The book thread.

[sorath]

Not sure if this has been posted before but I couldn't find anything.

I was wondering if the mods could maybe make this a sticky so people could recommend really good books to each other.

I am an avid reader but sometimes I go through total lulls where I am unable to find a decent book that I can't put down. When I do come across really good books I plough through them in no time.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Mine are:

George Orwell - Down and out in Paris and London
Charles Bukowski - Factotum
J.R.R Tolkien - The children of Hurin.

Maybe another idea would be to give a brief description of the recommended book to see if it tickles anyones fancy.

[cafetimes1991]

Alriiiiight!

First recommendation: Sophie Scholl and the White Rose.

[sorath]

Edit to original post.

[ronisron]

Anything with a strong moral is good. If you haven't read it I strongly recommend The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Putting aside all the ideology, it's just a really good book with great characters.

[cafetimes1991]

George Orwell - Down and out in Paris and London

I have this in my bookcase, but have not read it yet. For Christmas 2007 my brother got me the Penguin George Orwell collection.

[sorath]

It is a marvellous read. The description alone really makes you feel as though you are there. Out of all of Orwells novels this is my personal favourite(It was 1984 but i've killed it over the years.)

[cafetimes1991]

It is a marvellous read. The description alone really makes you feel as though you are there. Out of all of Orwells novels this is my personal favourite(It was 1984 but i've killed it over the years.)

Nice. I think I'll start reading it tonight. I really should be reading more paper books this summer.
If I like it, I'll post back here, and if I don't, I'll still post back here. Of course the book might take a while to really get started, so I will give it a fair chance. If it's anything like Animal Farm or 1984, I'm sure it's an admirable classic.

[cafetimes1991]

I did my last second last book review on Nineteen Eighty-Four in January 2008, and got an A+. The last A I think I ever got in anything?

[sorath]

I did my last second last book review on Nineteen Eighty-Four in January 2008, and got an A+. The last A I think I ever got in anything?


Haha the irony is that you would make a perfect party member with results like that.

[mauviene]

Right now I'm reading Robert Monroes book Journeys out of the body.

Also two books that looks interesting that I bought but haven't read yet are Last and First men and Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon.

[skyfish]

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Another scary distopia but would appeal more to the ladies.

I also love Cloud Atlas and Ghostwritten by David Mitchell.

[hawk]

I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan. This is a great read.
Meg by Steve Alton
In fact, just read all of his books. Hell of a great writer.
All of the Neale Donald Walsch books, Conversations with God,etc...
Pretty interesting stuff.
Duma Key by Stephen King. There's alot of others but I cannot remember them all right now.

[richanpoor]

at the moment I'm reading Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children (for the 2nd time) - fantastic stuff - Rushdie has a great way with words.

[jammasterj13]

Just on the last chapter of 'Endgame' by Andy Secombe.

It's got nothing to do with Alex Jones before all the ultra conspiracists start with who,what,when,why,where and how? :D

[cafetimes1991]

Or has it?

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n29/n146658.jpg

[aee02]

Finishing "The Revolt Against Dualism" by Arthur O. Lovejoy. Reading sporatically, "Forbidden Archaeology" by Michael Cremo.

In between doing some light reading. I love Sci-fi. After hearing about nano-technology and AI in regards to living eternally recently on Alex Jones, it made me think of a Sci-fi book I read several years ago. "Otherland" series by Tad Williams. It was written in the early-mid 1990's. It kind of reminded me of this topic.

Also, I have been looking online at a few streams from Alan Watts. Interested if there are any good books out there from him-particularly in regards to Religion-philosopy-origins why there is organized religion etc.--Thanks.

[aee02]

I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan. This is a great read.
Meg by Steve Alton
In fact, just read all of his books. Hell of a great writer.
All of the Neale Donald Walsch books, Conversations with God,etc...
Pretty interesting stuff.
Duma Key by Stephen King. There's alot of others but I cannot remember them all right now.

Hidy-neighbor! Good to see someone else from NC. :)

[cafetimes1991]

Dern. It turns out Down And Out In Paris And London wasn't in that Orwell collection my brother got me. :rolleyes:

[sorath]

Well its in your mind now. Make the purchase!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0140282564/sr=1-1/qid=1246105431/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=1246105431&sr=1-1&seller=&colid=&condition=used

Cant go wrong for under £6 quid.

