I’m currently rebuilding the website as the old one got totally messed up when i was playing around with things (no idea what happened).
So i thought that while it was a total clusterfuck mess of SQL, i would take the opportunity to give it a whole new life and everything.
So if you go clicking on things you might find that very strange things happen. Don’t moan, i know a lot of things are broken, i’m working on it, it takes time.
I’ve got tons of old posts and pages from three websites that i’m working through and will be gradually posting all the stuff i want to keep on here while fixing all the broken things as i go through, one post, one page, at a time.
Other than doing all that, i will, of course, be continuing to add more new content and my latest posts will always appear directly below.
Enjoy
Alice’s Adventures Under Ground — Lewis Carroll
I’m having an Alice binge at the moment and decided i needed to go back to the very beginning of the story to see how it came about.
This book is great, not just having the original story, but also letters to and from the author at the time. A very enlightening piece of literary history which puts the whole Alice and Wonderland thing into a somewhat disturbing perspective which i’ll let everyone else make their own minds up about.
Anyway, disturbance aside, i can’t change history, so i’m going to continue the journey and get straight into Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which is the re-written and added to edition for public consumption of this original which was written purely for Alice Liddell by Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll).
Definitely something all adults should go back and read — and maybe learn not to take things too seriously, or at least, at face value.
Here be some more “Alice and Wonderland” books.
Lewis’ Page
#lewiscarroll #aliceinwonderland #viclit
The Pleasure Trap — Douglas J Lisle
The Pleasure Trap by Douglas J Lisle is probably one of the most important books for surviving the modern age.
My thoughts on this:
When Homo sapiens first stood upon the Earth we were born into a savage garden where most things either wanted to eat us or were poisonous, and if we wanted to survive and help our children to survive to an age where they could have children we had to learn to navigate that savage garden in a precise way to avoid the predators and parasites and toxic things that live within it.
Fast forward to the 21st century and our savage garden is now capitalism. And the predators and parasites are corporations and the poisonous things are the food and medicine that they sell to us. They lure us in by using our evolved nature — that suited us perfectly upon the Earth thousands of years ago — against us. We are for the most part seemingly defenceless against the tirade of sweet, fat and salty food and medicines that relieve symptoms but never deal with the cause.
But are we defenceless?
Not if you’re aware of the pleasure traps that they have created to enslave you.
Chronic diseases, the diseases that once were the diseases of kings and the ruling classes, are now the diseases of almost everyone thanks to the corporatisation of the food chain and the medical industry. And chronic disease is caused by nothing more than eating too much of the wrong foods and taking the wrong medicines.
Read this book and learn how to avoid the pleasure traps and how to extract yourself from them when you fall into them.
Your future and your children’s future and their children’s future lies within your grasp of the pleasure traps that corporate predators and parasites have placed in the savage garden of capitalism.
It’s your choice.
You can take your sick, suffering part in their eugenics experiment or walk away from it and be healthy and free.
PS. If you enjoyed the message within this book then you may also enjoy reading Anna Lembke’s book Dopamine Nation: which will give you a few more tools for your dopamine control toolbox.
Douglas’ Page
#food #bigfood #bigpharma #DouglasJLisle
Sourdough — Robin Sloan
If you liked Robin’s Penumbra books then throw this on your reading list and have at it: more of that Robin Sloan style for you to enjoy.
If, however, you’ve come across this book because you’re into sourdough baking and was looking for a story to read that reflects the real challenges, difficulties etc., of baking your own sourdough breads, then you’ll probably want to read something else.
Conversely, if you’ve come across this book because you’re into sourdough baking but are able to put aside — for a while at least — your overly strict, sourdough-baker expectations to read a fun story about a magical and strange starter from a mysterious foreign land — including it’s musical tastes — then you just might really enjoy a good, fun read and become another Robin Sloan fan just like the rest of us.
Robin wrote an article all about sourdough: “Sourdough: A Confession, a Recipe, and a Playlist”.
And check out my review of the album that the Sourdough music was inspired by clicking here.
Robin’s Page
#scifi #robinsloan
The Keeper of Lost Things — Ruth Hogan
A really enjoyable book.
The best thing about owning a Kindle is discovering “Kindle Book Deals”. For 99 pence, including delivery, you really can’t go wrong trying out books simply judged by their titles and covers. This one was a certainly a diamond in the rough.
Ruth’s treatment of Down’s Syndrome was a breath of fresh air in a world so full of ignorance and stigma, and her treatment of Alzheimer’s disease equally so. Ruth really isn’t afraid to delve into lives that few writers would fear to tread and does so with care and understanding.
Definitely a book for anyone wanting to read a lovely, well thought out, enjoyable story with great characters you can’t help but enjoy — Ruth even manages to include a likeable ghost.
And if you should enjoy this book — and why wouldn’t you — then treat yourself and dive straight into Ruth’s next book: The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes.
Ruth’s Page
#ruthhogan
Ajax penumbra: 1969 — Robin Sloan
The first time i read The Little Paris Bookshop, i was inspired to go on the hunt for more book shop stories: that was when i found Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store.
