Litsy

The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise | Pico Iyer

so-so

Would it be wrong if I just posted a screenshot of @Chelsea.Poole ‘s review? I agree wholeheartedly! It took me a long time to settle into Iyer‘s narration. He speaks very deliberately & also very haltingly. His British accent feels remarkably posh.

Iyer travels to places that lay some claim to being “paradise” on Earth: Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Jerusalem. Of course, these places are also known for being “circled by violence & terrible poverty.” 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: Ultimately, the author finds comfort in the words of teachers like the Buddha, Thomas Merton, and the Dalai Llama, who have all worked to find joy amidst suffering, who deny nothing and endeavor to find paradise in the wonder of a moment and in becoming human. 7mo

monalyisha 2/2: None of these conclusions were expressed in a new way, unfortunately. One positive result of listening was a desire to learn more about Kyoto‘s Bridge to Heaven. Iyer‘s description of the silence of the place resounds. I‘d skip this one…or maybe try it in print. I plan to listen to Katherine May‘s interview with Iyer to see if that lends me a different or heightened perspective. 7mo

Chelsea.Poole I‘m glad I wasn‘t the only one who felt this could be a skip. Though I do think you got more out of it than me! 7mo

monalyisha @Chelsea.Poole I almost abandoned it entirely. I honestly don‘t know why I kept going. 😅🙈 I think it‘s because he was a new-to-me author and it was so short (though it didn‘t feel that way), that I figured I should give it the fairest shake I could! 7mo

monalyisha @Chelsea.Poole Just finished Tom Lake, which, ironically, got Pico Iyer‘s whole point across much more effectively than he did in his nonfiction text (where he states it plainly)! 😆

Tom Lake: A Novel

7mo

62 likes5 comments

Lizwarnerpdx

Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy | Alastair Gee, Dani Anguiano

so-so

I had to bail about 35% in. It was just too stressful it‘s like reading a documentary about a recent catastrophic fire in an area not too far from my home. It‘s well-written and interesting, just too overwhelming for me to keep going.

dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 8mo

2 likes1 comment

Chelsea.Poole

The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise | Pico Iyer

so-so

I love the premise of this book, but the execution, which I listened to as an audiobook, I found lacking. It may have been me and not the book, so take this with a grain of salt. Iyer travels the world visiting holy lands in search of peace, enlightenment, paradise. There were some truly brilliant sentences but as a whole, I found it difficult to engage with. I definitely think I should have read this physical book instead of audio.

Chelsea.Poole @monalyisha this makes me think of you. It‘s likely a worthwhile read and I just failed 😣 2y

bnp Maybe it was the format, maybe it wasn't the book for you. 2y

monalyisha Bad news for me: I bought this as an audiobook after reading a blurb about it last week. 😅🙈 Hopefully, I feel differently! 2y

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Larkken Oh, too bad! This book has been flirting with me. 2y

Megabooks I bailed on this so glad to read I didn‘t miss much. It just wasn‘t clicking! 2y

Cinfhen It sounds promising but seeing your review and @Megabooks comment actually makes me hesitant to try. 2y

99 likes6 comments

Billypar

Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand: A Novel of Adam and Eve | Gioconda Belli

pick

Gioconda Belli was recently stripped of her Nicaraguan citizenship along with 93 others. I don't think it was president Ortega's intention to remind me that this novel of hers was on my TBR, but it did, and now hopefully you can add it to yours and we can increase the readership of authors who resist their fascist governments. The novel is about Adam and Eve: Belli has fun showing us what a world without history looks like from their vantage.

Billypar If anyone doing the #ReadingtheAmericas2023 challenge still needs one from Nicaragua, I recommend giving this a try. 2y

Leftcoastzen Sounds amazing 2y

Billypar @Leftcoastzen Yeah, it's a pretty creative riff on one of the most famous stories ever. 2y

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Currey @Billypar I have her autobiography on my TBR shelf. Thx for the prompt to get to it 2y

Billypar @Currey I'd like read that one - it sounds like she's lived an interesting life to say the least. I think The Inhabited Woman was inspired by her experiences with the revolution in Nicaragua. 2y

Suet624 All of this post is so informative! Ortega removing citizenships? This author? I have some reading to do. 2y

Billypar @Suet624 I didn't know much about denaturalization before I heard of this story. Pretty terrible practice! 2y

38 likes2 stack adds7 comments

PhilipE

The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise | Pico Iyer

pick

Loved reading this book. Not an author I normally look for but his writing is stunning. His thoughts on how to live in this world here and now often breaks your heart. On top of it all it‘s also an amazkng travel guide. Travel the world and never leave your reading chair.

3 likes

JHSiess

Out of the Dark | Gregg Hurwitz

🌴🌊🌺 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 📖❤️🏈💛⁣
⁣
A perfect Sunday morning:⁣
⁣
✔️ Coffee & bagel⁣
✔️ Sunshine⁣
✔️ Spectacular views⁣
✔️ The sound of crashing waves⁣
✔️ Soft tropical breezes⁣
✔️ 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸 by 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇, the 4th installment in his Orphan X series
✔️ San Francisco 49ers' first home game of the season being broadcast here in Hawaii⁣
✔️ Family arriving on Maui today!

#Paradise
#Priceless

37 likes

Cinfhen

One Italian Summer: A Novel | Rebecca Serle

so-so

My second time travel book in less than 3 weeks!! That must please you @Centique 😜This was fine, nothing outstanding - Audio was less than 5 hours so a super short book - a pleasant pallet cleanser but nothing that will stay with me #BorrowNotBuy

Cinfhen The descriptions of the Amalfi Coast left me breathless!! #ArmChairTravel #Bliss #Paradise #Heaven 2y

Centique I‘m slowly converting you 😂😂 2y

Centique I‘ll get you to this one some day!

The Doomsday Book

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Cinfhen Hmmm @Centique im still trying to read this one & it doesn‘t contain any time travel

The Crimson Petal and the White

Cinfhen BTW @Centique how are you feeling?? How‘s the rest of your family doing??? 2y

Centique @Cinfhen TCPATW is very long!! 2y

Centique @Cinfhen I‘ve really turned a corner for the better thank you. Cooked dinner tonight and did some work on the computer - a big improvement! Nobody else got it somehow 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

Cinfhen Yay! I‘m sooo relived to hear that!!!! @Centique xxx 2y

79 likes8 comments