Passion

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I was having a massive wibble thing at a friend the other evening, 'cos I felt empty.

I lack qualifications, expertise, skills in both work and pastimes. A lot of the things I'd learnt/read have been sucked into a 5-8 year memory blur, and I was feeling pretty crummy about that.

There are a lot of things that I am interested in, but I don't have

Comments

Law and books

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Mmm. Thing is, just books isn't enough - it has to be the right books. Also, I need people. Not necessarily to talk to, just friends in the same room as me (maybe I'm addicted to rebreathed air). Books alone wouldn't be enough for me

Unwonted

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Sorry - actually meant 'undeservedly', given that you don't 'belong' to me in any way.

Tho secretrebel's quiz of the day has us mated for most of life.

Aarggh

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Probably 'undeservingly'
Damn - grasp of grammar and language slipping from my fingers as I watch.

[melliarc]

Hahahaha, a shrine to killed trees!! That's hilarious, I love that image! It's soooo true after all! ^^

Well those are pretty good news it seems. What kind of books do you own the most so far?

And have you seen Seven Samurai?

Samurai Books

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Actually, no books on Samurai, tho I do own translations of " The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon" and the "Tale of Genji", also Haiku by Basho - " the Narrow Road To The Deep North".
Would like to own more historical books on 10th through a9th century Japan and China. More Chinese literature - the multi-volume costs of " The Story of the Stone" defeated me.

Unsurprisingly, I own a fair amount of sci-fi, I also like contemporary fiction and biography. Part of my time at the moment is compling a personal - 'should read, recommend reading, would like to read list' (to be posted here eventually).

Sci-fi, Fantasy and children's fiction: Ursula Le Guin, "A Scanner Darkly" Philip K. Dick, Vernor Vinge, Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Dan Simmons, Richard Morgan, Dan Simmons, Tanith Lee on her good days, Diana Wynne Jones,

Biographies/non-fiction: "Novel Without A Name" Dong Thu Hong; "Fire in the Snow" Palden Gyatso; "The Soccer War" Ryszard Kapuscinski; "Papillion" Henri Charriere; "Empires of the Monsoon" ?; "Rembrandt's Eyes" Simon Schama

Re: Samurai Books

[triskellian]

I do own translations of " The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon" and the "Tale of Genji"
Then I should lend you Murasaki by Liza Dalby, which is a novelisation of the life of the writer of Genji, and features Sei Shonagon as a minor character. It's rather good, too.

Re: Samurai Books

[melliarc]

Ha no by Seven Samurai I mean the movie, I don't think there's a book anyway. :)
Oh, if you want to check for chinese litterature, my personal favorite is the Condor Heroes series. I don't remember the name in chinese, but I could look it up if you're interested.

Quite a very varied books collection that you have there!

Oh, I've never seen Outlaw I think. But then again, most Van Damme movies are very weak story-wise and since he doesn't have the skills of Jackie Chan, well his martial arts aren't enough to save the day. So I don't doubt that movie's crap. ;)

Hehe, I'm interested into hearing the name of that video.
Here I have only Yojimbo, Seven Samurai and Spider Castle.
I sadly missed my chance once to tape the series of Captain Blackmore as well. :/

[_corpse_]

Passion's a good thing, so well done for finding something to be passionate about. Oddly enough, at a time when you're discovering a need to collect books, I'm discovering a lack of the same need that I once thought I had.

The only books I own right now that I'd be really unhappy about losing would be the two volume Shorter Oxford.

Lexicon

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I own a few dictionaries atm, but I want the OED. It does, however, exhaust even my lust for print - I'll be quite content with web-access and a disc.
I use (a href=" http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary">hyperdictionary occasionally, but it's all-American, and I like english English.

Re: oops, hyperdictionary

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still getting wrangling this html stuff (another current dabbling of mine)

Re: Lexicon

[_corpse_]

If I ever feel like I've actually settled down, I think I'll treat myself to the OED. Until then, the Shorter will just have to do. Somehow an electronic variant just ain't the same.

Re: Lexicon

[_corpse_]

Oh, and I generally use Merriam-Webster if I'm online.