22. Leer la mente. Jorge Volpi.
Libro de ensayos que sobre cognición que me prestó Leonor mientras cuidaba a mi papá en el hospital la tarde-noche del 24 de Diciembre. Como libro de introducción al tema es ameno, pero completo. A pesar de que es un libro de divulgación que explica ideas que yo ya conocía a un nivel un poco más profundo, disfruté mucho la exposición de Volpi y su narrativa fresca, es mucho más casual como ensayista que como novelista. aunque para mí no tuvo ninguna idea totalmente nueva, la manera en que presenta la función de la literatura como entrenamiento y capacitación de la vida (basado en las neuronas espejo), me parece más ligera y acertada que ningún otro que haya leído.
Por cierto, algo curioso, justo cuando mi ego empezaba a pensar "Volpi parece haber leído a los mismos autores que yo, y tener las mismas impresiones e ideas, ¡yo podría haber escrito éste libro!" me llegó un balde de agua fría cuando describe una idea que Douglas Hofstadter le dijo... durante una cena. Ahí la diferencia, yo los leo, Volpi cena con ellos. Lo más cerca que he estado de Hofstadter es un breve intercambio de emails por ahí del 93, cuando tras leer "El tablero de Flandes" de Pérez-Reverte, decidí localizar y escribirle que Pérez-Reverte se había prácticamente plagiado su libro "Gödell, Escher y Bach" para su novela. Hofstadter, que andaba dando un seminario en Italia, me contestó buenaondescamente diciendo básicamente "pues chido por él", en ésas u otras palabras.
En fin, divago, un libro ligerito y muy recomendable. Lo terminé de leer en Junio, segunda visita a Guadalajara.
El epílogo de su propio viaje personal hacia las ciencias cognoscitivas, y cómo desarrolló la novela de Klingsor, fueron quizá la parte más interesante para mí, quizá porque lo sentí cercano a lo que yo podría estar haciendo, si tuviera más disciplina, más talento, una carrera diferente.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Cocaína. Manual del usuario.
21 Cocaína. Manual del usuario. Julián Herbert.
Me pasó algo rarísimo con este libro. Tulio me lo regaló en Navidad, y lo estaba leyendo cuando decidí tomarme una pausa para revisar mis correos. Me senté en el escritorio, dejé el libro junto a la computadora, y en la pantalla Facebook sugería "Quizá conozcas a Julián Herbert, ¿quieres agregarlo como amigo? Me cae que se sintió como de la dimensión desconocida.
Pero sólo fue coinciencia, tenemos varios amigo en común: mi hermano, Lumbreras, Juan Pablo Villalobos, etc.
En fin, ya había leído "un mundo infiel" y me parecía un autor bueno, éste libro lo reafirma, y tiene destellos muy brillantes, como el poema sobre los zapatistas llegando a hospedarse a su casa, el cuento inicial "Llámenme Shrerlock Holmes..." y frases inspiradísimas, como "El tiempo espía desde su retrovisor" y "Una verga dulce, inútil, un relámpago de carne que se apaga."
Buena intensidad y ritmo, excelentes viñetas. Si lo que les gusta es el cuento corto, éste libro es muy recomendable, premio nacional de cuento "Juan José Arreola"
Me pasó algo rarísimo con este libro. Tulio me lo regaló en Navidad, y lo estaba leyendo cuando decidí tomarme una pausa para revisar mis correos. Me senté en el escritorio, dejé el libro junto a la computadora, y en la pantalla Facebook sugería "Quizá conozcas a Julián Herbert, ¿quieres agregarlo como amigo? Me cae que se sintió como de la dimensión desconocida.
Pero sólo fue coinciencia, tenemos varios amigo en común: mi hermano, Lumbreras, Juan Pablo Villalobos, etc.
En fin, ya había leído "un mundo infiel" y me parecía un autor bueno, éste libro lo reafirma, y tiene destellos muy brillantes, como el poema sobre los zapatistas llegando a hospedarse a su casa, el cuento inicial "Llámenme Shrerlock Holmes..." y frases inspiradísimas, como "El tiempo espía desde su retrovisor" y "Una verga dulce, inútil, un relámpago de carne que se apaga."
Buena intensidad y ritmo, excelentes viñetas. Si lo que les gusta es el cuento corto, éste libro es muy recomendable, premio nacional de cuento "Juan José Arreola"
Fiesta en la madriguera
20 Fiesta en la madriguera. Juan Pablo Villalobos.
Un gran libro, me dio enorme gusto y enorme envidia (de la buena, si tal cosa existe).
Para mí en lo personal, éste libro empieza por ahí del 97, en el taller literario que teníamos con Jors, Juan Pablo, Javier Villa, Nayeli y Óscar Serrano (más los intermitentes). Mi primer recuerdo de Juan Pablo es tallereando su cuento "Salida en falso", y de ahí vinieron varios más. Muchos años después, cenando en unr estaurante marroquí buenísimo en la Plaza del Sol en Barcelona, me contó que estaba escribiendo una novela y me dio varios detalles sobre la trama.
La verdad no me imaginé que se la editaría anagrama, y menos que The Guardian la iba a tener seleccionada entre los mejores libros del 2011. Es una noveleta que tiene enormes aciertos:
- Logra hacer una narconovela abordando el tema del narco sólo lateralmente, gracias al artilugio de verlo a través de los ojos del escuincle.
- Los personajes principales, el niño y su maestro, son personajes redondos, ricos en detalle.
- La idea de darle a todo mundo nombres prehispánicos, simplemente porque se le dio la gana, es acertadísima, un capricho sin el cual la novela hubiera quedado más plana.
- El hilo narrador es el niño y sus obsesiones, los sombreros, los adjetivos, la guillotina y los rinocerontes de liberia, y el mundo del narco sólo se ve a trasfondo.
Inmensamente disfrutable, anoto aquí como recordatorios la anécdota del canario y la pistola, la visita a África, los donativos del maestro, y la subsecuente traición (el artículo)... para mí sin duda uno de los mejores libros del 2011. Y además es cuate, así que si no están de acuerdo, pos me vale. Pero en serio, léanlo!
Un gran libro, me dio enorme gusto y enorme envidia (de la buena, si tal cosa existe).
Para mí en lo personal, éste libro empieza por ahí del 97, en el taller literario que teníamos con Jors, Juan Pablo, Javier Villa, Nayeli y Óscar Serrano (más los intermitentes). Mi primer recuerdo de Juan Pablo es tallereando su cuento "Salida en falso", y de ahí vinieron varios más. Muchos años después, cenando en unr estaurante marroquí buenísimo en la Plaza del Sol en Barcelona, me contó que estaba escribiendo una novela y me dio varios detalles sobre la trama.
La verdad no me imaginé que se la editaría anagrama, y menos que The Guardian la iba a tener seleccionada entre los mejores libros del 2011. Es una noveleta que tiene enormes aciertos:
- Logra hacer una narconovela abordando el tema del narco sólo lateralmente, gracias al artilugio de verlo a través de los ojos del escuincle.
