Other Mighty Fine Literature....

izzie

Posts: 594
Joined: 05/26/07

Posted: July 1, 2007 - 2:14pm

Read anything other than Grateful Dead books lately? Discuss!

Comments

An answer to the cosmicbadger question - part 2

On October 26th, 2007 Hal R said:

More on this.
You asked me "who would you say have been Watts' successors in popularizing Buddhism, Zen and the Tao? Any recommendations?"

The major history on the opening of the west to Buddhism is "How the Swans Came to the Lake" by Rick Fields and is a very nice read.

The two major figures internationally are of course the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, both of whom have many books out.

A good one by Thich Nhat Hanh about the Life of the Buddha and his teachings is the story told by a fictionalized buffalo boy in "Old Path White Clouds".

My favorite introductory books to Buddhism are "The Heart of Buddha's Teachings" by Thich Nhat Hanh, "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula and "Light on Enlightenment" by Christopher Titmuss. An easy intro is the comic style Introducing Buddha by Jane Hope and Baron Van Loon.

As an introduction to Zen my first choice would be “Taking the Path of Zen” by Robert Aitken, along with the” Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” and “Zen Mind, Beginners Mind”.
One that covers many of the facets of Zen and of Zen in the arts is The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross.

Can't forget Chogyam Trungpa the great and controversial Tibetan teacher. You could start with his The Essential Chogyam Trungpa".

There are so many more incredible teachers and books and I want to acknowledge and thank them all here even though I can't mention them.

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.
Wiliam Blake

Everybody I Shot Is Dead book features Keith Godchaux

On November 6th, 2007 chesher said:

Hey guys,

Wanted to make the boards aware of an amazing coffee table photo book by Deborah Chesher that pays tribute to 48 musicians she shot in Vancouver and LA b/w 74-79 who have since passed away. Keith Godchaux is one of the musicians featured in the book. It shows never before see photos and includes Deborah's own behind the scenes memories.

You can get the book on Amazon.com or through her website at: www.cheshercat.com.

The blog about the book is at: www.everybodyishotisdead.blogspot.com.

Would love to hear what anyone thinks of the book as well - getting great response this week as the Vancouver gallery show just happened on Sat. You can see 90 prints if in Vancouver at the OH MY GODARD GALLERY, LA, Austin, etc...shows coming soon!

Everybody I Shot Is Dead book features Jerry Garcia too!

On November 6th, 2007 chesher said:

Sorry I forgot to post that amazingly important tidbit.

You can get the book on Amazon.com or through her website at: www.cheshercat.com.

The blog about the book is at: www.everybodyishotisdead.blogspot.com.

thanks to Hal

On November 15th, 2007 cosmicbadger said:

wow I just found my way back here and read Hal's comprehensive spiritual reading list! So kind of you to share that with us. I read Christmas Humphreys long long ago have had and loved the Paul Reps since an old hippie in the hills turned me on to it 30 years ago, but much is new and I will make some selections for my Christmas wish list.

So here's a quiz question

Which UK chart single from way back mentions Christmas Humphreys?

Christmas Humphreys

On November 15th, 2007 marye said:

well, I dunno about the UK charts, but Van's "Cleaning Windows," which is one of my all-time favorites, mentions it as something the narrator's reading in between the fenestral labors.

got it in one

On November 15th, 2007 cosmicbadger said:

easy for fans of Van the Man I suppose

'I went home and read my Christmas Humphreys book on Zen, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Kerouac's Dharma Bums and on the Road' From Cleaning Windows on Beautiful Vision reached 41 in the UK singles charts.

Van was always touring the UK in the 80's , sometimes he was grumpy and really awful, and sometimes he just tore the place down. Glastonbury Festival 1982 with my 3 month old son in my arms and Van and the Band in full swing in the Vale of Avalon...what a time

to see Van singing 'Cleaning WIndows' in 1982 go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QiZgl7jQxo

As for literature, I'm reading Tom Wolfe's 'I am Charlotte Simmons' at the moment, an entertaining and scathing indictment of modern US Ivy League College life. For a foreigner it's like reading an anthropological study from another planet, full of unfathomable cultural references....if it's really like that I wouldn't spend my life's savings sending my kids there I can tell you

For izzie's benefit it does have an excellent paragraph on the modern usage of her beloved f-word...I shall copy it if she wishes

And how 'bout

On November 15th, 2007 TigerLilly said:

If someone else wishes it, Badger? Like me? I would like to read "an excellent paragraph on the modern usage of her beloved f-word". :-)
**********************************
Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live.
Samuel Clemens

more words

On November 15th, 2007 Hal R said:

Cosmicbadger, glad to share.Good to see you and Tigerlilly again. Right now I am reading Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death and Dogen's Treasury of The Right Dharma Eye. Dogen is one of the greatest writers in Zen and this book examines his work from a modern perspective.

Also rereading some classics slowly over the past months; Walden and other writings by Henry David Thoreau, A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold and Leaves of Grass and Other Writings by Walt Whitman. All three of these very important to me over the years. But it is not all serious as I am also reading t.c. boyle - stories.

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.
Wiliam Blake

... when you come from a family of teachers ...

On November 16th, 2007 Barbara said:

I have a fun Grateful Dead/book story.

In 1986, I was on a train from Paris to Amsterdam, listening to the Dead on my Sony Walkman. The girl sitting next to me asked if I was listening to the Dead. She was about 15, from New York City, and said she'd never seen the Dead but wanted to. Being a bookworm, I recommended a long "hippie canon" to her. I don't remember the details, but I'm certain you all could guess some of the titles as well as I could. I saw her diligently write them all down.

In 1989, I flew to Charlotte, NC, to see a show. I ran into the same person in the hallways. She said, "I read all of the books you told me to read!"

Tom Wolfe on the f-word

On November 17th, 2007 cosmicbadger said:

I feel a bit nervous posting this after a school teacher (great story Barbara) but below is Mr Wolfe's grammatical analysis of current usage. My excuses are as follows

Tom Wolfe is a major literary figure and I'm only quoting him
He is also of course a documenter of early Dead history (I bet 'Acid Test' was on Barbara's booklist)
The mods have tolerated and even encouraged a culture of liberal and libertarian attitudes to language (so long as the grammar is OK!)
TigerLilly asked for it and she needs cheering up!

' Without even realising what is was, Jojo spoke in this year’s prevailing college Creole: Fuck Patois. In Fuck Patois, the word fuck was used as an interjection (“What the fuck” or plain “Fuck”, with or without an exclamation point) expressing unhappy surprise; as a participal adjective (“fucking guy”, “fucking tree,” “fucking elbows”) expressing disparagement or discontent; as an adverb modifying and intensifying an adjective (“pretty fucking obvious”) or a verb (“I’m gonna fucking kick his ass”); as a noun (“That stupid fuck,” “don’t give a good fuck”); as a verb meaning 'go away' (“Fuck off”), beat- physically, financially, or politically (“really fucked him over”) or beaten (“I’m fucked”), botch (“really fucked that up”), drunk (“You are so fucked up”); as an imperative expressing contempt (“Fuck you,” “Fuck that”). Rarely - the usage has become somewhat archaic - but every now and then it referred to sexual intercourse (“He fucked her on the carpet in front of the TV”)'

Tom Wolfe (2004). I am Charlotte Simmons

Later on he also provides a similar and even longer analysis of 'Sh*t Patois' . You'll have to read the book to get that!