[echoes_of_a_dream]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Q0MGGTK7L._SL500_AA240_.jpg

The Lucid View: Investigations into Occultism, Ufology and Paranoid Awareness by Aeolus Kephas.

Well written and captivating so far.

I'd recommend people check out LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com) where you can catalog your books online and share reviews etc.

I think I'll add a link to mine in my signature...

[curtaincat]

"Illusions" ~ Richard Bach,,, but you probably already read that :)

[shankara]

I vote for The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo. In fact, I like it so much, I just posted on Amazon for it (my first one, let's see if it shows up in a day or 2), which I'll paste here:

I came to this book in the beginning of 2008, after studying Advaita Vedanta for 1.5 years, and spirituality and philosophy for many more. I had gotten good results with other books I had studied (including works by teachers of Neo-Vedanta and works by Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ramana Maharshi). I had even been granted a Samadhi experience lasting a few days, but ultimately, by the time I first read this book, I was left confused and frustrated. Too many teachers asked me to turn my back on the Mind, but I find that for better or worse, my mind is not easily quieted until my sense of logic has been satisfied. Unfortunately, I had found too many logical inconsistencies and shallow explanations in the books I had been reading, and these were getting in the way of any true progress.

I wasn't until taking a tutorial on Vedanta with my Philosophy professor that I was introduced to this book, and at first I resisted. It seemed so inconsistent with all that I had read before. I viewed it as entirely too wordy and "caught up in the Mind." I didn't understand it all upon my first reading. Luckily, I had my professor to review it with me. By the end of the semester the genius of the book was gradually beginning to dawn on me.

Having re-read the book now once in it's entirety, in addition to periodic chapter reviews, I can say with confidence that it's the best, most enlightening, most life-affirming, most illuminating book I have ever read. Not just in an intellectual sense, but it has also completely altered my spiritual life, bringing me to internal realizations and revelations I didn't know were possible. I have read The Upanishads and The Bible, and as wonderful as they are, they have not done for me what this book has. This is a true work of art; not many nonfiction books (if any) can tackle the entire nature of reality and explain it in way that is almost poetic. Many times while reading I could only shake my head incredulously, marveling at the beauty and depth of his words and insights. It is a book that fills me with gratitude; gratitude towards Aurobindo, that he should have gifted the world with such a masterpiece, and gratitude towards that force, that consciousness, which should allow such beauty and wisdom to be expressed through Man. If this sounds effusive, I assure you: this book is just that good.

Whereas other books on Vedanta can seem nihilistic, denying both the world and the individual, this is incredibly life-affirming and even joyous. It answered all of my previous questions on Vedanta, and then answered most of the major ones raised by the well known Western Philosophers as well. My professor, who had first picked up this book in India some years ago (he assured me that he didn't absorb it all in his first reading, either), told me that he could not find a flaw in Aurobindo's logic.

I find in interesting that now that I have had more realizations (not of the mental sort), I can go back to those books I had once found illogical or nihilistic and totally understand and even agree with their perspectives. However, such understanding would not have been possible without reading the thorough explanations I found in this book first. For me, my mind has to be satisfied before it can let go and allow the soul to take over.

The Life Divine was (and continues to be) a challenging read, not just in scope and writing style, but in ideology. The rewards were worth it however; it has made me a happier, wiser, and daresay, a more enlightened person.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Divine-Sri-Aurobindo/dp/0941524612/ref=pd_sim_b_1

[coco]

I have yet to read these titles but they sound fascinating and will add them to my list of books to read. They have been recommended to me by a gentleman who also offers a brief synopsis. He was also kind enough to offer some easily internet - findable subjects. Here are his words:


If you would like to read a highly informative book, I stongly recommend John Pilcher's "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man."

Mr. Pilcher was recruited by the NSA but worked for the Charles T. Main Co. of Boston, so his illegal activities could not be tied to our government. As an Economic Hit Man (his actual title), his job was to convince third world countries to borrow money from us to finance projects which would "benefit" them, only another part of his job was to inflate greatly the estimates of how their economies would subsequently grow. When they could not pay the money back, they were told to vote with us in the United Nations, or make their resources available to us for exploitation. If the leaders refuse to cooperate after incurring the debt, we send in the jackals (CIA assassinations); if the jackals fail, the military.