- Los personajes principales, el niño y su maestro, son personajes redondos, ricos en detalle.
- La idea de darle a todo mundo nombres prehispánicos, simplemente porque se le dio la gana, es acertadísima, un capricho sin el cual la novela hubiera quedado más plana.
- El hilo narrador es el niño y sus obsesiones, los sombreros, los adjetivos, la guillotina y los rinocerontes de liberia, y el mundo del narco sólo se ve a trasfondo.
Inmensamente disfrutable, anoto aquí como recordatorios la anécdota del canario y la pistola, la visita a África, los donativos del maestro, y la subsecuente traición (el artículo)... para mí sin duda uno de los mejores libros del 2011. Y además es cuate, así que si no están de acuerdo, pos me vale. Pero en serio, léanlo!
Opera Secunda
19 Opera Secunda. Jose Luis Navarrete-Heredia.
Cincuenta páginas de cuentitos cortos, que más que eso, son ocurrencias. Un buen biólogo que tiene la escritura como afición, lo cual me parece saludable. Sin más pretensiones, y para una audiencia de los cuates y los conocidos. Yo lo leí porque el prólogo-presentación es de mi hermana Blanca. Los márgenes de las páginas tienen unas viñetas interesantes que me imagino son bichos del laboratorio.
Cincuenta páginas de cuentitos cortos, que más que eso, son ocurrencias. Un buen biólogo que tiene la escritura como afición, lo cual me parece saludable. Sin más pretensiones, y para una audiencia de los cuates y los conocidos. Yo lo leí porque el prólogo-presentación es de mi hermana Blanca. Los márgenes de las páginas tienen unas viñetas interesantes que me imagino son bichos del laboratorio.
Monday, December 26, 2011
El diablo me obligo
18. El diablo me obligo. F.G Haggennbeck.
Novela mexicana con sabor a comic, recomendación de Juan Antonio que sirvió muy bien a su propósito: algo ligero y entretenido para leer en una sala de emergencias del ISSTE de noche mientras cuidaba a mi papá.
Digo con sabor a cómic porque trata de "diableros" gente que caza ángeles, demonios y querubines (karibús, les llama) para hacerlos pelear en torneous de Karibumaquia (adoro como suena ésa palabra). El tema y el estilo generalmente no me interesaría, pero la novela tiene varios aciertos:
Los personajes están muy bien desarrollados, en particular el protagonista Elvis Infante y su capitán polaco, las referencias al pasado se van develando poco a poco y se entretejen muy bien para darnos un cuadro más amplio del personaje. Las atmósferas están muy bien desarrolladas, los barrios jodidos de los Ángeles, y el desierto de Afganistán en cuyas cuevas descubren el demonio antiguo enemigo de Mazda. Otra, tiene una fascinación por las metáforas que recuerda a las novel noir. Pero principalmente, su acierto es describir ángeles y demonios como seres ya buenos o malos pero primitivos, y hacer notar que la maldad humana va mucho más allá de lo que un simple, pobre diablo puede lograr. El peor mal no viene de los demonios, sino de los hombres "los monos desnudos han ganado" dice mientras los seres sobrenaturales se destrozan en torneos para diversión de aquéllos. Divertido, interesante, chicanizado, recomendable.
Novela mexicana con sabor a comic, recomendación de Juan Antonio que sirvió muy bien a su propósito: algo ligero y entretenido para leer en una sala de emergencias del ISSTE de noche mientras cuidaba a mi papá.
Digo con sabor a cómic porque trata de "diableros" gente que caza ángeles, demonios y querubines (karibús, les llama) para hacerlos pelear en torneous de Karibumaquia (adoro como suena ésa palabra). El tema y el estilo generalmente no me interesaría, pero la novela tiene varios aciertos:
Los personajes están muy bien desarrollados, en particular el protagonista Elvis Infante y su capitán polaco, las referencias al pasado se van develando poco a poco y se entretejen muy bien para darnos un cuadro más amplio del personaje. Las atmósferas están muy bien desarrolladas, los barrios jodidos de los Ángeles, y el desierto de Afganistán en cuyas cuevas descubren el demonio antiguo enemigo de Mazda. Otra, tiene una fascinación por las metáforas que recuerda a las novel noir. Pero principalmente, su acierto es describir ángeles y demonios como seres ya buenos o malos pero primitivos, y hacer notar que la maldad humana va mucho más allá de lo que un simple, pobre diablo puede lograr. El peor mal no viene de los demonios, sino de los hombres "los monos desnudos han ganado" dice mientras los seres sobrenaturales se destrozan en torneos para diversión de aquéllos. Divertido, interesante, chicanizado, recomendable.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The hypnotist.
17 (audio/printed). The Hypnotist. Lars Kepler. First book I read half and half as an audiobook (while I drive) and printed version (at home); it worked quite well! The audio gave me the pronunciation of the Swedish characters, and literally a voice for the characters.
I got to this book because supposedly it was the next Swedish noir mystery after the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which Victoria loved, actually it was a gift for her), so I can't help to compare them: The Hypnotist is much better written, more concise, less repetitive than the former. However, the characters are more compelling and the topic is more interesting on the later.
The Hypnotist does a good job of bringing back the past to the present, of giving an oppressive atmosphere that makes every event dramatic. The story has two main streams of evil, the dismembered family which is found on the first pages, and the psychopath that is chasing the hypnotist. Yet, it was on the secondary plots that my stomach churned at the unjustified jealousy of the hypnotist's wife, and mostly at the pure evil of the pokemon kids, who defied her at the mall, attacked her father, steal and bullies the mentally disabled kid and were in general defiant of any adult authority.
Funny enough, in the context of the very sordid crimes of the novel (child torture, imprisonment and murder for example), the secondary crimes, the ones committed by the kids/teens were the ones I found more disturbing, perhaps because I found more real, more likely... and yet, those are in general loose ends, the author intentionally leaves those offences unpunished.
I found myself wishing that these crime novel had a little less evil, I mean, you can long for justice even if the murderer didn't kill a family with a toddler and dismember them. I think I'd wish for a less obvious and extreme, more subtle evil. For example, in Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the transformation to evil is marked by Mr. Hyde hitting an old man with a cane! And I despise Hollywood dumbing a psychological transformation down to a physical transformation into the incredible Hulk. But I digress, I think that going for such sordid crimes is a bit excessive, the real evil, the worst evil is less bloody, is a corrupt government official, is a fundamentalist preacher. By the way, as I read the novel, drug gangs left 23 decapitated bodies in one of my favourite places of my hometown.
I got to this book because supposedly it was the next Swedish noir mystery after the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which Victoria loved, actually it was a gift for her), so I can't help to compare them: The Hypnotist is much better written, more concise, less repetitive than the former. However, the characters are more compelling and the topic is more interesting on the later.
