Blog number 258 **** 18 December 2008
When I find a book I really love, I always wish it could be longer. I almost feel lost when I finish a really good book. Fortunately I recently found two excellent books in a row, and both of them were and are, very long. Goody goody, I say.
One of them I just finished - "The Steel Castles," 800 pages, and the other one, "Between Silk and Cyanide," 600 pages, I am half way through. This last book I first noticed on the book shelves at Barnes and Nobles a couple of weeks ago. I passed it up because it was about code-makers in WW Two and who wants to read about something as boring as that? Huh?
Last week it was brought to my attention again, only this time it reminded me of when I first saw "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" in a book store in Sacramento. I had also passed on that one at first, because who wants to read nonsense? Again, huh? But the second time I noticed "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," it seemed to jump out at me and I bought it and read it. Changed my life. Definitely.
So I thought, since I had the exact same feeling about the Code book, maybe it would be worth a read. And it was. Not life changing this time, but very, very interesting. Very, very entertaining.
Now a nonsequitur. NOW a nonsequitur?!
This entry is to be in two parts because I have been told that my entries are sometimes too long and therefore not likely to be read all the way through. I myself have discovered this phenomena when reading someone else's Blog that is too long.
See you in the next entry down.
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4 comments:
Don, I have always wanted to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, what is it about the book that strikes a chord with you? What makes it a good read? Can you give an example because I have heard this title bandied about most of my life and now my curiosity is piqued.
Paul
And, Merry Christmas!
HI Paul.
The thing about that book is that different people get different things out of it. For me it was that not all people are adept at the same things. A friend started fixing his own motorcycle after reading it, before he would take the bike to a shop just to have the oil chnaged. Others in college had different things that I forget. It's a fun book to read, very interesting. I'd suggest trying it.
I forgot, Paul. What I wrote wouldn't change my life, would it?
The life changing part was that I was totally against any "airy fairy" stuff until I read that book and found that Zen and stuff like that was more common sense than airy fairy. After that I could read Eastern philosophy books, Zen books, Seth books, Idries Shah books. I could meditate. Whole new life, you betchum Red Ryder.
I may eventually get a chance to read it then.
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