Lies, murder, they're all there. Learn how President Omar Torrijos of Panama was assassinated by the CIA, for refusing to renegotiate the Panama Canal treaty which Jimmy Carter made with them (but Republican Gerald Ford began), for beginning negotiations with Japan to build a new canal, and for insisting that the School of the Americas, which is where we train the military and police of our Latin American right wing allies in the arts of torture and murder, be removed from is country.

Also read Shadows of Power: The Council on Foreign Relations and the American Decline, and of course The Creature from Jekyl Island, which tells how the Federal Reserve was foisted on a gullible American public in 1913. The Fed controls our currency, the banks that make up the Fed are controlled by American and European corporations and banks, and, as Mayer Amshel Rothschild said, "Give me control of a nation's currency, and I care not who makes her laws." Think about that when next you vote.

The creation of the Fed, the levying of a federal income tax, and our entry into the Great War are all tied together. Look up Major-General Smedley D. Butler, 1881-1940, twice recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and winner of the Marine Corps' highest award, the Brevet Medal, who said, "War is a racket." and stated that for the 35 years he was in the military, he never had an original thought and was a gangster for capitalism. No, I am not a communist, but I agree with Theodore Roosevelt who said that the biggest problem facing our country was how to separate big business from government Keep in mind the words of General David M. Shoup, WWII hero, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1960-1963, who said we should keep our "dirty, bloody, dollar-soaked fingers" out of the business of exploited countries and let them arrive at their own solutions.

Why did we invade Iraq? Because Saddam Hussein was negotiating with Germany and France to explore for oil. Look up April Glaspie with your search engine. Ms. Glaspie was our ambassador to Iraq when Saddam Hussein attacked Iran. There is a transcript of a conversation she had with the Iraqi leader, in which she relates our permission for him to invade Kuwait. You should be able to find it easily.


April Glaspie Transcript:

http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/ARTICLE5/april.html

He continues his suggestions......

Try Googling Operation Ajax, the 1953 CIA coup that ousted the democratically-elected premier of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, and put the hated Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi back on the throne, then look up SAVAAK, which was the Shah's secret police. You will understand why they seized our embassy hostages in 1979.

Want a real jolt? Look up Operation Keelhaul, which was the name for the forced repatriation of around two million East Europeans to Soviet control after WWII. Half of them were shot, half sent to Siberia. Who was in charge? General Dwight Eisenhower. Keelhauling was the practice in the British merchant marine of stripping a disobedient sailor, securing his wrists and ankles to a cable, then pulling him under the ship's keel. If he didn't drown, tbe barnacles took care of him. Operation Keelhaul was aptly named. And of course we should remember the roughly 30,000 American soldiers who never returned from the German POW camps that the Russians seized as the Germany army retreated. They wound up spending the rest of their miserable lives in the Russian labor camps. Why? Because after FDR died, we decided that maybe the Russians weren't such good allies after all, so Stalin just kept these poor men. Rather than acknowledge our role in Operation Keelhaul, we simply let our men languish and die. Good old Ike!

I googled about his assertion in the last paragraph above. This is a portion of an article I found. If you are interested in reading the entire article please refer to the provided link:

http://www.worldaffairsbrief.com/keytopics/Keelhaul.shtml

OPERATION KEELHAUL The prime source for this US-led travesty is Julius Epstein’s Operation Keelhaul The Story of Forced Repatriation (Devin-Adair, 1973). Julius Epstein was one of the prime researchers for the belated Congressional investigation of the State Department’s cover-up of Russian involvement in the Katyn Forest murders. While searching through military archives during his investigation, he discovered evidence of a top secret program of forced repatriation, called Operation Keelhaul, which is still classified to this day. Obviously the US has some very dirty secrets they still want hidden.

Although the US signed international agreements opposing forced repatriation, and verbally assured they world they would never countenance such actions, they inserted fine print in these documents excepting from the ban all those who originated from nations given over to the Soviets at the close of WWII. While claiming to “make the world safe for Democracy,” Roosevelt and his cronies condemned millions to slave labor camps. The Allies even kept secret from the world the fact that Stalin was holding over 5,000 Allied soldiers as hostages in order to make sure that the West complied with his demands for repatriation. US and British troops had to beat, drug, and drive at gunpoint these millions of liberty loving people back to Russia. Even after doing so, Stalin never did return American and British prisoners. They died in the Soviet Gulags. The US still refuses to open the archives about their fate....

