root of the quest
i'm currently reading Barry Hughart's A Bridge Of Birds, on Dennis' recommendation and while it was a little plodding in the first few chapters, the book soon became hilariously funny and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points of the story. It is a wry, satirical tale, full of wit and ingenuity.
here's a little excerpt from the book, when Procopius, a 'barbarian', pleads with Li Kao, the sage with a slight flaw in his character, to impart to him the secret of wisdom:
" 'O great and mighty Master Li, pray impart to me the Secret of Wisdom!' he bawled. A silly smile was sliding down his face like a dripping watercolor, and his eyeballs resembled a pair of pink pigeon eggs that were gently bouncing in saucers of yellow wonton soup. To my great credit, I never batted an eyelash. 'Take a large bowl,' I said. 'Fill it with equal measures of fact, fantasy, histoy, mythology, science, superstition, logic and lunacy. Darken the mixture with bitter tears, brighten it with howls of laughter, toss in three thousand years of civilization, bellow kan pei - which means "dry cup" - and drink to the dregs.' Procopius stared at me. 'And I will be wise?' he asked.
'Better,' I said. 'You will be Chinese.' "
* * * *
anyway, here's an interesting test. Take it and tell me what you got! I'm apparently an ISFP.
here's a little excerpt from the book, when Procopius, a 'barbarian', pleads with Li Kao, the sage with a slight flaw in his character, to impart to him the secret of wisdom:
" 'O great and mighty Master Li, pray impart to me the Secret of Wisdom!' he bawled. A silly smile was sliding down his face like a dripping watercolor, and his eyeballs resembled a pair of pink pigeon eggs that were gently bouncing in saucers of yellow wonton soup. To my great credit, I never batted an eyelash. 'Take a large bowl,' I said. 'Fill it with equal measures of fact, fantasy, histoy, mythology, science, superstition, logic and lunacy. Darken the mixture with bitter tears, brighten it with howls of laughter, toss in three thousand years of civilization, bellow kan pei - which means "dry cup" - and drink to the dregs.' Procopius stared at me. 'And I will be wise?' he asked.
'Better,' I said. 'You will be Chinese.' "
* * * *
anyway, here's an interesting test. Take it and tell me what you got! I'm apparently an ISFP.