Category: books

I finished yesterday the second book of the Foundation series. It was a short book but quite engaging. I am really impress how Asimov can create so different characters in the book. And really nice twist in the story line. Looking forwards for the next one.

This is not another cooking recipe. This is a book a finished this week. Initially I was a bit worried that it was going to be a pain. As usual, I dont remember where I got the recommendation for the book. But after starting reading it, I didnt regret it. It hit me. The concept of feeding your demons it based on the teachings of Machig Labdron. She was a Buddhist master that developed a new way of meditation. She faces problems with a different approach, instead of fighting them (very western style) tries to connect, understand, nurture and merge with them.

I remember while doing my headspace meditation some time ago, one week exercise was to focus in somebody you hated and wish then the best. It was hard but I felt at peace after that. This is the “Chod” method in a very simple way. I liked the example of Hercules fighting the Hydra. Whenever he cut a head, another grew and there was an immortal head. So that’s how we normally deal with our problems (internal or external) fighting them, trying to defeat them. But unfortunately, our mental/philosophical/live issues always come back alive like the hydra. So we need a different approach.

The book give you plenty of examples where you can use the Chod method. And explain the different types of demons, finishing with the main one, the ego. At the end of the day, that’s the source of all our problems. And this is something that reminds me too to Stoicism.

From my point of view, my main demon is relationships/feelings. My excuse is I dont want to lose my autonomy/independency. I dont want to get hurt. I dont want to show my weakness. It is fear to be loved and love.

It is something I still need to work on, not fight.

I take this as a new and important skill in my mental toolbox. And I need to practice it. Theory is not enough.

I have been read a couple of books about or related to Stoicism in the last couple of years and one the next has been “Letters from a Stoic” of Seneca.

It is a sort book but it is interesting. You have an introduction about Seneca’s life before going through the letters. I liked as it gives some background about the person. As well, I didnt remember/know he was Nero‘s teacher and advisor.

It seems the letter were written during his exile and they cover a lot of aspects of his life and Stoic philosophy. It covers topics like poverty and richness from a Stoic point of view, keeping in mind that he was a rich man can be a bit surprising but it takes his wealth the Stoic way, if it goes, he will be fine. As well, touches a very interesting subject like slavery, that was the base of all Rome economy. He states everybody is a slave of something. The “free” romans were slave of vices: power, money, etc. And clearly says you need to treat a slave like you want to be treated, so it looks like it reduces the slavery to a concept of labor contract, and I think there is touch of “Christianity” in some comments. He was contemporary of Jesus. Maybe a coincidence.

He writes about many subjects like how you need to speak slowly, only mourn/cry the minimum time (very stoic), suicide vs illness (stoic), not taking hot baths, Scipio of Africa, olive trees, Socrates, vegetarianism, excess of alcohol, Socrates, Pythagoras, dont have a night life, negative of having bad companies, etc.

So I liked it, it wasn’t a hardcore book about philosophy so you read it like the memories of an interesting person in history.

A couple of months ago I was reading about how the game DOOM was ported to a product from a CDN company. I remember I played a bit and brought back good memories when I was playing DOOM2. Even the code was published in github. Somehow I clicked to the book about DOOM and found about a book about Prince of Persia. I bought both at the end.

The book about POP was quick to read. It is “just” the journals of the author across some years. It is interesting how much has changed the industry since late 80s. He though the gaming industry wasn’t going to last long. 30 years later we have even “e-sports”! I didnt know he wrote the whole game. I assumed this kind of projects were managed by big teams. But those times, things were simpler and a good hacker could do those things. And he was super young! And before that he wrote the game “Karateka” that I dont remember. Anyway, Prince of Persia was one of my favourite games! And now you can still play online. I think I played a bit the second part but that was it. I always kept loyal to the first part. As a journal you can read the struggles of the person. He wanted to make movies but then the gaming thing was always calling him. I think it is quite interesting what he did as he was travelling, writing scripts and then video games in the late 80s and 90s.

I am just following the Dune series as I liked the first book quite a lot. The second one is obviously a continuation of the first one. It is a new thriller about Paul’s future, his religion/empire, his love, his thoughts, his doubts, his fears, etc. The struggle of which future will turn up. It is again interesting all the mixing of religion/politics. Yes, it is fiction, but somehow feels contemporary. I like the new elements of conspiracy, new baddest enemies, etc.

Looking forwards for the next book.