The gentleman's final suggestion:

I don't know what your religion is, so you may not like my next suggestion. that you visit www.ussliberty.org , which is a website hosted by American sailors who served on the USS Liberty, the American intelligence gathering ship that was deliberately attacked by Israel in 1967. If you do visit, you will know you are at the right website when you see the USS Liberty, and an American flag with Israel's flag superimposed on it. The coverup has been going on for more than 40 years. After visiting this website, you may start to wonder if the news you get about events in the Middle East, as presented by the media and our government, is reliable.

Some of things he mentioned I was already aware of; some I am not. From my continuing research into his words I see this guy is taking me to school - in a good way.

In a succeeding correspondence I agreed that I, too, am not a communist or anti American or whatever but that I, as he, wish to know the true story of our nation's history - even the minute convoluted details. For in those minute, convoluted details can lie a great deal of understanding the impetus for why things were done and why they were done the way they were. For what was done in the past is reason for why things are now, and perhaps why they continue.

Many on this board claim the same thirst for knowledge and so as a subscriber to 'pay it forward' I am indebted to pass this along to you, the world, just he as did to me.

[coco]

Other suggested reading....

http://www.worldpress.org/specials/pp/pipeline_timeline.htm

Timeline of Competition between Unocal and Bridas for the Afghanistan Pipeline

The Principal Players: Unocal | Bridas (Bridas has since merged with BP Amoco Argentina)

1992

January Gas exploration rights for Yashlar block in eastern Turkmenistan awarded to Argentine firm; Bridas Production profits to be split 50-50 between Bridas and Turkmenistan government.

1993

February Bridas awarded Keimir Oil and Gas Block in western Turkmenistan. 75-25 split in profits, in favor of Bridas.

March President Niyazov of Turkmenistan hires Alexander Haig (former U.S. National Security Adviser) to lobby for increased U.S. investment in Turkmenistan. and for a softening of position on pipelines through Iran.

1994

September Bridas prevented from exporting oil from Keimir Block.

November Working group established to study gas pipeline routes. Taliban capture Kandahar.

1995

January Keimir Block deal is renegotiated. Bridas's share of profits reduced to 65 percent. Oil exports allowed.

March Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Turkmen president Niyazov conduct feasibility study of Afghan pipeline.

April Turkmenistan and Iran to build first 180 miles of proposed pipeline via Iran to Turkey. United States oppose financing pipeline through Iran. Turkmen officials in Texas at invitation of Bridas. While there, they also meet meet Unocal officials.

August Oil and gas discovered by Bridas at Yashlar. Bridas representatives meet Taliban for first time.

October President Niyazov signs agreement in New York with Unocal/Delta.

December Ban on Bridas's oil exports from Keimir imposed by Turkmenistan for second time.

1996

February Agreement between Afghan government and Bridas signed. Suit filed by Bridas in Texas against Unocal/Delta for interference in its business in Turkmenistan.

March U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Tom Simmons, urges Bhutto to give exclusive rights to Unocal. Bhutto offended and demands apology.

May Turkmenisatn, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan agree that Turkmenistan should name the consortium to build the pipeline. Opening of 100-mile railway route linking Turkmenistan and Iran.

August Unocal/Delta and Turkmenistan's Turkmenrosgaz along with Russia's Gazprom enter into agreement for pipeline project.

Septmeber Unocal says it will give aid to to Afghan warlords once they agree to form a council to supervise the project. Taliban take Kabul.

October Unocal expresses suport for Taliban takover, saying it makes pipeline project easier. Unocal later says it was misquoted.

November Bridas signs agreement with Taliban and Gen. Dostum to build pipeline.

December Turkey to buy Turkmen gas through Iran.

1997

January Turkmenistan signs exploration agreement with Mobil and Monument Oil. U.N. Under Secretary General Akashi criticizes oil companies and warlords for pipeline projects.

February Taliban in Washington to seek recognition. Taliban meet with Unocal. Taliban travel to Argentina as guests of Bridas. Upon return, Taliban meet with Saudi Intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faysal, in Jeddah.

March Unocal sets up office in Kandahar; Bridas does likewise in Kabul.

April Taliban announce criteria for awarding contract: The company that starts work first wins.
Unocal President John Imle baffled by statement.

