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Books
Aug 31, 2007 10:18:43 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 10:18:43 GMT
A very wise friend of mine once said "We don't have a thread about books so...I made one"
Well, we dont have a thread about books, so i just made one ;D
Whatre people reading? is it any good? and are there any books you would recommend?
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 10:40:58 GMT
Post by xarlot on Aug 31, 2007 10:40:58 GMT
Ahhh this friend of yours seems very wise indeed I'm reading the Socratical dialogues at the minute, though I suppose technically it isn't a book. I've just finished his dialogue with Crito which took place before he was killed, where he gives reason why he would not run from the state and would face up to his (unjust) punishment. The only thing I have found so far that I don't agree with is Socrates' idea that 'feeding children are values of thoughtless men ', which he places along side with reputation and money. Though he later goes on to say that one reason he didn't run from Athens is because he sees himself to the state as a child to a parent or a servant to a master, and this position is crucial to building socially. But surely, if he sees that parentals and their children are a template to how society should build itself, then why does he ignore Crito when he tries to guilt him with the orphaning of his children, and why does he believe feeding children is a value of thoughtless men? It's really got me thinking now
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 10:47:47 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 10:47:47 GMT
Alot of what socrates said was metaphorical, he was worse than a christian prophet with them.
I dont know the context of that but taken by itself it could be he is saying that to simply focus on feeding ones children by working for the state without thinking about why society is how it is, is thoughtless. I know alot of people criticised him saying that he should concentrate on feeding his family rather than risking his life attacking the government but without the context thats just an idea
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Aug 31, 2007 10:54:17 GMT
Post by xarlot on Aug 31, 2007 10:54:17 GMT
That's why it confused me, it seemed rather heartless of him to say that. But like you said, he could have meant that he wanted people to look outside their routine lives and look at a bigger picture, but then again in descriptions of his life and such, he is described as never really caring about his children. He certainly didn't seem to feel guilty about orphaning them...
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 10:59:19 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 10:59:19 GMT
Socrates was a man focused so much on the big design he forgot to care about the individual threads. To him, his wife was to look after his children while he changed the world and that included after his death. I dont agree with him on that, but he was a smart guy. I mean you HAVE to look at the big picture in life because if you dont then governments can get anway with just about everything. And, tbh, i think Socrates had to die then for his message to really carry and he knew that
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 11:05:19 GMT
Post by xarlot on Aug 31, 2007 11:05:19 GMT
Yeah, at the time of his death he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, either run from Athens and abandon his teachings and morals or stay and orphan his children. Another thing I don't understand is why he was sentenced to death in the first place, I mean, people made fun and parodied the gods and there were athiests around and none of them were killed...
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 11:06:01 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 11:06:01 GMT
Yeah but how many of them publicly criticised the state?
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Aug 31, 2007 11:08:22 GMT
Post by xarlot on Aug 31, 2007 11:08:22 GMT
Lots of people did, beliefs and religion were an open thing back then...
The only thing I can see that he did was pointed out to me earlier, that towards the end he started to challenge the laws, which I think threatened the authority.
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Aug 31, 2007 11:10:36 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 11:10:36 GMT
Thats what im meaning, what alot of people said (privately) is that people were given the illusion of free speech, as long as that free speech didnt challenge the laws or way the government ran. And the other problem was that he was more listened to than most people who challenged the state. So he had to be eliminated
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Books
Aug 31, 2007 11:17:58 GMT
Post by xarlot on Aug 31, 2007 11:17:58 GMT
Like a more open-minded Jesus? Punished for expressing to other people? That would make sense because at the end of his life he mentioned something about he knew if he had kept his mouth shut he could have escaped.
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Aug 31, 2007 11:26:52 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Aug 31, 2007 11:26:52 GMT
timmy = clever ^^
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Books
Sept 11, 2007 18:11:38 GMT
Post by xarlot on Sept 11, 2007 18:11:38 GMT
I'm reading something for English Literature atm called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, which is OMG amazing... I think Timmy has read it, but I lubble it so much ^_^ I'm only half way through atm but I think I'll finish it today
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Books
Sept 11, 2007 18:12:58 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Sept 11, 2007 18:12:58 GMT
Told you it was good
Im reading a book called Black right now, its the first in a trilogy and OMGGGGGG its confusing, but so good. i read like the first 22 chapters last night
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Books
Sept 11, 2007 18:55:56 GMT
Post by xarlot on Sept 11, 2007 18:55:56 GMT
22 chapters?! Omg that's a lot lol must be a very good book, what is it about?
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Sept 11, 2007 19:00:05 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Sept 11, 2007 19:00:05 GMT
now THATS a hard question the basic summary is that this guy, thomas hunter, gets shot in the head and then he starts having these dreams that are real, not like prophetic but when he goes to sleep in one world he wakes up in another that seems to be the future but where good and evil are literal physical manifestations. Its like a one world heaven and hell divided by a river. Seriously hard to explain but ill have to lend it to you sometime
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Sept 11, 2007 19:01:09 GMT
Post by xarlot on Sept 11, 2007 19:01:09 GMT
My god it sounds confusing lol It sounds like a head-hurter
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Sept 11, 2007 19:04:23 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Sept 11, 2007 19:04:23 GMT
it is when you try to explain it briefly, if i did an uberlong post it wouldnt be so bad
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Sept 22, 2007 8:42:06 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Sept 22, 2007 8:42:06 GMT
Ok so i finished the second in "the circle" trilogy ages ago but only now am posting to say -wow. Not only does this give whole new ideas for my global domination plans but its also just an amazingly good trilogy. I need the third. Now. Its like a drug. I need another hit. Though i can now see why i got it from a christian bookstall. But i think even an atheist would enjoy this as a book. Im going to get my atheistic guineapig to try it out. CHARLY!!!
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Oct 30, 2007 12:55:42 GMT
Post by Magderagon on Oct 30, 2007 12:55:42 GMT
Ok new book addiction. The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd. Its more like my David Gemmell book than alot of what ive read recently, which makes a nice change after Interpretation of Murder and a fair few Virginia Andrews. But seriously, this book is a-freaking-mazing. I recommend it on so many lvels, the ideas are traditional but with a really good original twist and the characters are so believable. Not to mention is has a dragon in. What else could you need? And OMG the description, it can be annoying in some ways but its so worth it. You can almost feel what the characters feel, picture so vividly what they see. Buy this book. Now. FASTER!!!!
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Oct 30, 2007 17:19:53 GMT
Post by zoeila on Oct 30, 2007 17:19:53 GMT
*looks slightly scared* Tim, calm, deep breaths, and just calm ok? Ok, so me being me, Just saw these, and had to buy immediately. The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells from a book club, and im wiating for those ones to come,w ill tell yuo if they are any good when I get them ^^ Ok then, so I like fantasy stuff mainly. I don't have many, myy dad has them, I borrow. but I think Terry Pratchett is quite a good author. Because I am a big kid I like Angie Sage, and her set of 'septimus heap' stuff, but thats for when I'm feeling lazy,a dn just want a nice easy story lol. My favourite comedy writer, is Philip Ardagh. Now, he isn't what most people like, he uses alot of sarcasm, and makes stuff funny. its really funny, trust me I would definately reccomend the Eddie Dickens trilogy, the best ever ^^ The rest of my athors are random ones with dragons in ^^ the ology selection is really cool...and you can lift flaps *giggles* what..it entertains me But yesh, the rest be very random and im too lazy to list them so nehhhhh
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