Right now I'm reading

[Bram]

The English version is available on Kindle, but I think the Japanese version comes up first. If you don't click the Japanese version and scroll down you should be able to find it.

[Bram]

All The Wrong Moves: A Memoir About Chess, Love, And Ruining Everything by Sasha Chapin.

Sasha is a good writer, admittedly bipolar, and someone adrift—searching for meaning and self-worth.

After a bout of competitive high school chess, he falls back under it’s spell in his late twenties—entering a slew of tournaments, hiring a Grandmaster coach, bingeing matches on Chess.com

Sometimes you encounter people on their path and shake your head. That’s how I felt reading this book. He’s obsessed with winning and certain that his (and all of our) talents are fixed. He does improve, and wins a bit, but his journey is largely joyless. But, I know plenty of people who approach their life this way. Perhaps they would relate to his experiences more?

That said, my favorite parts are just his little observations of life, such as:

I went down the street to the café where everyone hated me. Why they did, I’m not sure—I was always polite and I tipped generously. But their contempt was palpable. Every time I bought their coffee, I was given a cold, flat stare, which I returned. We were all clear on who liked each other. Nobody liked anybody.

4.2/5

[motherjuggs&speed]

The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis. As I sit here I feel unable to express what this book means to me, since I'm tired, depressed, and don't really have the energy to write this review at 4 A.M.. But I think of Thomas a Kempis in a little nook, writing his with a quill by candlelight, and I can only take his example and seek to imitate him. This book is written in a manner similar to a book of the Bible, with short chapters and short paragraphs, indeed almost so short as to be aphorisms, explaining each topic. Thomas is coming from the perspective of a believer in literal salvation and so half of the book makes no sense unless one believes as he does. However, many of his admonitions make sense from a strictly practical, secular perspective, which is how I read it. In that way it's much like the book of Proverbs, which contains a lot of wisdom even for people like me who don't believe it was written by any deity. I can pick this book up and open it at any page and soon I will find a message that resonates with me. I've been looking for understanding and this little book gives a slice of it at least. Recommended if you want something that provides a lot of food for thought in very little time.

[motherjuggs&speed]

The Fifth Risk, by Michael Lewis. However bad I think the Trump administration was, every time I read anything I realize it was way worse than I thought. Hopefully none of you are dumb enough to think that any criticism of Trump must come from politically motivated leftists but in case anyone wants to know more about how Trump planned to govern, Lewis lays out some details. He describes how Trump didn't want to have a transition team at all, and made no preparation to govern. Lewis clearly does have a strong leftist bias but that doesn't mean the allegations aren't true. As a document detailing Trump's negligence and willful destruction of government, the book is pretty good, but it's also tedious to wade through Lewis's endless signalling. I can't say I recommend it due to some passages that were really unpleasant and needless, some grisly details about some things that no one needs to read. In fact, just a few pages took this book from 3.5 to zero stars, but if you can stand some of that and want to know more about how the U.S. government works, it might be worth a read.

I should say that the title refers to the risk of not preparing. What happens when there is a disaster that could have been prevented by better governance, or that no one is able to deal with since no one was tasked with handling it?

[motherjuggs&speed]

On the Nature of the Universe by Lucretius. Penguin Classics, Ronald Latham translation. This is one of those books that people nod and say they've heard of and have never read and never will. Pert of the problem I had with previous attempts at reading it was the translation. Latham explains in the introduction that Lucretius wrote in a a somewhat forced and artificial manner which wasn't that difficult for people of his time but which is hard to translate for a modern ear. Latham solves the problem by writing in prose instead of verse and alternating between striving for maximum clarity where needed and allowing Lucretius's flowery flights to take over where appropriate. I don't read Latin but it seems to me that Latham succeeds brilliantly. Lucretius is at turns funny, critical, sarcastic and poetic. If you've been deterred by the clunky language in other editions, let me assure you that this one is very readable and in fact compelling. Although Lucretius wrote before 55 B.C., much of his writing is relevant to our modern condition. 5/5.

[Spheroid_Physique]

Working my way through Oswald Spengler’s The Decline of the West. Attempt #3. I’ve owned it on Kindle forever, Kindle just sucks for serious reading. Managed to convince a library to order a copy, but had to return it after barely making any progress. Bought a copy of both volumes (was hoping for a combined edition but couldn’t find one that wasn’t abridged). Volume 1 is an a bit of a slog, covering the development of artistic, scientific, mathematic, philosophical, and religious thought in various past cultures, and trying to identify patterns in each. The version I got from the library had all of Spengler’s tables showing the patterns compiled together as an appendix, sadly the edition I’ve got my hands on has them scattered piecemeal throughout. I’ll have to return to this post with my developing impressions as I continue working through the text.

[motherjuggs&speed]

I look forward to getting your take on it. I've been wanting to read it ever since it was mentioned in The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy.

[Spheroid_Physique]

I look forward to getting your take on it. I've been wanting to read it ever since it was mentioned in The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy.

