more about books I read: my top picks

[lauralh]

Nonfiction first.

Ruth Reichl, Tender at the Bone

Her memoir was like a female straight David Sedaris who cooks instead of smokes. Well ok not quite that funny but pretty close. Plus, you know, recipes.

Howard Bloom, The Lucifer Principle

Psychology and sociology of "evil," hierarchies, and how power corrupts.

Julian Jaynes, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
Terrence McKenna, Food of the Gods
Elaine Morgan, The Descent of Women

These three books are basically about evolution. The first two posit different theories about religion and the origin of consciousness, and the latter introduces the "aquatic ape" theory.

Walter F Otto, The Homeric Gods
Elizabeth Wayland Barber, When They Severed Earth from Sky

Two books that try to make sense of myths. The former puts Greek myth/religion into context, the latter shows that myths are most likely a coded form of oral history.

Comments

[infinite-hiatus.livejournal.com]

I can't make myself read nonfiction unless it's autobiographical.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

For people like you [if you wanted to try, i mean] I would recommend The Lucifer Principle.

[infinite-hiatus.livejournal.com]

I am inspired to read more after you post about how many books you read this year, so I'm sure I'll be looking for reading material and will try out your suggestion.

[perich.livejournal.com]

the latter shows that myths are most likely a coded form of oral history.

This is pretty expressly true in (ancient) China, so it's interesting to see the thesis carried elsewhere. I may look.