What do you read that isn't golf related?

[Ruari]

Por favor, que Labyrinth, amigo mio?

'The universe (which others call the Library) is composed of an indefinite and perhaps infinite number of hexagonal galleries, with vast air shafts between, surrounded by very low railings. From any of the hexagons one can see, interminably, the upper and lower floors...'

No, not the library in the Name of the Rose, as described in the book, but the opening lines of The Library of Babel, Jorge Luis Borges, 1959 (quoted without permission but I hope he doesn't mind, what with being dead and all...). The labyrinth image recurs in other stories, including The Garden of Forking Paths and The Immortal, and The Lottery in Babylon posits a 'mental labyrinth', where hope keeps the players lost and at the same time, in line. There are echoes of the aspect and position of the Name of the Rose library in something I can't quite recall; the obsession idea of the monks is there in The Zahir and The Aleph; the 'god created in man's image' in The Circular Ruins. I noticed this week in 'Battlestar Galactica' the 'hybrid' saying 'Everything has happened before. Everything will happen again.' That's yer man, too. if one wants to get deep into Borges, we may have to go offline and create a new reality... I suggest for your delectation a collection named 'Labyrinths' (Penguin Books in the UK; New Directions Ltd in the US. ISBN 0-14-018029-X).

[shortgame85]

'The universe (which others call the Library) is composed of an indefinite and perhaps infinite number of hexagonal galleries, with vast air shafts between, surrounded by very low railings. From any of the hexagons one can see, interminably, the upper and lower floors...'

Ah, "delectation." Now there's a superb word which I haven't heard in some time.

Speaking of labryinths, do you know the origin of the avatar I use? It is a scene from Guillermo del Toro's brilliant movie, " Pan's Labryinth." So, there. P.S. A most erudite post, my man.

[Ruari]

Ah, "delectation." Now there's a superb word which I haven't heard in some time.

One of my favourites. I use it as often as I can...

Speaking of labryinths, do you know the origin of the avatar I use? It is a scene from Guillermo del Toro's brilliant movie, " Pan's Labryinth." So, there.

It looked familiar but as I haven't seen the movie I couldn't place it. I shall make a point of watching it on BT Vision (just love that 'stop the film; go have a cigar and cup of coffee, come back and continue stuff).

It looked reminiscent of 'Legend' (Dir, Ridley Scott; starring the divine Tim Curry as The Devil) but is probably better. BTW - did you know del Toro has just been confirmed as director of The Hobbit? And have you seen Beowulf, with Angelina Jolie and Ray Winstone (Moi nayme's Beeuhwolf. Oi've cum ter kill yower monsta!)?

P.S. A most erudite post, my man.

Thankee koindly, sorr. It made me get the book down from the shelf and prompted the memory of various nameless pleasures. I shall read it again, with a fine glass of claret.

(It's what we chaps do, don't yer know...)

[shortgame85]

One of my favourites. I use it as often as I can...

Among my favorites: claret and Ray Winstone ( loved him in

Sexy Beast ). If you haven't seen Sexy Beast , I'd bet you'd love it!

[Ruari]

...starring the divine Tim Curry as The Devil) but is probably better.

Hmmmm. sounds a bit gay. I shall have to ask my daughter how I can put it better.

[Ruari]

If you haven't seen

Have, did, especially Ben Kingsley. What on earth happened to Gandhi to turn him into such a vicious thug?

Hey - are we going off-thread here, talking about movies?

[shortgame85]

Have, did, especially Ben Kingsley. What on earth happened to Gandhi to turn him into such a vicious thug?

Kingsley was a perfect thug; a tribute to his acting skill, no doubt.

And, yes, we have taken a small detour. So, now, I suppose, back on course.

[Ruari]

I'm readin 'Labyrinths', a collection of short stories and essays by Jorge Luis Borges.

I have a nice bottle of Bordeaux by me that had probably best wait till the memsahib gets home.

No harm in opening it to let it breathe, though...

[shortgame85]

best wait till the memsahib gets home.

Now, there's a wise thought.

[iacas]

Now, there's a wise thought.

All right you two, get a room already eh?

[shortgame85]

All right you two, get a room already eh?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's always a wisenhimer around somewhere.

[bogeyhitter25]

I skateboarded for some time, so sometimes I might pick up a skateboarding magazine. Plus some things they do in there are amazing.

[ERC7.5]

I am currently reading The 5,000-Year Leap - A Miracle that Changed the World .

This should be a required read in our high schools....surely will not be though.

[denver_nuggs_15]

Right now, I'm reading Present at the Future. It's a book about modern (often controvercial) science topics such as: nanotechnology, global warming, cosmology, the quest for immortality, string theory, and the brain. It's a really good book so far (I'm only on page 74).

I'm also reading A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking. It's interesting and really confusing. I'm about 3/4 done with the book right now. I'm not sure when I'll finish it though. Definitely worth a look if you're interested in cosmology or astrophysics. Some theories are a bit outdated as it was written about 30 years ago.

I tried to read Being and Nothingness, by Sartre. I needed it for my Senior Paper in school. I got up to page 5 and realized that it's crap IMO. I just scanned through the book to the parts that I'll be using for my paper. It's probably really interesting (the sections I've read are anyway), but it's filled with so much junk. It's a tough read as well because of the translations...they didn't do a really good job IMO.

It's really weird because a year ago I wouldn't even pick up a book that I was required to read.

[TCCcaddie]

This year for school I've read Uncle Tom's Cabin, the Poisonwood Bible, A Boy's Life, The Scarlett Letter, The Crucible, The Jungle, A Raisin in the Sun, Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People, The Red Badge of Courage, The Great Gatsby. Right now im working on A Farewell to Arms and Walden after that.

[Jeepthrills]

I just finished the 4th book in the Twilight series. The first one was pretty good, the second was only fair. Three and four were both good. Realistically, the entire story could have been told in one or two books.

[coupe93]

I've really slipped on doing much reading lately, however I enjoy biographies of interesting figures more so than fictional novels. I've read a couple of Steven King's in the past. The last book I really read outside of golf was The DaVinci Code.

[lumpuckeroo]

I'm working off a list I found on the web, 100 books every man should read. Right now I am on A Farwell to Arms, just finished Robinson Crusoe, next up To Kill a Mockingbird. I have only read 9 of the 100 but my goal is to read them all.