The Hypnotist does a good job of bringing back the past to the present, of giving an oppressive atmosphere that makes every event dramatic. The story has two main streams of evil, the dismembered family which is found on the first pages, and the psychopath that is chasing the hypnotist. Yet, it was on the secondary plots that my stomach churned at the unjustified jealousy of the hypnotist's wife, and mostly at the pure evil of the pokemon kids, who defied her at the mall, attacked her father, steal and bullies the mentally disabled kid and were in general defiant of any adult authority.
Funny enough, in the context of the very sordid crimes of the novel (child torture, imprisonment and murder for example), the secondary crimes, the ones committed by the kids/teens were the ones I found more disturbing, perhaps because I found more real, more likely... and yet, those are in general loose ends, the author intentionally leaves those offences unpunished.
I found myself wishing that these crime novel had a little less evil, I mean, you can long for justice even if the murderer didn't kill a family with a toddler and dismember them. I think I'd wish for a less obvious and extreme, more subtle evil. For example, in Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the transformation to evil is marked by Mr. Hyde hitting an old man with a cane! And I despise Hollywood dumbing a psychological transformation down to a physical transformation into the incredible Hulk. But I digress, I think that going for such sordid crimes is a bit excessive, the real evil, the worst evil is less bloody, is a corrupt government official, is a fundamentalist preacher. By the way, as I read the novel, drug gangs left 23 decapitated bodies in one of my favourite places of my hometown.
Las Intermitencias de la muerte
16 Las intermitencias de la muerte. Jose Saramago. No me gustó en lo más mínimo. Una visión del mundo simplona más que simplista, su narrativa es como las respuestas que da un niño de seis años a temas de adultos, y de ahí los sigue hasta el final se su secuencia lógica. Las ficciones que crea carecen de una coherencia interna, los personajes son todos propietarios de lógica, pero desprovistos de inteligencia u emoción. La idea de Dios como contraparte de la muerte es tan absurda como decir que la mermelada es la contraparte de las ranas. La idea de que la muerte se enamora del músico es forzada, anacrónica.
Un libro pobre para ser un autor publicado, un libro malo para ser un ganador del Nobel de literatura. Y sin embargo, hay quienes les gustó mucho. Lo donaré para que siga su camino y encuentre a su lector.
Un libro pobre para ser un autor publicado, un libro malo para ser un ganador del Nobel de literatura. Y sin embargo, hay quienes les gustó mucho. Lo donaré para que siga su camino y encuentre a su lector.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Kafka on the shore
15. Kafka on the Shore (audio). Haruki Murakami.
One third into it, I’m discovering a different Murakami. Any novel has changes of scene and narrative arch, but on this one, the tone (the so called ‘author’s voice’) and the narrative is so different in each plane that makes me think of an experiment worth of Italo Calvino... but it also reminds me a bit of the few anime films / shows I’ve seen, where the silly, the heroic, the romantic, the erotic and the elegant come right after each other. In a way, the same way that the streets of Kyoto have a Buddhist temple crammed in between a fish store and a sex shop, right next to a fashion boutique.
The story of the main character, Kafka, is so far the slowest one, full of reflection, introspection, and excruciatingly detailed descriptions and dialogues. In that story, the characters are all logical, sensible, un-relatable and unbelievable; no 14 year old uses that language, has those perspectives on life, at least not in the western world (maybe in Japan is it more plausible?) It does sound too similar to his character on “Norwegian wood”.
the other narrative archs, however, are fascinating, I was particularly impressed on how the school teacher letter to the psychologist, the episode about the erotic dream and the period not only put together two of the narratives (which the reader can see coming anyway) but gives a new layer of depth to both of them. He brings the mundane into a context where it suddenly becomes a catalytic agent, and it works wonderfully.
More to come when I finish the book.
Contact
14 Contact (audio). Carl Sagan.
Disclaimer, I love Sagan, his Cosmos series and book are cornerstones of my intellectual development, I would call him my shaman, if the term wouldn’t likely make him churn in his grave. It is a very clever book, but Sagan, like most sci fi writers, doesn’t do a great job on character development. The movie is better than the book in a few aspects, more personal drama, more believable technological billionaire. There is one, just one thing the movie didn’t include, but is such a crucial thing that makes a gigantic difference. And I actually understand them, it would have been a completely different movie had they included it, so I believe they made the right choice of leaning it out so only those who read the book (or this blog) discover it.
So here I go, the one immense thing the movie leaves out, is the question Ellie asks the extra-terrestial contact right before comes back, she asks for any bit of information she can bring back to mankind. She is told by that this extra-terrestrial civilization has been playing wit Pi and found, deep into the millionths of figures into Pi, a statistically impossible number of ones and zeros, that are spaced out by prime numbers, just like the message to earth was hidden into prime numbers. In these, or other words, she affirms that this impossible, as since Pi is intrinsic to the fabric of the universe, hiding a message within Pi would only be possible if you could dictate the nature of the Universe.
Exactly. In an infinite irony, the scientist gets the answer to the questions all religious people wanted to ask “is there a God?” But the answer is both an affirmation and a denial. An affirmation as, in Sagan’s message, a God does exist; but a denial, as a God so subtle contradicts every major religion on earth and makes them look utterly absurd.
It is one of the best meaning-of-life divertimentos I’ve read in quite a while. It did made me think, just as many years ago I realized I could not believe in an anthropomorphic deity, now I wonder if my expectation of a deity with volition as we know it is too infantile too. worth to think about it.
Born to run
13. Born to Run. (audio) Christopher McDougall
This book had a drastic impact on me, and I hope it lasts. In the second half of 2011 this book made me a runner, with few exceptions, I’ve kept to a running discipline, getting i shape, loosing weight (with the right light you can kind of see I have a six pack now), and on the process connecting with other runners, talked about it at length with anyone who would hear. Furthermore, it made me feel I take advantage of living in High Park, as at least three times a week during the fall and start of I’ve been there, going through every trail, getting familiar with each area of the park, seeing how it changes with the seasons, the leaves changing colors and then starting to fall, the light, the pond, the sunsets, the other people who uses the park. To be outside with a purpose is a beautiful thing. But ok, what if you are not a runner, nor you’d like to become one?
It is still a must read for several reasons. First, is well written and documented (except one minor assumption about why drug lords kill singers); second, it tells it like it is, no ‘bon savage’ myth; third it does expose not one, but two very interesting theories, one about the the capitalist society (we all buy running shoes because of the advertising, even if is likely those cushioned expensive shoes are the cause of most running injuries), and the second is the theory that persistence hunting is the explanation to a few of the reasons of why humans evolved the way they did.
Ah, forgot, there is one more very important and interesting theory: am open and loving hearth being a requisite to become an endurance athlete.
