ramonmercado
CyberPunk
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- Aug 19, 2003
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I read that years ago, it was somewhat sensationalist. The book by survivor Roberto Canessa was better.
The survivors have dined out on the story ever since.
I read that years ago, it was somewhat sensationalist. The book by survivor Roberto Canessa was better.
The story behind the film Alive as well. A film I foolishly watched about two weeks before I flew over the Andes...
Got to be prepared for all eventualitiesFor some culinary pointers?
Mysteries of Mercia
I just finished this, and it was most excellent. I like the way he was banging on about Golden Flute, or whatever her name was, and then at the end casually mentions he's acquired a wife, of whom nothing more is said."City of Lingering Splendour : A Frank Account of Old Peking's Exotic Pleasures", by John Blofeld.
The title of this book may be a bit catchy, but overall it is well worth the read. Basically, it tells of the young John Blofeld's life in the pre-WW2 Chinese city of Beijing, where he worked as an English teacher. The main point of the book resides in his lively description of a traditional Chinese way of life which was already on the wane at that time, and which would finally be completely eradicated by Communist party after 1949. Through the eyes of Blofeld, we get to discover some forgotten communities of the far east such as the white Russians (who had fled the Soviet Union after the civil war in 1917-1921).
Of fortean note, he especially tells of a "Rasputinic" Russian priest, turned into a lama, and then again into a priest, who served as a focus point for his community in Beijing, leading his fellow white Russians in orgiastic rites, and performing small miracles such as producing a light-emitting icon of the Virgin. Unfortunately, not much is told of what this charismatic figure became after the Japanese invasion. We are left to wonder.
Blofeld also speaks extensively of the local mystics, whether from a taoist or buddhist background, and their way of life. As a matter of fact, he would himself end up becoming a sinologist and buddhist practitioner in his later years. So the book tells how he evolved from a naive boy mesmerized by pretty courtesans (hence the title of the book) to a mature man driven towards spiritualty, who got the chance to meet plenty of local hermits and monks before they disapeared from the Chinese landscape.
Refreshing local weirdnesses pop'up here and there in this story, telling for instance of a Chinese "fox spirit" haunting a tree within the inner court of a traditional house. In this account, the fox spirit seems very reminiscent of a kind of "domesticated" poltergeist. Invisible, he has his requirements, and everything goes well as long as they are met by the residing family. But (benign) trouble swiftly comes whenever they are not !
Overall, although only marginally fortean, this is still an immersive book about a forever vanished world of unsuspected depth and wealth, a precious memory of the past. Well worth a read, with a deeply personal touch, as of course, it's the story of the author, and he does not try to hide his sweet and sour love affair with a courtesan, and the "cultural shock" that went along with this adventure.
Unfortunately, this book is not easy to find nowadays ...
As it’s self-published I think you could order it as normal but would need to pay for extra shipping.Does anyone know where I can buy Mystery of Mercia vol 1 in the US?
"City of Lingering Splendour : A Frank Account of Old Peking's Exotic Pleasures", by John Blofeld.
The title of this book may be a bit catchy, but overall it is well worth the read. Basically, it tells of the young John Blofeld's life in the pre-WW2 Chinese city of Beijing, where he worked as an English teacher. The main point of the book resides in his lively description of a traditional Chinese way of life which was already on the wane at that time, and which would finally be completely eradicated by Communist party after 1949. Through the eyes of Blofeld, we get to discover some forgotten communities of the far east such as the white Russians (who had fled the Soviet Union after the civil war in 1917-1921).
Of Fortean note, he especially tells of a "Rasputinic" Russian priest, turned into a lama, and then again into a priest, who served as a focus point for his community in Beijing, leading his fellow white Russians in orgiastic rites, and performing small miracles such as producing a light-emitting icon of the Virgin. Unfortunately, not much is told of what this charismatic figure became after the Japanese invasion. We are left to wonder.
Blofeld also speaks extensively of the local mystics, whether from a taoist or buddhist background, and their way of life. As a matter of fact, he would himself end up becoming a sinologist and buddhist practitioner in his later years. So the book tells how he evolved from a naive boy mesmerized by pretty courtesans (hence the title of the book) to a mature man driven towards spiritualty, who got the chance to meet plenty of local hermits and monks before they disapeared from the Chinese landscape.
Refreshing local weirdnesses pop'up here and there in this story, telling for instance of a Chinese "fox spirit" haunting a tree within the inner court of a traditional house. In this account, the fox spirit seems very reminiscent of a kind of "domesticated" poltergeist. Invisible, he has his requirements, and everything goes well as long as they are met by the residing family. But (benign) trouble swiftly comes whenever they are not !
Overall, although only marginally fortean, this is still an immersive book about a forever vanished world of unsuspected depth and wealth, a precious memory of the past. Well worth a read, with a deeply personal touch, as of course, it's the story of the author, and he does not try to hide his sweet and sour love affair with a courtesan, and the "cultural shock" that went along with this adventure.
Unfortunately, this book is not easy to find nowadays ...
Any relation to Ernst Stavro Blofeld.....?Blofeld was the guy who first translated the I Ching, yes?
Seems soBlofeld was the guy who first translated the I Ching, yes?
I've started this book: The sunken land begins to rise again. Am a few chapters in and I like it. After reading the reviews I didn't expect much storyline but lots of atmosphere. This seems to be right. It describes the crumbling Britain that I like to read about: "denizens of futures that failed to take".To my knowledge I've only read one M John Harrison story- The Great God Pan, yes, it half-inches Machen's title. It's a tribute and evocation of the atmosphere of that singular Weird Tale and as haunting as the original if very different content wise. I own a collection of his novel(la)s and another of stories languishing upon my shelves. Seems he has a new novel and anthology out:
https://thequietus.com/articles/290...d-the-sunken-land-begins-to-rise-again-review
I agree that the book is unreadable. Like here:I have this one and have read perhaps 10% of it, it reads, partially, as a satire of some of the more outre manifestations of theory with an overlay of Lovecraftian Horror but is mostly just tedious and impenetrable. There's a very modest and superficial conceit that it is a novel but that is dropped pretty quickly. It has an interesting premise - that The Middle East is an entity or at least the vast oil wells are one, and that it has been roused by drilling and the many wars in that area, and the juxtaposition of dense, jargon laden academic prose with cosmic horror is also a great idea but the end result is desultory. Also, Lovecraftian type horror as a metaphor for the alienation and vast impersonality of modern civilisation within philosophy is a trope that's been around a while.
This podcast discusses it:
http://thesometime.com/seminar/18-cyclonopedia/
The opening line of Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Man of the Crowd" is as follows: It was well said of a certain German book that "er lasst sich nicht lesen"- it does not permit itself to be read. There are some secrets which do not permit themselves to be told.
But I still find it fascinating. So I had a chat about it with ChatGPT. It is good to talk with someone with infinite patience Edited by me for clarity:Of a German book, otherwise entitled to respect, it was said—er lässt sich nicht lesen, it does not permit itself to be read: such and so repulsive was the style. Thomas de Quincey (1840). ‘Style’. In Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine (July 1840), p. 17.
The book is an ambitious attempt to use philosophy and literature to challenge conventional wisdom about the role of oil in contemporary society and to offer a new way of understanding the relationship between politics, economy, and the environment.
To fully understand the philosophical ideas presented in "Cyclonopedia," some background in continental philosophy, particularly the works of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, may be helpful. However, one can still engage with the book's ideas without a deep knowledge of philosophy, as long as they are willing to approach the text with an open mind and a willingness to grapple with complex ideas.
There are at least three layers of narrative in "Cyclonopedia." The first layer involves the narrator's search for the writings of the archaeologist, which serves as the overarching framework for the book. The second layer is the narrative of the archaeologist himself and his research on the connections between oil, culture, and history. And the third layer is the presentation of the archaeologist's ideas, which are interspersed throughout the book in the form of theoretical reflections, philosophical speculations, and allegorical fictions.
In addition to these three layers, there are also other narrative threads that run throughout the book, including the themes of horror and science fiction, the use of metaphor and allegory, and the exploration of Middle Eastern politics and culture. These threads are intertwined with the main layers of the narrative, adding depth and complexity to the book's overall structure.
The book presents a vision of the Middle East as a place where the lines between the past and the present, the natural and the supernatural, and the human and the non-human are blurred. The author argues that this "haunting" is not simply a metaphor, but is a real and tangible phenomenon that has shaped the region's history and politics. This is computer-generated text and may not be accurate - Mods.
I agree that the book is unreadable. Like here:
But I still find it fascinating. So I had a chat about it with ChatGPT. It is good to talk with someone with infinite patience Edited by me for clarity:
Morning folks magical house protection by Brian hoggard.
Went to the lecture/talk last Saturday very informative and interesting