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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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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
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
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The Grand Tour of every-day Victorian Life, from the POV of a town clerk, his domicile, domestic bliss and circumstance and his complete and utter lack of self-awareness that characterize the middle class. It's humour lies in recognizing these foibles in everyone but ourselves.
Definitely of an era, but not entirely to my taste, and I found myself relieved to find the last few pages of this fallen out, there was no need to read this through to any sort of conclusion.
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The Charm of local authors, every town has a few, nothing of literary merit but curious so see how this town was in the days before, many of the buildings and houses still remain, and most of the people he mentions still have descendants of the people in the town.
Beginning in Trail, and the great die off for 30 KM around due to the pollution from the Smelter, then to Nelson where the author grew up, neighbours included the Maglio’s, who’s name still appears on antique buildings, building supply stores and one descendent used to Golf and was a great customer, the "Old Money" of the town.
Comprised of reminisces similar to “The Great Brain”, childhood stories of poverty, of illness and Polio and the fact that while many if not all families were stricken by diseases and disabilities that would be preventable and treatable today, many doubtless connected to the smelter in Trail, the final follow up with his surviving friends, neighbours, brothers and sisters, Nelson’s Chinatown and Red Light district, still, and when my Metal Detector comes from the locker I have some ideas of where to search, this town is doubtless loaded with buried treasures only needing me to unearth...
It does bring to mind how much things have changed, and largely for the better.
A fine way to pass a bloody hot day...