What is Buddhism?

2/10

I figure, following on the heels of my last post, that I would post the last book given to me by that nice Buddhist lady. Again, I couldn't find a picture of the book cover. I think these books were just distributed within the local church or something. I read this back in 2004 I believe. Just another short book (only 56 pages) on basic Buddhist beliefs and practices. I have no further insight or commentary.

Buddhism For Beginners by Thich Thanh Tu

2/10

Another Buddhist book post. I think it's a pretty obscure book because I can't find the book cover or anything about it or it's author online (granted I only looked for a few minutes). So I posted this awesome picture instead.

So this is another book given to me by that nice Buddhist lady I met on my mission (I mentioned her in a previous post about a different Buddhist book). I also read this one on my mission and don't remember anything about it. It's a short 79 page book and doesn't seem to have as many good quotes as the other Buddhist book already posted. With all my Buddhist reading, I still don't really know what's going on there.

But here's some quotes from this book:

"The first period is for beginners, to learn the fact that life basically is suffering."

"A true Buddhist should not lie under any circumstances, unless when he has to save the innocent from a devil. In this latter case, the individual determines to go to hell in order to save the innocent."

"The three-poisons (greed, anger, and stupidity)..."

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

8/10

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald that is. It's true, that's his real name. His Dad was some distant relative of the writer of the national anthem. But if you really want to learn more about Fitzgerald, you should read This Side of Paradise, which I just finished today.

It is a semi-autobiographical novel, and Fitzgerald's first novel, where the main character Amory Blaine is the fictional version of Fitzgerald. It's kind of a riches to rags tale where Amory goes from wealth and comfort to eventual poverty despite the fact that he's really intelligent and capable. He's just lazy. Fitzgerald wrote the book when he was 23, so his life hadn't gone to "rags" yet, but it ironically did as well as he struggled with alcoholism and eventually died at the early age of 44.

I found the story sufficiently enjoyable, again on the strength of the writing quality. He just writes so lyrically, yet effortlessly. It's worth a read. I have now read two of his novels, the other being his superior masterpiece The Great Gatsby. Don't expect it to be as good as Gatsby, but do expect to be impressed with the quality of the writing, especially when considering it was his first novel at such a young age.

Quotes:

Amory speaking to his friend: "I hate to get anywhere by working for it. I'll show the marks, don't you know." His friend's reply: "Honorable scars."

"I know I'm not a regular fellow, yet I loathe anybody else that isn't."

"So engrossed in his thoughts was he that he was scarcely surprised at that strange phenomenon - cordiality manifested within fifty miles of Manhattan"

Pride an Prejudice by Jane Austen

6/10

I read this probably about eight years ago. I guess it's supposed to be a girly book. But I liked it for the most part anyway. Mostly because of the writing. The writing is what gives this book it's "classic" status (but for some reason it is still the only Jane Austen book that I have read). So, while attending balls and the upper-class courtship of a family full of girls aren't my favorite things to read about, she was able to eloquently describe all situations so that I enjoyed it enough nonetheless. It is also surprisingly funny in a few different spots. Plus, that poor Mr. Darcy. People didn't like him and thought he was prideful and rude just because he had a shy personality. This is the great curse of being shy.

I'm a big fan of a good opening line in a novel. This one is good and sets the tone nicely: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

Another quote:

"Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness."