OT: What Are You Reading?

Rereading some of Sir Richard Burton’s translation of “The Arabian Nights.” In Victorian England, Burton’s translation was viewed as pornographic in some circles, but it’s the closest to the originals.

He also translated the Kama Sutra. The man was the hero of heroes! Presently reading “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt,” which sadly is confirming my opinion that we’ll never find his like again, or Captain SIr Richard’s; and also Stephen Jay Gould’s “Full House. The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin.”

I love his translation of the Kama Sutra. It’s probably the best as far as I’ve seen. He definatily understood the tone. If you read his translation it’s obvious how scholarly the orginal was and how straight forward as well. Good read not really something that will teach an experienced person much, but the view point and tone is really what’s special about the Kama Sutra.

Stephen Ambrose…Comrades.

@LadySnuff – The best version of The Bhagavad Gita that I’ve ever read was a small pocket edition that I found for sale at the local Hindu Temple. It only contains the straight story line without any commentary or interpretation to divert your attention.

Right now I’m proof-reading a story called: “The Town of Tamarack.” I haven’t quite figured out whether it is a fantasy, science fiction or an allegory. 125 pages (single spaced) with atrocious punctuation, which I am in the process of cleaning up. I’ve been told that the target audience is 10 year olds, but it seems like an awefully long book for a kid of 10 (especially after the white space had been added.) Well… maybe not given the length of some of the Harry Potter books. I’m currently up to page 23.

The Sign of Four

it’s definatily allegory this is of course based off the fact that you’re on page 23. I know it might not make sense but trust me on this one.

I’m on page 23 because of all of the capitalization: sometimes entier phrases, sometimes the first letter of every word in a phrase, sometimes the nouns in a phrase (looks like the author was attempting to inconsistantly indicate bold type and italics;) innumerable commas and insidiuos punctuation marks placed outside of parenthesis. e.g.; I came accross 357 incidents of “);” not to mention the commas and periods!

sounds like a mess. When I hear of people editing jobs like that I wonder if it’s all nonesense designed with the hopes that the editor will accidentily become creative and write a good story (the one he thinks he’s editing.).

@n9inchnails… I love The Sign of Four… Good Choice!

I just started “Love In The Ruins” by Percy Walker

Chuck palahniuk. Invisible monsters

Dreamtime & Inner space

Finally got hold of a proper Asterix collection, so Asterix the Gaul

Perdurabo by Richard Kaczynski, by far the most comprehensive biography of Aleister Crowley.

willc I’ve never read it but best chance it’s not accurate. Just based on statistics. Like I said never read it, 90% chance more myth then anything.

Nah bob this is the real deal. If you don’t know anything about AC this will bore you to tears. No sensationalism, just the facts, like good old Jack Webb would say.

Good to hear. The myth is great and all but it gets tiresome especialy when you consider he was an interesting fellow on many fronts.

Yeah bob some things written about Crowley are absolutely crazy but people take it for fact. Even with all the myth taken away he led an interesting life and rubbed elbows lots of neat folks and traveled to some cool spots.

Sri Isopanisad

Maha Yoga by “Who”, a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi.