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- Written by: Rod Boyle
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A parting gift from Toronto, a book that supposedly ties together Old 1847 Toronto to it's current iteration, as well as themes of history and grief. A lot of work to do the research, as told in the time it took the author to write.
So, a little out of my usual reading rut, good to see what passes for contemporary literature, but I think I'll be getting back into my rut...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
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Funny that I'd never read this.
The book that inspired "Bladerunner" - the plot - and characters - borrowed from the book, but otherwise completely different entities.
Good. Philip K. Dick is a surprisingly competent Sci-Fi author. Somewhere in my childhood I thought I read something by him that put me off him for life, but that may not have been true.
Anyways, some thoughts and inspirations; not like seeing the film - again, different entities - but that's fair, that way there's no false comparisons.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
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Written in 1966, a madcap description of his week or so in Paris and France.
Definitely not his best, although I was pleased to see references to "Lolita" and Celine.
At this point in his life he's drunk all the time, sun-up to sundown, he's only a few years left and it shows. But a trifling read so I won't hold that against him.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
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Came through the thrift shop so I took home to read. I should note it was written in 1951, so "New" is a relative term, still much has stayed the same while a great deal has changed.
Of interest in it was the consideration given Mesmer, electricity, the idea of "Animal Magnetism", ideas on volition and personal autonomy, and the chapter on language foreshadows Bandler & Grinder "Frogs into Princes".
Worthwhile, if a bit dated, but if you don't know where we've come from you can't know where we're going.
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And something completely different, Konrad Lorenz's study on ethology, in which he breaks down the different societal norms of various species of fish, birds and smaller mammals, all the way up to dogs, wolves and lions, challenging a lot of the myths and preconceptions we might have about these animals.
Good, highly readable and told from a personable POV, it should be required reading (light, not too long or tough) for anyone considering Psychology. We are, in many ways, not so different (and rarely as noble) as the animals we perpetrate to have evolved from.
You can read up on him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konrad_Lorenz