I am not a religious person. I just follow my own philosophy. But I am curious about the Qur’an from a social and historical point of view. I think after watching “V for Vendetta” when Stephen Fry was praising the beauty of a Qur’an, that I told myself I had to read it one day. It is like some Bibles from the Middle Ages, they were master pieces. Actually, a couple of years ago I read a biography about The Prophet Muhammad. It was very good for understanding the social circumstances and how Islam developed. So I bought this version. The intro was interesting for preparing for what was coming. I knew the Qur’an was formed by “suras” and I thought they would come written chronologically but it is not. It seems the first announced suras are actually the last one written. And I learned that exegetes are experts in interpretations of (mainly) religious texts. And in like in any holy book, there are things that only God can explain based on the exegetes expertise.

To be honest I had some expectations. I though it would similar to the bible and quite poetic. The first suras were quite long. One of them touching a lot of subjects from inheritance, divorce, etc.

I was surprised that the Children of Israel are the chosen ones. When you see all the news in that region….

As well, there are many references to the People of the Book: Jews, Christians, Sabenas and Magians. And The Quran confirms that the Torah and the Evangelis are sent by God. So why so much trouble about the three?

I was surprised that Abraham, Moses and Noah are mentioned a lot of times. Then a bit less Jesus and Mary. So you can see a lot of connections between the Judaism and Christianity.

As well, there are a lot of comments about Judgement day, God punishments to people who rejected God via other prophets (Lot, Thamud, etc). I was looking for an entry about The Prophet and the mountain, but didnt read it. As well, it is confirmed that God created everything is 6 days. Another subjet is the hijad. The word itself is not mentioned in the translation but I only could read one clear statement about it (47:6). When there are other subject that are repeated much more often: prey to god, follow god, fear god, etc.

In general, the picture I got from the Qur’am (about customs, habits, education, etc) and what you see in the world is quite different. But this is what it is, interpretations. The same would happen if I read the Bible.

This book was quite quick and easy to read. And to be honest, I had a bit of high expectations as it was commented by some friends.

Most of the concepts weren’t new for me. I could find connections to other books or concepts that I have already read like “Thinking Fast and Slow“, Flow, Buddhism, meditation, “The body keeps the score“, etc.

And there is a reference to Ramon y Cajal that now I fully get it:

“Todo ser humano, si se lo propone, puede ser escultor de su propio cerebro”.

Literally.

I havent finished this book yet. It was something recommend from another book or autoher I follow so I bought it and started reading it. But after watching a video from one of the few authors I follow, I realized that I dont have to finish it.

The subject is interesting, but I didnt have any background about the book and I didnt expect much Antisemitism content although after reading about the author, it made sense. It is a 600+ pages book and after several chapters I realized that there were many concepts repeating. I had the feeling that most of what I was reading could be summarized in a few pages. And I struggled going through the book. I found interesting details though but I think it shouldnt be that difficult.

I have completed two out of three parts and I will get back to it step by step.

The book is divided in three parts: Antisemitism, Imperialism and Totalitarianism.

The first part was a bit more interesting for me as there were many historical facts regarding the Jew people spread around the word, culture, habits, etc. As well, about social facts in countries/emperies like Prusia, Austria-Hungary, etc. It was interested about the banking/financial influence of Jew families in several countries and for several centuries like Rothschild. And how this financial dependency on Jew families was lost. A point that is repeated many times, is the lack of integration of Jew people in the each society and the different conspiracy theories about them ruling the world… (you dont need Covid for creating conspiracies).

One figure that is highlighted is Benjamin Disraeli who was UK Prime Minister, Jewish born (although not follower) and claimed the empire for Queen Victoria.

Then in France, the Dreyfus affair, it is showed as another example of the complexity of the integration of Jew people in the societies and one of the main antisemitism acts in the early century that had the French society divided.

The second part is a focused in the next “evolution” of European societies to the Imperialism, mainly in Africa. And how the “winners” and “losers” took their role. France, UK, Belgium and Italy took most of Africa. For example, Germany had nothing… There are many interesting details about the Boer society in South Africa, how it started, how it evolved and how it ended in a war. The book says that Boer emigrants took the social structure of the local tribes and the attempt of control from the British Empire and the creation of society like in Europe was a total clash for them.

As well, in this part, there are many comments about the Nation vs State struggle. Something like the the imperialism raised the concept of Nation and defeated the state. I dont think I understanded properly. As well, there is an important point about the immigration and how was a source of problems for lack of acceptance, lack of integration, etc. So again, nothing new that we dont see nowawayds. We have learned nothing

Another point is the pan-european movements. Something like the pan-Slav (Russia) and pro-Germany movements that it seems it was one of the striking points for Far-Right regimes in Europe and the raise of Communism. And something I didnt know about the Balkans: Congress of Berlin

I have the feeling that I am missing out many details as the book is quite dense.