There are so many things I loved about the book that I don’t know where to start, the story of the Chech athlete, who loved to run above everything, and who gave away his gold medal. The description of the first ultramarathon where Tarahumara runners participated is one of the most exciting description of a sport event I’ve heard or read in a while. Of course, the narrative of his trip to canion del Cobre for the Tarahumara race. the individual stories of the other ultramarathoners and how they got started. I can see myself re-reading this to motivate me again to run. And if you know me personally, chances are I have already told you to go and read this book. So, go and read it!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Junio
It seems my audiobook intake is slowing down. When driving I don't listen books anymore, because following a friend's advice, I started to listen some self-help sound bits that seem to be helping a little; and inspired by the example of all those Germans, denish and Swedish daily heroes I saw during the trip in May, I decided to bike to work during the summer! I do consider seriously get the audiobooks in my Blackberry and listen to them with headphones, but I really feel it further increases my chances of becoming roadkill any of these days!
12. Burst. Albert-Laszlo Barabasi.
I had been craving a book since the plane took off for Munich, my logic was that the trip was going to be so busy, and there were still so many things to investigate in the travel guides, that there would be no time for leisure reading. I was wrong, there were many hours were I could have really used a book, specially the long train ride between Copenhagen and Stockholm, and the flight from Stockholm to NY. Only there, with just a small connecting flight to Toronto left, I ventured to the bookstore and hastily favored this book, despite the uninspiring reviews on the back cover, the words "network science" got my eye.
Barabasi's uses one common technique in science popularization: telling the tale of how the discovery was made, getting you acquainted with the scientists as persons. And he unashamedly abuses another technique: telling story or an anecdote that is related to the scientific principle in question.
And he has several major problems with this second technique. First, the relation between the story he tells, and his theory of bursty behaviour is practically non-existing, you could random mention any other example, a soccer match, the hot dog industry, Caetano Veloso's last album, and chances are you'll be able to relate it to the Burst theory in a more smooth and natural way. Another problem is that he abuses the technique by filling at least half of the book with the story of Gyorgy Szekely. And the last problem is that it is only 3/4s into the book that he bothers to disclose what is his alleged connection between the history of Hungarian revolts and his theory.
But oh well, now the positives: It does help that he truly, genuinely cares about history. The scene where he goes to the archives of Nagyszeben in order to see with his own eyes one letter written in 1507 as part of his investigation really makes me empathize with him. I do too, feel the thrill and wonder of having in front of your eyes paper documents redacted at a time where the world as we know it today was beyond imaginable! Also, the history of Gyorgy Szekely, and impact on the outcome of eastern vs. western civilization's struggle is nothing less than fascinating, even if the description of his torture, gave me nightmares for days. Using internet I did look at Gyorgy's sculpture at Budapest's art gallery, and really wished I had known this history when I was in Budapest in 2005, barely 2 years before the visit to the archives Barabasi describes. And finally, it does help that Barabasi himself is a supposed direct descendant of one of the main protagonist of the historic drama.
One more positive thing, he does use this second technique effectively when dealing with Einstein's correspondence with a young scientist about multiple dimensions (Kalussa, who reportedly swam succesfully after simply reading a book oto teach himself), when talking about the artist who grew himself an ear in his arm, about the incorrect conviction of a man accused of rape and the related reliability of jurors, when talking about why kids don't get sick when reading Harry Potter. And Finally, I fell like a fool with his description of Lifelinear, I even told Theban at work, before doing further progress and having to come back with my tail between my legs to report back that it was a hoax.
Bottom line, I would have bought 2 different books: one with the history of the XVI century revolts and later demise of Bohemia, Hungary and Transylvania, and a very short one about his theory of burst. But there again, that's not the way you pitch your idea to a publisher.
Now, scientist usually complain when tabloids oversimplify and misinterpret their research with headlines such as "scientist find gene that makes you a cheater!", but Barabasi actually indulges heavily into doing that himself, whith statements such as "predicting the future", becoming his own PR pimp. I know selling science books to the wide audience requires compromises, but still it left me very uneasy, it felt a tad sleazy.
His theory of burst is worth a more detailed analysis with some rigor, I'll post it on my cognitive science site.
12. Burst. Albert-Laszlo Barabasi.
I had been craving a book since the plane took off for Munich, my logic was that the trip was going to be so busy, and there were still so many things to investigate in the travel guides, that there would be no time for leisure reading. I was wrong, there were many hours were I could have really used a book, specially the long train ride between Copenhagen and Stockholm, and the flight from Stockholm to NY. Only there, with just a small connecting flight to Toronto left, I ventured to the bookstore and hastily favored this book, despite the uninspiring reviews on the back cover, the words "network science" got my eye.
Barabasi's uses one common technique in science popularization: telling the tale of how the discovery was made, getting you acquainted with the scientists as persons. And he unashamedly abuses another technique: telling story or an anecdote that is related to the scientific principle in question.
And he has several major problems with this second technique. First, the relation between the story he tells, and his theory of bursty behaviour is practically non-existing, you could random mention any other example, a soccer match, the hot dog industry, Caetano Veloso's last album, and chances are you'll be able to relate it to the Burst theory in a more smooth and natural way. Another problem is that he abuses the technique by filling at least half of the book with the story of Gyorgy Szekely. And the last problem is that it is only 3/4s into the book that he bothers to disclose what is his alleged connection between the history of Hungarian revolts and his theory.
But oh well, now the positives: It does help that he truly, genuinely cares about history. The scene where he goes to the archives of Nagyszeben in order to see with his own eyes one letter written in 1507 as part of his investigation really makes me empathize with him. I do too, feel the thrill and wonder of having in front of your eyes paper documents redacted at a time where the world as we know it today was beyond imaginable! Also, the history of Gyorgy Szekely, and impact on the outcome of eastern vs. western civilization's struggle is nothing less than fascinating, even if the description of his torture, gave me nightmares for days. Using internet I did look at Gyorgy's sculpture at Budapest's art gallery, and really wished I had known this history when I was in Budapest in 2005, barely 2 years before the visit to the archives Barabasi describes. And finally, it does help that Barabasi himself is a supposed direct descendant of one of the main protagonist of the historic drama.
One more positive thing, he does use this second technique effectively when dealing with Einstein's correspondence with a young scientist about multiple dimensions (Kalussa, who reportedly swam succesfully after simply reading a book oto teach himself), when talking about the artist who grew himself an ear in his arm, about the incorrect conviction of a man accused of rape and the related reliability of jurors, when talking about why kids don't get sick when reading Harry Potter. And Finally, I fell like a fool with his description of Lifelinear, I even told Theban at work, before doing further progress and having to come back with my tail between my legs to report back that it was a hoax.
Bottom line, I would have bought 2 different books: one with the history of the XVI century revolts and later demise of Bohemia, Hungary and Transylvania, and a very short one about his theory of burst. But there again, that's not the way you pitch your idea to a publisher.
