Milo and the Calf

Tag: not recommended

  • Melo’s Inferno

    A kind of sensationalistic kind of interesting novel of Brazilian street kid who goes on to become a drug lord of his favela before losing it all to betrayal, hubris and paranoia. Not a particularly new take on the story of the drug dealer (i.e. basically Scarface in Sao Paolo) but interesting none the less…

  • Review: Labbe’s Loquela

    Loquela Carlos Labbe Bolano-esque, but more formally experimental and less enjoyable (at least to this pleb). Like many such literary affairs, it’s plot, such as it is, centers on a love story. Of course, one of the lovers is a novelists, struggling to write. There is much discussion about the nature of writing, digressions into…

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    Sensory Deprivation Tanks, Talking Dolphins, and Aliens: Remembrances of reading John C. Lilly

    The Scientists: A Novel Autobiography Simulations of God: Science of Belief Programming and Metaprogramming of the Human Biocomputer John C. Lilly Lilly was a well know and respected scientist who, like many in the late sixties, kinda start going off the rails. Did young Sean read the works of science Lilly produced early in his…

  • A Bit Dark, Kinda Cynical, But Still Pretty Woo-Woo: My Remembrances of Being a Young Dude Reading Too Much Robert Anton Wilson

    Prometheus Rising Quantum Psychology Coincidence Cosmic Trigger Vol. 1 Cosmic Trigger Vol. II: Down to Earth Chaos and Beyond the Best of Trajectories Robert Anton Wilson It’s probably just best to come out and admit I’ve read pretty much everything Robert Anton Wilson wrote up to about 1995. After that, nothing. Much of Wilson’s writings…

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    Review: Hamilton’s the Greek Way

    The Greek Way Edith Hamilton This is a really bad book. Like, really bad. Well, perhaps bad isn’t the right word. Hopelessly dated and irrelevant might be better. Hamilton (author of the excellent introduction to Mythology) attempts to explain the unique and superior nature of ancient Greece through a review of its culture and comparison…

  • Review: Woodward’s Plan of Attack

    Plan of Attack Bob Woodward No one can get the skinny like Woodward can get the skinny. There are few reporters who get to spend hours interviewing the president, but Woodward did for this book. Woodward gets this kind of access because he is the most important investigative reporter in America. If you don’t tell…

  • Review: Crimethinc’s Days of War, Nights of Love

    Days of War, Nights of Love: Crimethink For Beginners Crimethinc. Crimethinc. All the rage in 2000, largely forgotten now. Of all the things they did (newspapers, magazines, other books) this was the best. A pretty clear indictment of late capitalism in America and a call to live life fully. Of course, eating out of dumpsters…

  • Review: Lynd’s the Last Spymaster

    The Last Spymaster Gayle Lynds A poorly constructed and dreadfully written second rate spy novel. As I have said on many occasions, I have no taste. If a book’s plot moves along at a good clip and is engaging, I’ll overlook clumsy writing. If a book is beautifully written, I’ll overlook a lackluster plot. But…

  • Review: Kaplan’s Jewish Meditation

    Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide Aryeh Kaplan A bit of a disappointment. I was hoping to find here a reading of Jewish spiritual life as mediation. What I found instead was a book that, in my opinion, tried to squeeze Jewish tradition into the mediation framework in order to keep Jews from turning “Jewbu” (Jewish…

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    Review: Schmahmann’s Double Life of Alfred Buber

    The Double Life of Alfred Buber I received this as a review copy from the Permanent Press, an excellent independent publisher based in New York. The Permanent Press is one of only a few literary independent publishers left who take the chance to publish serious novels by little known writers. I admire that. And I…