Someone recommended The Lords of Discipline to me around 20 years ago when I was in high school and I don’t think I’ve heard it mentioned since. Worthwhile read?

[motherjuggs&speed]

In HS I liked it a lot but I'm not sure it works that well for someone much older than that. I liked his depictions of the South, or aspects of parts of it, and much of the book is well written, although PC does overwrite a fair bit. The story, and storytelling, are both melodramatic and probably won't resonate as much as it might for a younger person. I think it's Conroy's best book though.

[Bram]

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara.

An inspiring book on customer service that makes people feel seen, heard and included; building a thriving work culture; what commitment to excellence looks like; and watching the bottom line.

If you work in any form of the service industry—and as a personal trainer, I feel included in this—it’s a worthy read.

[Bram]

Lessons for Living by Phil Stutz.

I loved this book!

It's a collection of short essays on a wide variety of topics, written by a therapist who comes across as a philosopher. He preaches a path of endless personal growth and self-ownership. I find it hard to believe that someone wouldn't get multiple good ideas from this short and easy read.

In the spirt of sharing, here's a task he advocates:

Every night, pick at least one action you would normally tend to avoid and commit to it. If you can, even commit to the exact time you'll do it. When you take the action the next day, you'll have the sense of having kept your commitment to yourself.

For example, tomorrow, July 21st, at 7:00am, I'm going to do all my laundry. Plan to keep this practice up.

[motherjuggs&speed]

Based on your rec I'm listening to the audiobook while I do stuff. There's also a doc called Stutz on the man and his work. He's got at least two other books, The Tools, and Coming Alive, which might be interesting.

[motherjuggs&speed]

Conquest of the Useless, by Werner Herzog. A man awakens in the jungle discovering he has been half eaten by a crocodile. The bats agree to negotiate with the crocodile and the animal releases him in exchange for the promise of more ouzo. The monkeys are outraged at this transaction. A movie is being filmed but a war breaks out and everyone must move 800 km south. The insurance company demands that Kinsky not do the film but relent when Herzog threatens to shoot them. Mick Jagger nearly becomes a rubber baron but the Rolling Stones insist they cannot consume all the cocaine by themselves and so Mick must join them on tour. In Conquest of the Useless Werner Herzog details the making of Fitcarraldo, his third film with Klaus Kinsky. Herzog despises the truth of accountants as he says and so one might wonder how much of his mad scribblings are real events and how much a fever dream. To ask that question is to miss the point because in the jungle everyone is mad and nothing makes sense anyway. Herzog is at turns exasperated, exhausted, determined and hilarious. If you like Herzog's biting wit and didactic rants this book is for you. There really was a war, people really did get shot with arrows, and some people died. Recommended.

[Bram]

MJ&S,

I tried the documentary and Tools, but couldn’t connect with the material. Coming Alive is on the shelf, but I’ve yet to crack it. Hope you enjoy and look forwards to your thoughts.

I read some of Herzog’s autobiography a few months ago, Every Man For Himself and God Against All. He’s a crazed storyteller, but I burnt out a few chapters in. Will try Conquest.

[motherjuggs&speed]

The documentary is a definite miss. I wanted to give it a fair chance so I slogged through it but Jonah Hill was really tedious throughout and the constant music was distracting and annoying. I don't have a positive impression of Stutz's work so far but I'll try the books.

[motherjuggs&speed]

I read some of Every Man for Himself but threw in the towel. Herzog's jumped the shark. He used to be an entertaining storyteller but in Every Man he wants to boast, settle scores, justify himself, and signal that he believes the currently-approved Right Things. Plus there's a lot of tedious extraneous detail about trivial things. Conquest has some of that but he livens it up frequently with witty observations or amusing anecdotes from the jungle. I think though that in order to like it as I do you have to buy in to the idea of Herzog in the jungle dealing with all kinds of madness and portraying it through his admittedly sewed perceptions.

[Bram]

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

This book discusses how mental health in young people took a nosedive in 2012 and how that's linked to the smartphone, porn, addictive video games, and social media. He discusses a few solutions: having phone-free schools, expanding recess and decreasing the rules at recess, and giving kids more responsibilities.

Although not a parent myself, I have a compulsive personality, and am determined to break my tech habits. I also see how pernicious this is. On Friday. the table next to me a local coffee shop had a group of eight people. At a few points, all on their phones simultaneously. In front of me in line, a five-year old girl was crying while brandishing an iPhone with YouTube open.

Having read a half-dozen tech addiction books, each one seems to loosen the bonds a bit more. Inspired by this book, I left my phone at home this morning as I walked to get coffee. It became a vastly different day. Much more present to my thoughts, nature, and people I recognized.

Will this book solve all your tech problems? No. But if you struggle with internet consumption, it might help you too. And if you're a parent, it should inspire you to set some boundaries to protect your kids.