Now, scientist usually complain when tabloids oversimplify and misinterpret their research with headlines such as "scientist find gene that makes you a cheater!", but Barabasi actually indulges heavily into doing that himself, whith statements such as "predicting the future", becoming his own PR pimp. I know selling science books to the wide audience requires compromises, but still it left me very uneasy, it felt a tad sleazy.
His theory of burst is worth a more detailed analysis with some rigor, I'll post it on my cognitive science site.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April
11. (audio) At home: a short history of private life. Bill Bryson.
For some exciting minutes, I thought I had find the first great book of 2011: Bryson's description of the personalities and events related to the Great exhibition of 1851, got me marveled at the idea of finding someone who knows how to mix gossip with social science, with history of science, economy and social development... but alas, the book has turned to be highly irregular. Some really interesting, I would say essential passages, followed by very boring and pointless ones. THIS is what editors are for, like the producer of an album, a good editor could have hammered this into a fantastic book.
Some ideas that got my attention:
- Glass was invented many centuries ago, but only after production cost were cut in the XIX century, it became a commodity.
- I find fascinating that we can trace back the origin of words as basic as "home" and "house", is like peaking at civilization giving baby steps.
- The amount of work that servants had to do is beyond belief! So many human potential wasted, day after day, cleaning, re-cleaning, washing, just to maintaining rooms with linens where often no one slept in; glassware that no one drank, cutting grass on endless gardens, polishing the floors on room after room. Such a maniac waste of effort. If only all those earls, vicars and the like had lived in housing according to their needs, and set the same resources to employ those people in building roads, ports, infrastructure!
- My stomach churned at the descriptions of child labor, as early as 3, cleaning chimneys, and all the horrible diseases that it caused. There again, my stomach churned even more when I heard the part about rat infestations, cockroaches, etc.
- I paused at the stat about toilets being statistically cleaner than kitchen counters, and kitchen rags as the most bacteria infested place in the house!
- After the Romans left the British islands and germania, civilization didn't only stop: it reverted 400 years, the basic advancements, and even wonders like running water, and comfy house layouts, which you would think even the most savage, un-pragmatic tribe would appreciate, were simply and surprisingly snubbed and abandoned in favor of huts build around holes in the ground.
- The XIX american'mogul's palaces, the incredible amount of resources completely wasted.
I reiterate, this book is a screaming cry for help to a professional editor that can cut it into a 200 page wonder, and I wouldn't put in in my resume if I had edited it.
For some exciting minutes, I thought I had find the first great book of 2011: Bryson's description of the personalities and events related to the Great exhibition of 1851, got me marveled at the idea of finding someone who knows how to mix gossip with social science, with history of science, economy and social development... but alas, the book has turned to be highly irregular. Some really interesting, I would say essential passages, followed by very boring and pointless ones. THIS is what editors are for, like the producer of an album, a good editor could have hammered this into a fantastic book.
Some ideas that got my attention:
- Glass was invented many centuries ago, but only after production cost were cut in the XIX century, it became a commodity.
- I find fascinating that we can trace back the origin of words as basic as "home" and "house", is like peaking at civilization giving baby steps.
- The amount of work that servants had to do is beyond belief! So many human potential wasted, day after day, cleaning, re-cleaning, washing, just to maintaining rooms with linens where often no one slept in; glassware that no one drank, cutting grass on endless gardens, polishing the floors on room after room. Such a maniac waste of effort. If only all those earls, vicars and the like had lived in housing according to their needs, and set the same resources to employ those people in building roads, ports, infrastructure!
- My stomach churned at the descriptions of child labor, as early as 3, cleaning chimneys, and all the horrible diseases that it caused. There again, my stomach churned even more when I heard the part about rat infestations, cockroaches, etc.
- I paused at the stat about toilets being statistically cleaner than kitchen counters, and kitchen rags as the most bacteria infested place in the house!
- After the Romans left the British islands and germania, civilization didn't only stop: it reverted 400 years, the basic advancements, and even wonders like running water, and comfy house layouts, which you would think even the most savage, un-pragmatic tribe would appreciate, were simply and surprisingly snubbed and abandoned in favor of huts build around holes in the ground.
- The XIX american'mogul's palaces, the incredible amount of resources completely wasted.
I reiterate, this book is a screaming cry for help to a professional editor that can cut it into a 200 page wonder, and I wouldn't put in in my resume if I had edited it.
March
10. Norwegian Wood. Haruki Murakami. Sober, superb, sensual and sad. Murakami gave me a really nice welcome during my first days in Canada, so I'm surprised it has taken me 11 years to pick another one of his books. He is praised as a genre bender, so I'm already salivating at the tought of going exploring completely different territories with him.
Norwegian Wood get's you deep, deep in the athmosphere of every scene, the small details are what make this a great book; and the best part is that that he does it not using a narrator, but through the main character, which in turn you can identify with for a number of reasons, making his sensibility your sensibility.
It reminded me of course of my own youth, how different company got you to completely different worlds day after day, how your body and your life was lighter and able to move with the flow more easily. It also reminded me of so many streets and parks in Kyoto and Tokyo. Would it be too easy to compare this book's tone and pace with Banana Yoshimoto's, just because both are japanese? the book has a slow part near the end, and I think setting the beginning in Germany was confusing and unnecesary, the whole book I kept wondering how Naokoto got to Germany because I tought that's where the episode took place. Overall, a greatly crafted portrait of love, pain, and finding the sense of self.
Norwegian Wood get's you deep, deep in the athmosphere of every scene, the small details are what make this a great book; and the best part is that that he does it not using a narrator, but through the main character, which in turn you can identify with for a number of reasons, making his sensibility your sensibility.
It reminded me of course of my own youth, how different company got you to completely different worlds day after day, how your body and your life was lighter and able to move with the flow more easily. It also reminded me of so many streets and parks in Kyoto and Tokyo. Would it be too easy to compare this book's tone and pace with Banana Yoshimoto's, just because both are japanese? the book has a slow part near the end, and I think setting the beginning in Germany was confusing and unnecesary, the whole book I kept wondering how Naokoto got to Germany because I tought that's where the episode took place. Overall, a greatly crafted portrait of love, pain, and finding the sense of self.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
February
8. Et tu, babe. Mark Leyner. One of the fastest books I've ever read. Is Monthy Pyton on steroids. free from any plot, convention or sensorship, the only aim is to cram as many possible wild images and extravagant concepts as possible, in such density and rapid succession that there is room for nothing more. The only theme is the megalomania of the main character.
Perhaps not a fantastic book, but very entretaining, very original, and very wild; it makes Vicente Huidobro seem composed.
9 (audio) Outliers. Malcom Gladwell. Nod to Gladwell: grew up in Ontario and graduated from History from University of Toronto, Trinity College (blocks from my previous appartment, and one of the nicest areas of the campus); named in 2005 one of the 100 most influential people in the planet by Time magazine. Gladwell translates well into audiobook, I've heard also "Blink" and "the tipping point".