And i’m glad i did go looking. I really enjoyed Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store and having read that i later discovered Robin had written this little prequel.
Robin has quickly become a favourite writer and i dived straight into reading Sourdough immediately after finishing this. His stories have a really nice flow with interesting likeable characters and nice easy going English.
Which should one read first, this or Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store? Well knowing what i know now, i would read Ajax penumbra 1969 first, as i now feel that i need to go and re-read Mr. Penumbra again to give it more clarity, so i’m not reviewing that until i’ve got around to reading it again.
I think the difference is whether you want to meet the bookshop first from Ajax’s first view in 1969 or from Clay’s first view in the 21st century. But you’ll want to read the other book again after finishing the other book either way, so i don’t really think it makes much difference.
Robin’s Page
#robinsloan
Breatheology — Stig Avall Severinsen
Being a four time world champion freediver, Stig certainly knows a thing or two about breathing and he lays it all out in this great book that is aimed at everyone who wishes to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing: not just freedivers.
Breathing is one of the most important things we do in life, if not the most important, yet we pay so little attention to it until something goes horribly wrong.
Stig’s book explains pretty much everything you needed to know about good breathing practise and how to achieve a much more healthier life with a great variety of exercises that will improve your breathing. And you don’t need to be a great athlete to benefit from this book. Even people bedridden with disabilities can benefit from some of these simple to practise exercises.
So whether you’re a freediver or not, it’s a great book to have on your shelf.
Stig’s Page
#fitness #health #stigavallseverinsen
The Little White Bird; or, Adventures in Kensington Gardens — J. M. Barrie
This is the very book wherein Peter Pan makes his first appearance. The parts within that include Peter Pan were later published as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens which is not to be confused with the full Peter Pan story, which was subsequently published as Peter and Wendy or later, just simply, Peter Pan.
I know, it gets quite confusing tracking down the origins of these Vic Lit legends, you get the same shenanigans with Alice in Wonderland. But it does add a little challenge to your reading, which would normally just consist of buying a book you like the look of and reading it.
I’ve read in some reviews people saying they couldn’t understand this book and they kept on getting confused. Obviously they didn’t factor in that this is written in beautiful Victorian prose and is not some standard contemporary novel. I do feel that in order to fully enjoy Vic Lit then you really need to read a few books to get up to speed on the use of the language by these writers. Most of these books were written by very well educated Victorians, not the lower classes, and they used the language quite differently to how we use it today with words that have completely escaped the modern English lexicon altogether.
I do believe that anyone who will take a few books to adjust to Victorian prose will find the effort is well rewarded. Victorian prose is, to my mind at least, the most delightful and eloquent English prose i’ve ever read.
I digress, tangents become me, let’s to the story: The Little White Bird is, at it’s heart, a lost-love story that gets played out and revealed through the book. It has our ageing, bachelor protagonist getting caught up baby sitting a child that he never actually meant to get involved with, and having had no involvement with children before, can only cope with them by comparing them to his St. Bernard dog which, at times, he seems fairly certain is far superior in most respects. His adventures with the child, David, are where this book gets it’s other title — Adventures in Kensington Gardens — as they spend a lot of time there.
Throughout the beautiful Victorian prose there is an undoubted light heartedness and a certain tongue in cheekness to this book that is both captivating and enjoyable. And it’s descriptiveness of the habits of Victorian upper class children and their wards within Kensington Gardens at that time is delightful — Barrie is a master wordsmith.
Oddly, although it was the reason for reading this book in the first place, i found the Peter Pan bit — and it is only a bit — to be a tiny bit annoying; i became so enthralled in the every day descriptions of Victorian life around Kensington Gardens, and also our protagonist’s story, that i just wanted to get away from the habits of Peter Pan and the fairies and back to the habits of the humans and the aforementioned St. Benard. At the same time, it is also something i wouldn’t have wanted left out as it gives the full back story of Peter Pan, how he came to be and why he is like he is.
All in all, an absolute must for anyone who enjoys Victorian Literature, it really is an absolute gem. And also an absolute must for anyone who loves Peter Pan and wants the full history of the character in the context from which he first flew.
And did i mention, this Kindle version is completely free — what’s not to like?
Some more “Peter Pan and Neverland” books.
J. M. Barrie’s Page
#peterpan #viclit #jmbarrie
Eat and Run – Scott Jurek
This is a great book by Scott Jurek one of ultra’s greatest ever competitors. Like Finding Ultra by Rich Roll, this book doesn’t go into training for ultras or anything like that, it just chronicles Scott’s journey from childhood through to ultramarathon champion and how he got there, with great accounts of some of his greatest races.
And also like Rich Roll, Scott Jurek is also a vegan, or ‘plant based athlete’ which seems to be the more politically correct term vegan athletes are choosing theses days. And sprinkled liberally throughout the book are lots of Scott’s favourite recipes for you to try if you so wish. In a lot of ways it’s like a vegan cook book with a great story shoved in between the recipes.
Well worth a read. Especially for those with any designs on endurance training or participating in endurance sports.
And don’t forget to read North also.
