a lone tree stands on a hillside - smoky clouds roll in
Lone Tree [Haiku]
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DAILY PHOTO: Mahaweli River
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Blazing Bright Duel [Haiku]
flowers in saffron, their faces to the sun - rivals in brightness
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Snake Country [Haiku]
wading through tall grass in snake country each step is now
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DAILY PHOTO: Lusaka Skylines
Growl [Haiku]
BOOK REVIEW: Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by Sue Hamilton
Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by Sue HamiltonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
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A concise guide to Indian Philosophy is a tall order. Over millennia, the discipline has had time to swell. This necessitated some careful pruning and selection on the part of the author. While the book does present key distinctions between all six of the orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy (i.e. Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta,) the only one of the heterodox schools that it substantially addresses is that of Buddhism. (There are three major heterodox schools of Indian Philosophy by most accounts – Caravaka, Buddhist, and Jain, though some also include Ajivika and Ajnana to make five.)
This book focuses on the most novel ideas of each of philosophical schools under study, and it particularly focuses on points of debate where there is disagreement within or between schools. The book, therefore, moves metaphysics, ontology, and epistemology, but doesn’t explore all major philosophical questions for all the schools.
If you’re looking for a book that sums up the key points of debate between and within major schools of Indian philosophy, this is a great book. It does the job quite well and with a minimal page count. If you need a book that offers insight into more than the major points of contention, but extends into a given school’s stance on some of the less provocative questions, I’d recommend Chatterjee and Datta’s “An Introduction to Indian Philosophy” (it’s much longer and denser, but dives deeper and farms wider.)
I like how this book was organized and thought it did a good job of being both concise and clear (a duo that doesn’t play well together with regards complex philosophical subjects.)
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DAILY PHOTO: Wolf in the Woods, Veresegyház
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BOOK REVIEW: The Complete American Gods by Neil Gaiman; Adapted by P. Craig Russell
The Complete American Gods by Neil GaimanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Out: September 28, 2021
This is the graphic novelization of Neil Gaiman’s brilliant story “American Gods.” The tale begins with the protagonist, Shadow Moon, being released a few days early from his prison sentence to attend the funeral of the wife whom he has been longing to see. On the flight home, he sits next to a gregarious man named Wednesday who offers him a job and who knows way too much about Shadow. While Shadow initially rejects the offer, Wednesday is relentless. When Shadow finally gives in, he’s introduced to a world where nothing is as it seems, a world of gods, demi-gods, and folklore heroes.
The premise is simple, but magnificent. America is a hard land for gods. The country’s melting pot nature makes for so many old gods: Native American gods, Norse gods, African tribal gods, pagan gods, Hindu gods, Slavic gods, etc. Then there are the new gods like “technology” and “media.” Comparing the average American’s screen time versus time in church or in prayer, it’s not difficult to tell which side is winning the war for the affection and attention. Still, the new gods exist in an ephemeral landscape. So, Wednesday is going around trying to build support among old gods for a war between the old and new gods — no easy task as a self-confessed con man.
It’s been a while since I read the novel, but this adaptation felt true to my recollection of the original story. It seems closer to the original than, say, the Amazon Prime series (which I also enjoyed, but which often diverges, particularly to build out some of the secondary characters’ arcs.)
This is definitely worth a read, whether you’ve read the novel or not. The artwork was well-done, and I highly recommend it.
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Flowers & Fireworks [Haiku]
looking at flowers, i see only fireworks in a dark night sky
Tiger Riding for Beginners 