Now, the book: It is as good as the previous 2, which is: clear, insightful, thought provoking, superb. Starts with junior hockey players and the concept of compounded advantages (I don't recall the term he uses), as some circumstances result in the development of talent beyond others, and this in result puts the individual on a completely different enviroment (access to practice, resources) which in turn develops further the ability to a point where the difference between him and the original group is gargantuan.
Nordic countries have managed to atenuate this by not having merit based separation before age 10. Very interesting his analysis of the 100 wealthiest people on history, and the desproporcionate representation of XIX century americans.
His analisys of jew immigrants working as tailors as apredecesor for the success of the next generation on law and medicine doesn't quite hold water for me, but there is something in the data that deserves a close look. Also fascinating the case of the old town where people simply didn't have hearth attacks all due to strong community sense.
During my trip to Vancouver led Frutas to start reading it on a quite likeable cofee house in Kitsilano.
Perhaps not a fantastic book, but very entretaining, very original, and very wild; it makes Vicente Huidobro seem composed.
9 (audio) Outliers. Malcom Gladwell. Nod to Gladwell: grew up in Ontario and graduated from History from University of Toronto, Trinity College (blocks from my previous appartment, and one of the nicest areas of the campus); named in 2005 one of the 100 most influential people in the planet by Time magazine. Gladwell translates well into audiobook, I've heard also "Blink" and "the tipping point".
Now, the book: It is as good as the previous 2, which is: clear, insightful, thought provoking, superb. Starts with junior hockey players and the concept of compounded advantages (I don't recall the term he uses), as some circumstances result in the development of talent beyond others, and this in result puts the individual on a completely different enviroment (access to practice, resources) which in turn develops further the ability to a point where the difference between him and the original group is gargantuan.
Nordic countries have managed to atenuate this by not having merit based separation before age 10. Very interesting his analysis of the 100 wealthiest people on history, and the desproporcionate representation of XIX century americans.
His analisys of jew immigrants working as tailors as apredecesor for the success of the next generation on law and medicine doesn't quite hold water for me, but there is something in the data that deserves a close look. Also fascinating the case of the old town where people simply didn't have hearth attacks all due to strong community sense.
During my trip to Vancouver led Frutas to start reading it on a quite likeable cofee house in Kitsilano.
Monday, January 3, 2011
January 2011
1 Old's man war. John Scalzi.
Seems it is becoming a tradition: I travel to Guadalajara for Christmans, have brunch or lunch with Leon and talk about books, I receive a sci-fi saga as a present, and on the flight back to Toronto I am gladly surprised.
In this case, the glad surprise was that the sci-fi elements were kept to a minimum. Scalzi does devote a few pages here and there to technology or alien civilizations, but those distractions are kept to a minimum, the main focus is on the character and the relationship between body and personality. Furthermore, it does it with great sense of humor, and with surprising humanity. The book devotes almost as much time to the character's wife home baked pies and local earth politics, as it does to the weapons used on intergalactic wars. I thank him for that. Quite a refreshing book, fun to read.
In this case, BTW, the restaurant where Leon told me about this author was an argentinian restaurant called el Quilombo, once again quite a pleasent place. Good way to start the year.
2, 3 Ghost Brigades, The Lost Colony. John Scalzi. I really enjoyed completing this trilogy that started with Old man's war, very welcomed light reading at a time when I really needed to take my mind away from everything. If I were to mention one flaw, that would be the fact that many characters have very simmilar personality and sense of humour, it is very transparent that he puts a lot of his own sense of humour on his characters. I'd love to have a beer with him. Comparing to the Millenium trilogy I just read, this guy makes a much, much better job of being economical with his senences, getting to the point, and providing context or reminders on a swift and unobtrusive way; how many times I rolled my eyes on the Millenium Trilogy when I was told yet again the traumatic episodes on the character's past (still, Larsson is much more subtle than Dan Brown, but that's not much of a compliment, is the equivalent of 'he smells better than a rotted egg').
The characters have an old world ingenuity (climb to the trees to set the ambush, set the blood on fire, etc.), and small town values that make them pretty likable.
4. Casi Nunca. Daniel Sada. Este libro me hizo considerar seriamente dejar de leer literatura mexicana por un buen rato. Lo pero es que venia bien recomendad, regalo navideño de uno de mir hermanos, premio Herralde de novela, publicado por Anagrama, alabado por Alvaro Mutis y Juan Villoro!
Lo bueno: lo mejor del libro sin duda es haber elegido como conflicto dramatico la eleccion del personaje entre una mujer que le ofrece plenitud sexual (una prostituta que le cumple con creces todos sus deseos), y una 'dama de buena familia' que implica renunciar ya no digamos a la plenitud sexual, sino incluso al sexo basico... pero con la esperanza de tener sexo en algun momento. El conflicto esta a la altura de la eleccion entre el bien y el mal, La decision de Sofia, o la alternativa entre patria y religion. El lenguaje tambien es una cierto, es original, es arriesgado, sin ser demasiado pretencioso.
Pero el problema, el puto problema con docenas y docenas de libros mexicanos que he leido en los ultimos años: los personajes son todos unos perdedores mediocres e idiotas cuya vida obra y milagros me tiene sin cuidado. Los intelectuales mexicanos miran con desdén a las peliculas americanas porque son caricaturescas; ¿nadie se ha dado cuenta que el 80% de la literatura mexicana es una caricatura de la mediocridad? Los personajes son, desde el protagonista, la novia pueblerina, hasta la prostituta y la tía, seres agobiamentemente mediocres, insoportablemente insulsos e idiotas. Un verdadero desperdicio de talento, porque sin duda Daniel Sada lo tiene.
5 (Audio) Gorky Park. Martin Cruz Smith. Mr. Shawn Bloore had several times recommended this book, and he was right.
The only problem is that just as I got the audiobook, I was reading one book about writting mysterys (Shawn's gift, coincidentally), and that other book gave away completely the plot, which ruins reading a mystery.
so I heard the first couple of chapters hald heartedly, driving to and from the office on snowy January mornings, but at some point I realized that Shaw was right, this book deserves attention. Even if you know the plot, who is the murder and why, the book is compelling, well written, does transport you to a a different country and a different mindset. the characters have dimension, the plot does develop in intriguing paths. I like a lot the scene where the nvestigator Renko tries to interrogate the girl right after saving her life and she is so dismissive and mounted on her high horse, credible dialogue, credible dramatic tension. It would be worth reading on paper. Thanks Shawn for the recommendation.
6. ¿Cómo dijo? El segundo Libro. Ricardo Espinoza. Serie de viñetas sobre el uso del lenguaje y a veces sus origenes. Sin demasiado rigor académico, porque es un libro populachero, de divulgación que sin embargo contiene información interesante. Tene un huor ingenuo, picardía tímida y respetuosa. Sin pena ni gloria, libro útil pare tener en el baño.