Scott’s Page
#vegan #wfpb #health #fitness #scottjurek
Run Wild — Boff Whalley
Before we go any further, i do need to state that there are a couple of mentions of Jimmy Saville in the book, a keen city marathon runner, which obviously some people may find too distressing. The book was written just before the truth came out and i think it’s fair to say that these mentions would not have made the final cut had Boff known at the time. It’s incredible how angry one can feel just reading about Saville like this, how he had so many people fooled with his charity work, like he was one of the good people. CUNT!!! Nuff said!
So yeah, i found myself in the library the other day just having a mooch around seeing what books they had on health, fitness and wellbeing, and also Dartmoor. And i came across a book titled ‘Run Wild’ and couldn’t resist the temptation to have a look at the cover notes.
What made me take the book home was that it is written by Boff Whalley, one of the founders of Chumbawamba, which used to be one of my favourite ever bands, before they signed for EMI and had that awful hit, ‘Tubthumping’. I never forgave them for signing for (selling out to) EMI and never will. Half the original band left (the very day i had a ticket to go and see them in Camden so the gig got cancelled at the last minute just adding to my disdain towards the whole fiasco) and had to be replaced and what the world saw as Chumbawamba when they played Tubthumping was not the Chumbawamba that i, and many others, had known, respected, admired and totally loved. And i really did love that band.
But Chumbawamba EMI sell out issues aside, the fact that Boff had written a book about running, and wild running at that, had me really eager to take the book home and give it a read, and i was not disappointed.
What’s sad is that a lot of people will never read this book because they’ll think it’s just another book all about running and how to run, and it isn’t. It’s far more than that. It’s a great look at society as a whole through the lens of a wild runner, but with an anarchist, a punk, a musician, a father of two young children, guiding your view.
The book doesn’t at all go into any advice on how to run, other than why to stay away from the cattle herding of big city marathons and to get out into the countryside trails and just enjoy the freedom they offer, and in so doing it’s a very approachable book even for non runners.
One of the paragraphs i feel that sums the book up is this one…
It’s not sponsored or televised, but it’s all fun. All this tripping over tree roots and not knowing precisely where I’m going and falling like a clown into rivers. But it is, I swear — it’s fun. It’s not (as some have described it) like going back to being a child again, as if in regression. It’s just that the natural, exuberant, no-holds-barred playfulness we have as humans is educated out of us as we get older, squeezed out by convention and responsibility. Responsibility! Our first responsibility must surely be to enjoy ourselves. To have our children see us enjoying ourselves, so they might grow up thinking that, yes, life is a quest for joy, not a set pattern of inhibitions and denials. Adults, scared of looking foolish, won’t even run for a bus they’re about to miss. Somehow, as we grew older, running became silly, part of a job lot of joys and pleasures that, as we turn from kids to adults, we’re supposed to tie up in a big hessian sack and throw into the nearest canal, where they can sink with a splash, a glug and a muffled yelp.
Also from the book…
“People must not do things for fun. We are not here for fun. There is no reference to fun in any act of Parliament.” (A. P. Herbert, British politician)
That said, it’s also a great book for runners, both runners of man made surfaces and runners of natural surfaces and anyone either thinking of taking up running or has just started and not sure what direction their running wants to take them.
So if you live in Devon then you should be able to order this book through any Devon library from Exmouth library. Other libraries may vary. Or buy it! It’s worth the money.
And then go and have some good old fashioned fun – like you used to before you grew up!
Boff’s Page
#running #health #fitness #boffwhalley
Finding Ultra — Rich Roll
I came across Rich Roll and his exploits through my wanderings around the internet looking at all things triathlon and ultra athletics, which is my current thing, in case no one’s been keeping up lately.
Rich lays out his whole life from high school, college swim champion, heading for international sporting star only to discover a love for alcohol, drugs and parties, wrecking all hope of sporting glory forever. Then his continued destructive, choatic, drunken lifestyle through to his battle to get clean. And then his descent into junk food fueled, overweight, middle age from which he finally wakes up and becomes one of the world’s top ultra athletes, as a vegan, in his 40’s. It really is an inspiring book for anyone who has been through the chaos of addiction and has come out the other side with a new found desire for a healthier, fitter life: even if you don’t want to be an ultra athlete.
Rich also describes, fully, his experiences through his first two Ultraman (a double length Ironman) races, and also his adventure with Jason Lester in creating and completing the first Epic 5 challenge (5 Ironmans in 5 days), now a staple on the ultra athletics calender. It’s astounding to realise just how much the middle aged human body can do and to hear it all from inside the mind of one of these competitors gives a whole new view of these extreme sports people.
And there’s certainly lots of food for thought also, literally, for anyone who is vegan, or is considering or training on a vegan diet. It’s certainly changed my diet as i recently went back to being a vegan half way through reading this and yesterday ran 15km at 50 years old, the farthest i’ve ran since i was in the army in my 20’s.
Worth a read!
Rich’s Page
#vegan #wfpb #health #fitness #food #richroll
Fiction
The Expanse Drags on . . .
Fiction
0ooh yean, K. J. Parker.
Nonfiction
