Quantum Library

[Manta Obscura]

I re-read "The Tao is Silent" and "5000 B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies" by Raymond Smullyan every year. Every year they teach me something new. If nothing else, Google Smullyan's essay entitled "Is God a Taoist?" It's one of his most searching essays.

Other "quantum" books/poems:

"Sunday Morning" by Wallace Stevens.
"Ulysses" by James Joyce (but dear goddess, is it dense).
"Walden" by Thoreau.
"The Immense Journey," by Loren Eisley.

And if you want a way to take a step back and do a self-mindfuck/revel at the lower limits of human intelligence, pick up a copy of "Chariots of the Gods?" by Erich von Daniken (sp?). Always a good read, if only as a reminder of the shaky foundations of quasi-science.

[Triple Zero]

hm i haven't read many books multiple times, but yeah i did read THHGTTG about 7 or 8 times (didnt keep count), wanted to call it, but i think it stopped giving me insights about the third time through (rereadings 4 through 8 were just for the lulz, apparently)

Honey, I highly enjoyed Siddharta, so that sounds like a good reason to read it again (hey, perhaps in the original German this time, there's a good chance my gf has it)

Wait no, I already borrowed THHGTTG in German for re-reading (aloud, to her), I haven't even yet gotten to the bit where the earth blows up though

I definitely got some better insights reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for the second time.

I read The Neverending Story thrice as a kid. But if it had given me insights, I guess I'd have picked up on the "Do what thou wilt" inscription on the amulet, right?

oh, and the Mystical Qabalah definitely got more insights the second time i started in it, but i still haven't been able to finish it.

[Honey]

hm i haven't read many books multiple times, but yeah i did read THHGTTG about 7 or 8 times (didnt keep count), wanted to call it, but i think it stopped giving me insights about the third time through (rereadings 4 through 8 were just for the lulz, apparently)

Honey, I highly enjoyed Siddharta, so that sounds like a good reason to read it again (hey, perhaps in the original German this time, there's a good chance my gf has it)

Wait no, I already borrowed THHGTTG in German for re-reading (aloud, to her), I haven't even yet gotten to the bit where the earth blows up though

I definitely got some better insights reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for the second time.

I read The Neverending Story thrice as a kid. But if it had given me insights, I guess I'd have picked up on the "Do what thou wilt" inscription on the amulet, right?

oh, and the Mystical Qabalah definitely got more insights the second time i started in it, but i still haven't been able to finish it. 

I would just love to be able to read anything by Herman Hesse (others too) in the original German!  I always think something gets lost in the translation of anything.  Some things just don't translate.  Herman Hesse's work is so rich in meaning in English, I can just imagine (barely) how much more rich it would be in the original language.  You & your gf are very lucky I am thinking!

& the guy who wrote Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (can't think of his name, last name starts with P, hhhmmm?)  Well anyway, he wrote another book called Lila which was pretty good too.

[Triple Zero]

I would just love to be able to read anything by Herman Hesse (others too) in the original German!  I always think something gets lost in the translation of anything.  Some things just don't translate.  Herman Hesse's work is so rich in meaning in English, I can just imagine (barely) how much more rich it would be in the original language.  You & your gf are very lucky I am thinking!

weeeelllll... i really did try to read "narciss und goldmund" in German, but I think both my German isn't good enough and perhaps Hesse's writing is too archaic or colourful, that I got no further than page 6 over a few weeks.

I think I'll have more luck with the translated HHGTTG, or perhaps Siddharta (which is a bit more "light" story).

[hashishi]

Hitchikers Guide... Quantum Psychology...

Chaung Tzu. Ive got the complete works, the guy was pretty much an ancient Discordian. Lots of cool parables. I might put up some of his stuff one day when I get off my butt (and am reading it again).

[Honey]

new insights from these:

The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain
Shame by Salman Rushdie
1984 by George Orwell

[OPTIMUS PINECONE]

     Al-Ghazali - "The Niche of Light" & "Alchemy of Happiness"

     Robert F. Williams - "Negroes with Guns" & "While God lay Sleeping"

     ANYTHING by Nietzsche

     ALL poetry by James Liddy

     G.L. Rockwell - "This Time the World"

     James Mason - "Siege"

     The Havamal

     Jack Spicer - What little we have , all is lovely

     Kierkegaard - Again, it's all one addictive dreamy bed