7. Millenium. Tom Holland. I was so impressed by Holland's other book: Persian Fire, that I vowed to get his other books. Millenium is equally well documented, but by far not as engaging as Persian Fire. Small kings, failed empires, petty tribal wars, superstition and religious fanatisim tend to get repetitive and boring after a while.
However, it is fascinating to see how the est as we know it was formed. How Norway and Russia got their names, how some words of the european languages were coined and remain in use after a thousand years. It is fascnating how the power struggles of a few dozen people define the faith and customs of millions of people today. It is fascinating see christianity becoming a unifying force in europe.
It is fascinating to learn about some nations when they were still barely a concept, barely populated, it is like talking to John Lennon when he was 17.
here are some of my notes on the book:
Separation of Church and State at Canossa. I find extremely puzzling that Holland announces this as awatershed point on history. If anything, I would have found Canossa as a ratification that earthly matters required blessing from the heavely spheres, hardly a new concept at the time.
pxxii: "Of Islam is often said that it never had reformation - but more to the point might be to say that it never had a Canossa. Certainly, to a pious Muslim, the notion that the political and religious spheres can be separated is a shocking one - as it was to many of Gregory's opponents."
p12 "Kings who acepted baptism did so primarly to win for thieir own purposes the backing of an intimidatingly powerful god"
I'm not totally sure if this change happened completely, I believe the people outside church still ha shuge impact on what the church doctrine is.
p16 "Once, before the Church had began its grat labour of erecting a boundary between the sacred and the profane, the two had seemed interfused. Streams and prophets had read the future in os dung; mourners had brough offerings of food and drinks to tombs. Increasingly, however, the clergy had succedded in identigying the dimensions of the supernatural as exclusively of their own. By the eight century, christians uninitiated into the priesthood were loosing confidence in their ability to communicate with the invisible. [...] No longer did people trust themselves to aid their departed kin as they embarked on this last journey. Only through the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Church had pronounced, could there be any hope of helping sould in the other world -and only a priest could conduct a Holy Mass."
p22.23 'He could rule not by virtue of descent from some ridiculous merman [...] but 'by the grace of God' "
I was surprised by the amount of slavery explotation on Italy by the Saracens.
p91 "Near industrisal scale of the slave-trade [...]: on traveler, witnessing a great flotilla of ships in Taranto, Then is Saracen hands, claimed to have seen some twelve thousand captives being loaded ready for transport to the markets of Africa."
p204. Year 994, viking raider Tryvgasson is converted to christianity, held as royal rather than criminal and is given a higher purpose on life: to rule Norway and convert it to christianity. It is fascinating to me how the interest of higher rule, peer recognition and religious devotion all aligned to start 'upgrading' poles, hungarians, russians, and other warrior raiders from criminal warlords to Lords, blessed by the Almighty, and in the process swiftly unifying eurpose under a single faith in the course of a couple hundred years.
p 210. Iceland first colonized in year 870, Greenland in 986 (by 450 icelanders), and explorations made further west to "Vinland" what would be Canada, but it is too remote to provide anything more than subsistence, and thus not colonized.
p235. Cairo, year 996, caliph Al-Hakim "first ordered women to be veiled when out in public; then he banned them from leaving their homes; finally he forbade them to even so as much as to peer out of windows or doors. Cobblers were instructed to stop making them shoes" More than a thousand years later, when I walked through the streets of egypt, I still could see some of these horrors still in practice and hailed as "the right thing".
p246. Back in western europe, the quest for heretics starts. Vegetarianism is seen as a sign of heressy, as being vegetarian was seen to aim for a flesh-less state, close to that of an angel, in preparation for the arrival of the New Jerusalem. Predicting such arrival was the heresy itself. Fastening was good for monks, but not for priest or common people. "squeamishness had come to be regarded as a certain sign of heressy"
p261 year 1039 Henry II ascends as king of the Reich, out of religious zeal: 'his earnest ambition was never to laugh', he and his wife attended mass 5 times a day most of the time.
p340 year 1057 In Milan, priest are chased and threatened by the 'pateretes' (people from countryside and poor areas of town) for the crime of having wifes, which until then was OK for a priest in Milan.
p342 Virginity and the absence of any type of se becomes the requisite for any religious person; while in the past was almost an heressy simmilar to the vegetarianism.
p351 circa 1074 pope Gregory writes (but doesn't make public) a memorandum where it says "that all princess should kiss the feet of the pope alone"; "that he is permitted to depose emperors". The emperor vs. pope power struggle begins.
p407 27 Nov 1095, pope Urban addresses the crowd (300-400) on an open field and promise heaven to those who liberate Jerusalem. Crusades are born.
Seems it is becoming a tradition: I travel to Guadalajara for Christmans, have brunch or lunch with Leon and talk about books, I receive a sci-fi saga as a present, and on the flight back to Toronto I am gladly surprised.
In this case, the glad surprise was that the sci-fi elements were kept to a minimum. Scalzi does devote a few pages here and there to technology or alien civilizations, but those distractions are kept to a minimum, the main focus is on the character and the relationship between body and personality. Furthermore, it does it with great sense of humor, and with surprising humanity. The book devotes almost as much time to the character's wife home baked pies and local earth politics, as it does to the weapons used on intergalactic wars. I thank him for that. Quite a refreshing book, fun to read.
In this case, BTW, the restaurant where Leon told me about this author was an argentinian restaurant called el Quilombo, once again quite a pleasent place. Good way to start the year.
2, 3 Ghost Brigades, The Lost Colony. John Scalzi. I really enjoyed completing this trilogy that started with Old man's war, very welcomed light reading at a time when I really needed to take my mind away from everything. If I were to mention one flaw, that would be the fact that many characters have very simmilar personality and sense of humour, it is very transparent that he puts a lot of his own sense of humour on his characters. I'd love to have a beer with him. Comparing to the Millenium trilogy I just read, this guy makes a much, much better job of being economical with his senences, getting to the point, and providing context or reminders on a swift and unobtrusive way; how many times I rolled my eyes on the Millenium Trilogy when I was told yet again the traumatic episodes on the character's past (still, Larsson is much more subtle than Dan Brown, but that's not much of a compliment, is the equivalent of 'he smells better than a rotted egg').
The characters have an old world ingenuity (climb to the trees to set the ambush, set the blood on fire, etc.), and small town values that make them pretty likable.
4. Casi Nunca. Daniel Sada. Este libro me hizo considerar seriamente dejar de leer literatura mexicana por un buen rato. Lo pero es que venia bien recomendad, regalo navideño de uno de mir hermanos, premio Herralde de novela, publicado por Anagrama, alabado por Alvaro Mutis y Juan Villoro!
