapter is basically wasted by outlining what we already know to justify the need for the secret sauce. Problem is, if you use this secret sauce, you will feed into the vicious cycle of the short attention span. I also find it ironic that the author tried to explain the hitchhiker ad (and… Read More »
The author laments that there are too many “how-to” books in the marketplace, so instead he exalts us to think of this book as a new genre altogether – a “when-to” book: when to change careers, deliver bad news, schedule a class, end a marriage, go for a run, or get serious about a project… Read More »
I listened to the audio version of this course and it was a bit hard to follow at times because the narrator’s pronunciation of certain Chinese names is way off (I don’t blame him) and I had to guess who he is referring to, based on my prior understanding of Chinese history. Every subsequent occurrence… Read More »
I have not read Thomas Ligotti’s horror stories. Maybe I should. While I cannot determine if his flair for horror writing translates well to his philosophical musings, the dark pessimism that permeates this book is so strong that it will leave casual readers feeling depressed long after they have finished reading it.