What's new

Favorite books!

It is interesting to think about how languages influences people's way of thinking and vice versa. I'm pretty sure there is some co-evolution going on.
In an essay written by William S. Burroughs, where he suggests the methods that one might use to revolutionize a country, through systematic terrorism, assassinations, whathaveyou, one of the things he suggested was to change the nation's language to Chinese, which would create a more docile and submissive population... I've often wondered how languages effect us, in this way...

It seems that there is a lot of ways to create dissonance in English, even for people with limited vocabularies. To express outrage...
 
It seems that there is a lot of ways to create dissonance in English, even for people with limited vocabularies. To express outrage...

I'd say Burroughs said what he did because of Confucianism. Chinese history is rife with revolts and revolutions.

Interestingly enough, I think English is the most flexible language for expression since Ancient Greek or Latin. It's the phonics that are the big toughie, but it has advantages and disadvantages (i.e. homonyms being spelled differently so you know which word you are reading being an advantage, but pronunciation of import-words that retain their original spelling being a disadvantage).

My study of German and French suggests that they are almost as (if not equally as) expressive as English for everything from science to art.

Japanese never seemed to me to be as suited for scientific discourse as English. It is too ambiguous (actually, in some ways, so is Latin, but in different ways). But I've never actually read Japanese scientific journals, so what do I know? It's just my impression.

All I know is that you cannot translate Japanese poetry into English and still retain the subtleties and meanings. It just doesn't happen. Nor can you translate Shakespeare into any other language and still convey the immense beauty and complexity of his words.
 
I really got into the Dune series. I read almost all of them and really enjoyed them. Also I enjoyed reading the Dexter series. They made a Showtime series based off of the books, I recommend both!
 
Glad to see Duo mention Mark Twain. I had read "Tom Sawyer" about 5 times by the time I was the OP's age, and have read it two or three times more after that. Read "Huck Finn" about three times. Couple or three times each for "Roughing It", "Life on the Mississippi", etc. Read and re-read his short stories more than I can possibly recall.

Given that the OP is located in Nevada, I wanted to suggest that she read Twain's "Roughing It. It is both a humorous and informative first-hand account of Nevada's early days.
 
I don't have much to contribute to this thread but am busily making notes for when I get the time to read again! :p I'm currently reading le morte d'Arthur, which might take me some time considering the only time I get to read books is in the bath! T_T

I never got into the Chronicles of Narnia, but I did like the science fiction trilogy by C. S. Lewis - Out of the silent planet, Voyage to Venus, and That hideous strength. (even though I'm not a big fan of science fiction!) 👍 The first of those bears some resemblance to a book I recently finished called Cold Skin, by Albert Sanchez Pinol, which in turn has similarities with The house on the borderland, by William Hope Hodgson - an interesting read if you like horror-fantasy. :p

I enjoy the stories of Edgar Allen Poe, but in relatively small doses. :p
 
my favourite book of all time well the only one ive ever really read is three kingdoms by luo guanzhong as the name suggests its about the three kingdoms era of china and the fall of the latter han dynasty its amazing zhao zilong is one hero and lord liu bei is the most admirable leader ive ever come across.
 
Back
Top Bottom