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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

So much to read, so little time!


Dan Merkur

Via Arthur Hlavaty (and others) is a new BBC list of the 100 best British novels of all time. And the winner is Middlemarch by George Eliot, which of course I haven't read, and now I need to read it. And I still haven't read Virginia Woolf! Though I have my doubts about a list that puts Pride and Prejudice only at No. 11.

Speaking of reading, I heard from Ben Turpin, who mentioned that he had just re-read the essay "Hidden Manna and the Holy Grail: The Psychedelic Sacrament in Arthurian Romance."  That's by Dan Merkur, a psychoanalyst and writer whose works are new to me (and which include a book called The Mystery of Manna: The Psychedelic Sacrament of the Bible. ) He certainly sounds interesting; have any of y'all besides Ben read him?

6 comments:

fuzzbuddy said...

No Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, or Neil Gaiman I see. Hmmm...
http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/aug/31/terry-pratchett-opposite-of-ordinary-potboiler-jonathan-jones

Manic The Doodler said...

Now I have another 96 books to add to my list! Haha!

Cleveland Okie (Tom Jackson) said...

@fuzzbuddy And no Iain M. Banks, I demand a recount!

@Manic Yes, I always feel way behind when I see these lists. But I'll try to get to Middlemarch.

I was pleased to see "Bleak House did well, that's a great novel.

Anonymous said...


That these sci-fi books exist, and can be complied to me as list->search->synopsis seems blessing and lip purse.
I don't have bookshelves at the moment. I don't ever seem to finish novels on devices.
My reading habits get sidetracked by Internet. I like to read about what has been written.
That is what I can budget.
Everyone is sidetracking something. Neglecting a big shelve reno, for sustenance.

I've had several of what the RAW coincidancers call synchro moments with Dan Merkur. Finding his book in a rubbish pile, etc.
I'm addicted to what Dan Merkur has to say.

There are too many great blogs. Znore!
(I wish Znore would be unmasked as really the repressed and bullied Donald Trump!!...? (maybe)
He could be a great president, maybe?)

Thank you Tom. I really enjoy your blog. Excellent, and free.
I do love RAW too much sometimes, as you know.
Thank you for not revealing my emailed gushings.

He would want it that way. Blessed to have had him with us, so much fun.
Hilaritas, as platonic, and publisher, is great news. Good even. Either way. Lasagna.

Sometimes, I wish he were really in some sense an ascended master able to reach digital comment sections of liberal, freely under-moderated online newspapers at will, under law, with love, for us. Maybe time-commenting will be invented before time-travel. Time-Tweeting may be the beginning. Maybe future people are getting them now, as we speak.

I grew up listening to old people telling me we were "30 years behind the times" and this psychedelic warped me, so much of a powerful mantra, it makes me want to get on a plane and travel to America and see 2045 for myself.

Eric Wagner said...

I wonder what Brahms recordings will sound like in 2045. I look forward to the Brahms bicentennial in 2033.

Anonymous said...

One book I will remark on from the list presented, that has looked at me from my shelf for several years, is Remainder.
After reading an interview with it's author last night I am resolved to give it better attention.