Category: Non Fiction
Ikigai — Yukari Mitsuhashi
A really interesting book, well written and full of ideas for how you might find your own ikigai.
A lot of people could benefit from reading this book instead of wandering mindlessly from cradle to grave.
Yukari’s Page
#japan #yukarimitsuhashi
How to Live Japanese — Yutaka Yazawa
An interesting read for those of us who enjoy all things Japanese.
It goes back and forward between the past and the present, giving us historic reasons for modern Japanese culture, and also how foreign influences have creeped in over the years as well.
Yutaka’s Page
#japan #yutakayazawa
Born to Run — Christopher McDougall
As a bare foot runner myself i’ve been meaning to read this book for a very long time, but it just kept on sitting in my to-read pile always being overlooked for some exciting fiction to read instead. But now, finally, i dived in and got it read.
And it’s really good. Christopher has a way of writing that is just captivating and really takes the reader into the depths of the Copper Canyons to meet the Tarahumara and to experience a world that was left behind a long time ago.
To be able to look back in time in this way with the Tarahumara and to see just what super healthy, wonderful, running machines, Natural humans truly are when they’re not pampered by modern appliances and poisoned by modern diets.
This book is a must for anyone who runs, especially for anyone who is even thinking about taking up running, and also for anyone remotely interested in Human evolution and what makes a Homo sapien so special amongst all other animals.
So if you haven’t read it yet, just do so. It’s wonderfully written and a super page turning read meeting some really interesting characters (all true life characters) along the way. It’s not only a great read but a great journey.
And, having enjoyed his writing soooo much, i’m now very much looking forward to reading Christopher’s other books.
Bye for now.
Christopher’s Page
#gettingfitter #roads #transport #fitness #health #running #christophermcdougall
Musashi’s Dokkodo — Miyamoto Musashi
Just before Musashi died, he wrote a set of precepts for his favourite student. In this book the precepts are discussed one by one by five martial artists from different backgrounds and careers.
A really good look at Musashi and his ideas with five different interpretations of both the man, the legend and his precepts.
A must read for those of us who are interested in Japanese culture, especially from the feudal era.
Bye for now.
Musashi’s Page
#japan #miyamotomusashi
The Molecule of More — Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long
A rather interesting book all about dopamine, and how it controls us and shapes our world.
Me thinks everyone should read all the books they can about neurotransmitters, this being a fairly good one.
The annoying thing to me is that while there’s quite a lot of discussion on how our genetics affect out dopamine levels and responses, there is a complete lack of discussion on epigenetics, as though they have no influence whatsoever. There’s also a complete lack on how diet and lifestyle affects dopamine and other neurotransmitters. So while this is a fairly good look at dopamine in general, i wouldn’t take it all at face value because there’s simply too much left out, IMHO.
But lots of people just want to blame the genes they were given and take the “It’s not my fault” path, so maybe this book is written for them.
Bye for now.
Daniel’s Page Michael’s Page
#5t4n5 #danielzlieberman #michaelelong
Pastel Painting Atelier — Ellen Eagle
A super good book with Ellen taking us through everything she knows about art and her own approach to working on a artwork, from conception to completetion.
I would consider this book a must read for pastelists, but also i would think that a lot of artists of other mediums would also really enjoy it and get a few take-aways.
It’s also full of some wonderful art works, both by Ellen and others that she has something to point out about. I would rate it very highly as just a book to look at the pictures if that’s also your thing, as there are a lot of wonderful pictures to browse.
#art #painting #pastels #elleneagles
Will I Live to See My Utopia? — P. Djèlí Clark
Inspired by the TV show Watchmen. You can read it over at Uncanny.
An interesting and thought provoking essay by one of my favourite writers. Djèlí is a historian by day and he provides lots of links for you to learn things with.
And for those of you who haven’t watched Watchmen yet, then seriously get the fuck out from under that rock you’ve been living under and turn the computer on and find it. Seriously good TV.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#watchmen #tv
Dreams Must Explain Themselves — Ursula K. Le Guin
National Book Award Acceptance Speech
Dreams Must Explain Themselves
A Citizen of Mondath
From Elfland to Poughkeepsie
Why Are Americans Afraid of Dragons?
Is Gender Necessary? Redux
Introduction to The Left Hand of Darkness
The Space Crone
Introduction to The Word for World is Forest
Close Encounters, Star Wars, and the Tertium Quid
Shikasta by Doris Lessing
It was a Dark and Stormy Night: Or, Why Are We Huddling about the Campfire?
The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five by Doris Lessing
Some Thoughts on Narrative
Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino
World-Making
The Princess
Facing It
A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be
A Left-Handed Commencement Address
The Sentimental Agents by Doris Lessing
Whose Lathe?
Theodora
Science Fiction and the Future
Prospects for Women in Writing
Bryn Mawr Commencement Address
Heroes
The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction
The Fisherwoman’s Daughter
Things Not Actually Present: On The Book of Fantasy and J. L. Borges
Prides: An Essay on Writing Workshops
Indian Uncles by Ursula Kroeber Le Guin
The Writer On, and At, Her Work
Dogs, Cats, and Dancers: Thoughts about Beauty
Introducing Myself
Off the Page: Loud Cows, a Talk and a Poem about Reading Aloud
Reading Young, Reading Old: Mark Twain’s Diaries of Adam and Eve
All Happy Families
The Operating Instructions
The Question I get Asked Most Often
Rhythmic Pattern in The Lord of the Rings
A Matter of Trust
On the Frontier
Old Body, Not Writing
The Critics, the Monsters, and the Fantasists
Collectors, Rhymesters, and Drummers
About Feet
The Writer and the Character
Cheek by Jowl: Animals in Children’s Literature
Why Kids Want Fantasy, or, Be Careful What You Eat
National Book Award Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Acceptance Speech