June Unocal says peace is necessary for construction of pipeline, otherwise the project could take years. Bridas officials meet Taliban and say that they are "interested in beginning work in any kind of security situation."

July Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Unocal sign new contract extending Unocal's deadline by one year to start project by December 1998. In a policy shift, United Staes says it will not object to Turkmenisatn-Turkey pipeline through Iran.

August Shell's Alan Parsley meets Niyazov and promises help on Turkmenistan-Turkey pipeline. Taliban say Bridas offer better terms and expect to enter into agreement with them.

September Turkmenistan opens tenders for oil companies to take up new concessions along the Caspian. Niyazov, 57, has heart operation in Munich—concern grows about his health, and who would replace him should he die. Bridas sells 60 percent of the company's stakes in Latin America to Amoco. The two agree to form a new company to run operations jointly. Taliban delegation in Argentina to discuss pipeline deal with Bridas.

October Taliban delegation visits Ashkhbad and agrees to set up tripartite commission with Pakistan and Turkmenistan to explore Unocal pipeline project. Centgas Pipeline Ltd. formed in Ashkhabad: Unocal owns 46.5 percent, Delta Oil owns 15 percent, Turkmenistan's national gas company owns 7 percent, Itochu Oil owns 6.5 percent, Inpex owns 6.5 percent, Crescent Group owns 3.5 percent, Hyundai Engineering owns 5 percent. Taliban undecided which consortium to join.

November Taliban in United States to visit Unocal and U.S. State Department officials.

December Turkmenistan and Iran inaugarate 120-mile-long gas pipeline between the two countries.

1998

January Bridas awarded US$50 million by International Court of Arbitration in Paris for money owed by Turkmen government for refined products provided to Keimir refinery.

February Gazprom pulls out of Unocal consortium, shares re-distributed, giving Unocal 54 percent.

March Unocal says pipeline on hold as unfeasible because of Afghan war. Turkmenistan anxious for work to begin soon. Unocal asks Pakistan to extend deadline to October 1998. Deadline cannot be met, says Unocal, because of Afghan civil war.

June Objections to Afghan pipeline deal by some shareholders at Unocal's annual meeting. Unocal says it has spent US$10-15 million on the project since 1995 and intends to give US$1 million to Afghan charities in 1998.

August After U.S. missile strikes against Afghanistan, Unocal suspends pipeline project and asks American staff to leave.

September Environmentalists in California ask Attorney General to dissolve Unocal for crimes against humanity, the environment, and for its relationship with the Taliban.

October A Texas judge dismisses Bridas's US$15 billion suit against Unocal for preventing them developing gas fields in Turkmenistan. Judge says dispute covered by Turkmen and Afghan law, not Texas law.

November Unocal withdraws from a US$2.9 billion pipeline project to bring natural gas from Turkmenistan to Turkey.

December Citing low oil prices, concerns over Osama bin Laden, and pressure from women's groups, Unocal withdraws from Afghan pipeline consortium. Unocal also announces a 40 percent drop in capital spending for 1999 because of low oil prices.

1999

January Turkmenistan's foreign minister visits Pakistan; says pipeline project still alive.

February Carlos Bulgheroni, co-chairman of Bridas, visits Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia for talks with leaders.

March Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Sheikh Muradov meets with Mullah Omar in Kandahar to discuss pipeline.

April Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Taliban sign agreement to revive pipeline project.

May Taliban delegation signs agreements with Turkmenistan to buy gas and electricity.

[jrhartley3165]

I would recommend Sophie's World, particularly the fairy tale ending.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy also contains a lot of wisdom, as well as being a good laugh.

[mauviene]

I vote for The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo. In fact, I like it so much, I just posted on Amazon for it (my first one, let's see if it shows up in a day or 2), which I'll paste here:

I came to this book in the beginning of 2008, after studying Advaita Vedanta for 1.5 years, and spirituality and philosophy for many more. I had gotten good results with other books I had studied (including works by teachers of Neo-Vedanta and works by Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ramana Maharshi). I had even been granted a Samadhi experience lasting a few days, but ultimately, by the time I first read this book, I was left confused and frustrated. Too many teachers asked me to turn my back on the Mind, but I find that for better or worse, my mind is not easily quieted until my sense of logic has been satisfied. Unfortunately, I had found too many logical inconsistencies and shallow explanations in the books I had been reading, and these were getting in the way of any true progress.