[Bram]

The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life by Boyd Varty.

Boyd is both a life coach and an animal tracker. He weaves together the idea of following your own path with the way a tracker operates. And he does so while telling a colorful, illustrative story of tracking lions.

As this is a self-help book, there's two main concepts:

1) Pay attention to makes you feel good and bring more of it into your life. Notice what makes you feel lousy and do less of it.

2) Like tracking an animal, life's not linear. But you have to start somewhere. Boyd calls this "first tracks." If you feel called to spend some time alone, then he would advise to go be alone. But if you don't know what you'd do next, or what you'd do while you're alone, he'd say it wouldn't matter. Getting started on the path is enough.

Very short read, but I enjoyed it.

[motherjuggs&speed]

The Tools, by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. Psychiatrist Phil Stutz doesn't believe in the model of conventional therapy, where patients talk and talk and get little useful feedback from the therapist. Stutz wants his patients to do things to effect change. He has created a number of thought exercises for his patients to do, five of which are presented here. One of his concepts, The Maze, has gotten me unstuck or at least less stuck in an important area of my life. One tool has been helpful when I've applied it by another name earlier in my life. So for me he is at least 2/10 for useful concepts and exercises. I want to really think about and try some of the other tools, even though I'm skeptical of his reasoning with some of them. I'll try them and report back in a few weeks, because I think it will take me that long to think about some ideas I'm tempted to dismiss.

[Bram]

Glad you gave Tools a try! What did you think of Lessons for Living?

[Bram]

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass.

This is a book for 9-12 year olds. I read a good amount of books in this age range because...they're light-hearted and fun! Personally, if I want to maximize my reading, I need some easy page-turners mixed in. As you move to books aimed at 12-15 year olds (or whatever the next window is), they seem full of heavy topics like cancer and suicide.

Without giving too much away, there's a talking cat, ghosts, poetry, a mystery, and kind-hearted people.

I enjoyed it, smiled frequently, and it warmed my heart a couple times.

Next is trying Werner Herzog's Conquest of the Useless. Balance pertains!

[motherjuggs&speed]

What did you think of Lessons for Living?

I keep stopping because of the woo. Then I say I'll give it another shot and there's more of it. I might get the hard copy so I can get through it faster. I don't like that Stutz presents his ideas as fact without evidence or solid reasoning. His Part X is something he made up and explains as if he's talking about the amygdala or something. I'll post more on it after I finish it and think about it some more.

[Ronald RayGun]

Just picked up and cracked into The White Pill by Michael Malice. Very well written & told but it's about all things Soviet Union so far so it's also sad as a mother fucker. That neighbor v. neighbor/family v. family shit is something I would have thought completely impossible until I saw it happen here in The States during covid. I was dangerously naïve about the nature of humanity. Then I got to witness what I thought everyone having a complex-ish pocket computer with full access to the internet would have prevented. The human nature of people loving being complete teacher's pet level snitches on each other. Most humans are obedient to power and only serve to please it. I hate it, I hate every second of it, but it's how we are and it sucks. Great read, but damn.

[motherjuggs&speed]

I liked All the Wrong Moves so much I read it almost nonstop and wouldn't stop that night until I finished it. One of the things I liked about it is the reality of Sasha's journey. There's a survivor's bias at work in most books of this type, or maybe it's a publisher's bias: The author goes on a journey to learn or improve at something, and after training with his own Mr. Miyagi, he's amazing at it. As if that's the way things work. Sasha struggles and doesn't really get that much better, because that's what happens in chess: people don't get much better. Although Sasha struggles with his manic obsessions, it's not all grim. There are many funny moments and Sasha brings his experience to the page very well. Recommended.

[motherjuggs&speed]

Voyager, by Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan. This is the story of how Rutan and Yeager became the first people to fly a plane around the world nonstop and without refueling. It's more than an account of their quest to make aviation history, though. In many books of this type, people gloss over the difficulties and the story is one of plucky underdogs who grow to love each other as they do the impossible. And then there's what usually happens, which they don't make movies about. Far from being a sugarcoated feelgood story, Voyager is more like Behind the Music. Dick and Jeana were a couple and the strain of the project caused them to break up and still have to work together . . . while still living together. Dick and his brother Burt Rutan's already difficult relationship got much worse. The volunteers, without whom the project would never have succeeded, made everyone crazy but no one could say anything because there was no one else to do the grunt work. It's not just a settling scores book, although Rutan and Yeager take a lot of shots at each other. It reads like both are being honest, maybe too honest, about what they think of the project, Burt Rutan, the people involved and each other. If you're into aviation it's highly recommended, if not, it's still interesting. The book has one major, glaring flaw, though: It often isn't clear whether Dick or Jeana is writing a certain passage. Sometimes it isn't clear for a page or more. It makes the book much less readable.

But I did not know what else to do except put up with him. We were the agents of this thing, the tools. It was for everyone, for the people. We didn't have any choice about it anymore.