Lo bueno: lo mejor del libro sin duda es haber elegido como conflicto dramatico la eleccion del personaje entre una mujer que le ofrece plenitud sexual (una prostituta que le cumple con creces todos sus deseos), y una 'dama de buena familia' que implica renunciar ya no digamos a la plenitud sexual, sino incluso al sexo basico... pero con la esperanza de tener sexo en algun momento. El conflicto esta a la altura de la eleccion entre el bien y el mal, La decision de Sofia, o la alternativa entre patria y religion. El lenguaje tambien es una cierto, es original, es arriesgado, sin ser demasiado pretencioso.
Pero el problema, el puto problema con docenas y docenas de libros mexicanos que he leido en los ultimos años: los personajes son todos unos perdedores mediocres e idiotas cuya vida obra y milagros me tiene sin cuidado. Los intelectuales mexicanos miran con desdén a las peliculas americanas porque son caricaturescas; ¿nadie se ha dado cuenta que el 80% de la literatura mexicana es una caricatura de la mediocridad? Los personajes son, desde el protagonista, la novia pueblerina, hasta la prostituta y la tía, seres agobiamentemente mediocres, insoportablemente insulsos e idiotas. Un verdadero desperdicio de talento, porque sin duda Daniel Sada lo tiene.
5 (Audio) Gorky Park. Martin Cruz Smith. Mr. Shawn Bloore had several times recommended this book, and he was right.
The only problem is that just as I got the audiobook, I was reading one book about writting mysterys (Shawn's gift, coincidentally), and that other book gave away completely the plot, which ruins reading a mystery.
so I heard the first couple of chapters hald heartedly, driving to and from the office on snowy January mornings, but at some point I realized that Shaw was right, this book deserves attention. Even if you know the plot, who is the murder and why, the book is compelling, well written, does transport you to a a different country and a different mindset. the characters have dimension, the plot does develop in intriguing paths. I like a lot the scene where the nvestigator Renko tries to interrogate the girl right after saving her life and she is so dismissive and mounted on her high horse, credible dialogue, credible dramatic tension. It would be worth reading on paper. Thanks Shawn for the recommendation.
6. ¿Cómo dijo? El segundo Libro. Ricardo Espinoza. Serie de viñetas sobre el uso del lenguaje y a veces sus origenes. Sin demasiado rigor académico, porque es un libro populachero, de divulgación que sin embargo contiene información interesante. Tene un huor ingenuo, picardía tímida y respetuosa. Sin pena ni gloria, libro útil pare tener en el baño.
7. Millenium. Tom Holland. I was so impressed by Holland's other book: Persian Fire, that I vowed to get his other books. Millenium is equally well documented, but by far not as engaging as Persian Fire. Small kings, failed empires, petty tribal wars, superstition and religious fanatisim tend to get repetitive and boring after a while.
However, it is fascinating to see how the est as we know it was formed. How Norway and Russia got their names, how some words of the european languages were coined and remain in use after a thousand years. It is fascnating how the power struggles of a few dozen people define the faith and customs of millions of people today. It is fascinating see christianity becoming a unifying force in europe.
It is fascinating to learn about some nations when they were still barely a concept, barely populated, it is like talking to John Lennon when he was 17.
here are some of my notes on the book:
Separation of Church and State at Canossa. I find extremely puzzling that Holland announces this as awatershed point on history. If anything, I would have found Canossa as a ratification that earthly matters required blessing from the heavely spheres, hardly a new concept at the time.
pxxii: "Of Islam is often said that it never had reformation - but more to the point might be to say that it never had a Canossa. Certainly, to a pious Muslim, the notion that the political and religious spheres can be separated is a shocking one - as it was to many of Gregory's opponents."
p12 "Kings who acepted baptism did so primarly to win for thieir own purposes the backing of an intimidatingly powerful god"
I'm not totally sure if this change happened completely, I believe the people outside church still ha shuge impact on what the church doctrine is.
p16 "Once, before the Church had began its grat labour of erecting a boundary between the sacred and the profane, the two had seemed interfused. Streams and prophets had read the future in os dung; mourners had brough offerings of food and drinks to tombs. Increasingly, however, the clergy had succedded in identigying the dimensions of the supernatural as exclusively of their own. By the eight century, christians uninitiated into the priesthood were loosing confidence in their ability to communicate with the invisible. [...] No longer did people trust themselves to aid their departed kin as they embarked on this last journey. Only through the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Church had pronounced, could there be any hope of helping sould in the other world -and only a priest could conduct a Holy Mass."
p22.23 'He could rule not by virtue of descent from some ridiculous merman [...] but 'by the grace of God' "
I was surprised by the amount of slavery explotation on Italy by the Saracens.
p91 "Near industrisal scale of the slave-trade [...]: on traveler, witnessing a great flotilla of ships in Taranto, Then is Saracen hands, claimed to have seen some twelve thousand captives being loaded ready for transport to the markets of Africa."
p204. Year 994, viking raider Tryvgasson is converted to christianity, held as royal rather than criminal and is given a higher purpose on life: to rule Norway and convert it to christianity. It is fascinating to me how the interest of higher rule, peer recognition and religious devotion all aligned to start 'upgrading' poles, hungarians, russians, and other warrior raiders from criminal warlords to Lords, blessed by the Almighty, and in the process swiftly unifying eurpose under a single faith in the course of a couple hundred years.
p 210. Iceland first colonized in year 870, Greenland in 986 (by 450 icelanders), and explorations made further west to "Vinland" what would be Canada, but it is too remote to provide anything more than subsistence, and thus not colonized.
p235. Cairo, year 996, caliph Al-Hakim "first ordered women to be veiled when out in public; then he banned them from leaving their homes; finally he forbade them to even so as much as to peer out of windows or doors. Cobblers were instructed to stop making them shoes" More than a thousand years later, when I walked through the streets of egypt, I still could see some of these horrors still in practice and hailed as "the right thing".
p246. Back in western europe, the quest for heretics starts. Vegetarianism is seen as a sign of heressy, as being vegetarian was seen to aim for a flesh-less state, close to that of an angel, in preparation for the arrival of the New Jerusalem. Predicting such arrival was the heresy itself. Fastening was good for monks, but not for priest or common people. "squeamishness had come to be regarded as a certain sign of heressy"
p261 year 1039 Henry II ascends as king of the Reich, out of religious zeal: 'his earnest ambition was never to laugh', he and his wife attended mass 5 times a day most of the time.
p340 year 1057 In Milan, priest are chased and threatened by the 'pateretes' (people from countryside and poor areas of town) for the crime of having wifes, which until then was OK for a priest in Milan.
p342 Virginity and the absence of any type of se becomes the requisite for any religious person; while in the past was almost an heressy simmilar to the vegetarianism.
p351 circa 1074 pope Gregory writes (but doesn't make public) a memorandum where it says "that all princess should kiss the feet of the pope alone"; "that he is permitted to depose emperors". The emperor vs. pope power struggle begins.
p407 27 Nov 1095, pope Urban addresses the crowd (300-400) on an open field and promise heaven to those who liberate Jerusalem. Crusades are born.
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