I wasn't until taking a tutorial on Vedanta with my Philosophy professor that I was introduced to this book, and at first I resisted. It seemed so inconsistent with all that I had read before. I viewed it as entirely too wordy and "caught up in the Mind." I didn't understand it all upon my first reading. Luckily, I had my professor to review it with me. By the end of the semester the genius of the book was gradually beginning to dawn on me.

Having re-read the book now once in it's entirety, in addition to periodic chapter reviews, I can say with confidence that it's the best, most enlightening, most life-affirming, most illuminating book I have ever read. Not just in an intellectual sense, but it has also completely altered my spiritual life, bringing me to internal realizations and revelations I didn't know were possible. I have read The Upanishads and The Bible, and as wonderful as they are, they have not done for me what this book has. This is a true work of art; not many nonfiction books (if any) can tackle the entire nature of reality and explain it in way that is almost poetic. Many times while reading I could only shake my head incredulously, marveling at the beauty and depth of his words and insights. It is a book that fills me with gratitude; gratitude towards Aurobindo, that he should have gifted the world with such a masterpiece, and gratitude towards that force, that consciousness, which should allow such beauty and wisdom to be expressed through Man. If this sounds effusive, I assure you: this book is just that good.

Whereas other books on Vedanta can seem nihilistic, denying both the world and the individual, this is incredibly life-affirming and even joyous. It answered all of my previous questions on Vedanta, and then answered most of the major ones raised by the well known Western Philosophers as well. My professor, who had first picked up this book in India some years ago (he assured me that he didn't absorb it all in his first reading, either), told me that he could not find a flaw in Aurobindo's logic.

I find in interesting that now that I have had more realizations (not of the mental sort), I can go back to those books I had once found illogical or nihilistic and totally understand and even agree with their perspectives. However, such understanding would not have been possible without reading the thorough explanations I found in this book first. For me, my mind has to be satisfied before it can let go and allow the soul to take over.

The Life Divine was (and continues to be) a challenging read, not just in scope and writing style, but in ideology. The rewards were worth it however; it has made me a happier, wiser, and daresay, a more enlightened person.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Divine-Sri-Aurobindo/dp/0941524612/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Interesting take and a good alternative it seems to the more popularized neo-vedanta "gurus". Will take a look but I am seriously getting sick of these hindu gurus for some reason..

[diaphos]

I would recommend this book it’s well written and a very interesting story, i posted this in the last book i read thread, hope it's ok to post it here

The Unincorporated Man By Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin


A novel of social transformation in the tradition of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead and Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, The Unincorporated Man tells of a reborn civilization in which every individual spends many years trying to attain control over his or her own life by obtaining a majority of his or her own shares.

"The Unincorporated Man" is a provocative social/political/economic novel that takes place in the future, after civilization has fallen into complete economic collapse. This reborn civilization is one in which every individual is incorporated at birth, and spends many years trying to attain control over his or her own life by getting a majority of his or her own shares. Life extension has made life very long indeed.

Now the incredible has happened: a billionaire businessman from our time, frozen in secret in the early twenty-first century, is discovered and resurrected, given health and a vigorous younger body. Justin Cord is the only unincorporated man in the world, a true stranger in this strange land. Justin survived because he is tough and smart. He cannot accept only part ownership of himself, even if that places him in conflict with a civilization that extends outside the solar system

[manxboz]

I would recomment 'Genesis of Man' by June Austin

from the back:-
Genesis of man details the unknow history of Earth from 35 million years ago, interlaced with spiritual philosophy and truth. It brings together many different subject areas including the Nephilim, Egypt, Atlantis, the Knights Templar and various themes from the Da Vinci Code, including the so-called Jesus Bloodline. The underlying theme though is the need to intergrate and balance our own light and dark sides and use both aspects to help us grow. The information is presented in an easy to read format, in chronological sequence, utilizing both mainstream and esoteric sources.

[shankara]

Interesting take and a good alternative it seems to the more popularized neo-vedanta "gurus". Will take a look but I am seriously getting sick of these hindu gurus for some reason..

He died in 1950, so he's not among the current surge of contemporary gurus. Actually, he's not even as 'neo' as Adi Shankara, and takes issue with Shankara. Adi Shankara is thought by most to be the originator of Advaita Vedanta, after formulating it out of the Upanishads. But Aurobindo goes back directly to the sources, the Gita, the Upanishads, the Rig Veda, and shows that these texts didn't preach nihilism or denial of the world. He was schooled in the West, and also uses logic to argues his points, something that most gurus today are completely against.

[joe911]

Harlen Coben novels. :)

[lightgiver]

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4927/booksucfront.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/booksucfront.jpg/)


Excerpt from this book:

Contemplating the benefits of cherishing others
Meditate on the great kindness of all.

The precious human body that we now possess was gained through the kindness of other living beings. Likewise, the pleasures we enjoy as humans are provided by the kindness of others; our education, understanding, skills, experience, and so forth were achieved through the kindness of others; the opportunity to listen to, contemplate, and meditate on Dharma is provided through the kindness of others; and liberation and enlightenment are attained through the kindness of others. If we meditate in this way, we will become deeply convinced of the kindness of all other beings towards us.

Since the principal causes of gaining a human rebirth are the practices of moral discipline, giving, and patience, we must have practised these in the past. Who were the objects of these practices? Other living beings. Without them, we would not have been able to create the causes of a human rebirth. It is through their kindness that we have attained this precious human life, which is more meaningful than a whole universe full of jewels.

Our day-to-day needs are provided through the kindness of others. We brought nothing with us from our former lives, yet as soon as we were born we were given a home, food, clothes, and everything we needed, all provided by the kindness of others. Everything we now enjoy has been provided through the generosity of other beings, past or present. We are able to make use of many things with very little effort on our own part. If we consider facilities such as roads, houses, cars, trains, aeroplanes, ships, restaurants, hotels, libraries, museums, and shops, it will become clear that many people worked very hard and underwent great difficulties to provide these things. We may think that it is not due to the kindness of others that we can use these things but because we pay to do so; but where does our money come from? It does not fall from the sky or grow on trees; it is provided by others. We may still feel that money is not just given to us but earned by our hard work, but our work is provided by others. Someone has to employ us or do business with us. Being provided with work or business is like being provided with money.

If we check carefully, it becomes clearer how others help us through their kindness. By checking in this way, we should come to the conclusion, ‘I must cherish other living beings because they are so kind.’ With this determination, we should try to generate a mind that holds all beings equally dear, and then sustain this loving mind in single-pointed meditation.

If we think clearly, we will also understand that all our present and future happiness depend upon our cherishing others. How is this? In past lives we avoided harming, killing, or stealing from those whom we cared for; and we were generous and patient with them because we loved them. As a result of these positive actions, we have now attained this precious human life. Sometimes in the past we also helped and protected others because we cared for them and, as a result, we now receive help and enjoy pleasant conditions.

If we practise cherishing others sincerely in this life, we will resolve our many problems of anger, jealousy, and so forth, and our mind will always be calm and peaceful. Cherishing others brings them happiness and prevents conflicts and disputes. If we cherish others, we will avoid harming them with negative actions. Instead, we will practise positive actions of love, patience, and giving, and thereby create the cause to experience happiness and good fortune in the future. Furthermore, if we make cherishing others our main practice, we will gradually develop great compassion and bodhichitta. Eventually we will attain the ultimate happiness of great enlightenment.

By contemplating in this way, we will arrive at the following decision: ‘I must always cherish other beings because this precious mind of love will bring happiness to myself and others.’ Then we hold this thought and meditate on it single-pointedly for as long as possible. During the meditation break, we should try to keep this attitude in mind all the time, whatever we are doing.

It is very important to request all the holy beings to grant us their blessings so that we may gain experience of the precious mind that cherishes all living beings. We can do this by reciting the following prayer from Offering to the Spiritual Guide:

Seeing that the mind that cherishes mother beings and would secure their happiness
Is the gateway that leads to infinite good qualities,
I seek your blessings to cherish these beings more than my life,
Even if they rise up against me as my enemies.

http://www.tharpa.com/us/book-Universal.Compassion-595.html

[supertzar]

Here are some of my UFO and related books I posted in another thread. I had the good fortune to have an open-minded, but skeptical sociology professor as a father. He amassed quite a library on UFOs and the occult. The tagline on his business card read "Sociology of the Esoteric and Arcane."
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0671.jpghttp://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0670.jpghttp://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0669.jpghttp://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0668.jpghttp://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0667.jpghttp://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh255/supertzar_photos/Rare%20Books/100_0666.jpg