Marka Ragnos Posted February 27 VT Supporter Share Posted February 27 (edited) Lucky to have Steve Wiggins in my little hometown. Here he reviews a book about demons here on his interesting book-obsessed blog. Steve's a pretty intelligent guy -- works in the religion department for OUP, I believe. He's pretty skeptical about the book. Thought some of our resident religion critics on VT might enjoy this. Quote Exorcism is sexy these days. I fully understand why $100 books on it escape attention, but I’d been looking for Richard Gallagher’s treatment since 2016 when I learned that he was writing it. Demonic Foes is, however, a little disappointing. As I am wont to do, I tried to find information on the author only to discover that he appears on many webpages but really has no online presence himself. He teaches as Columbia but his page there is minimal as they come. The book, which I suspect easily caught an agent’s eye (see my opening sentence), is a rambling tour—very roughly chronological—through the author’s experiences with and thoughts about demons. I’m left puzzled, however, about why he maintains the secrecy around his priest mentors, although they are dead. Believe me, I understand withholding names, but if you’re trying to convince people, we need something to go on. Edited February 27 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 27 VT Supporter Share Posted February 27 1 hour ago, Marka Ragnos said: Lucky to have Steve Wiggins in my little hometown. Here he reviews a book about demons here on his interesting book-obsessed blog. Steve's a pretty intelligent guy -- works in the religion department for OUP, I believe. He's pretty skeptical about the book. Thought some of our resident religion critics on VT might enjoy this. (From the article linked above): Quote I appreciate what Gallagher is trying to do and I agree with him that we need to avoid dismissing demons because they don’t fit a scientific worldview. As he admits in the epilogue, he holds a traditional view of what demons are. I’m left wondering what we might find if science would take the paranormal seriously. My take is quite simple: I dismiss demons precisely because they don’t fit a scientific worldview. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted February 27 VT Supporter Share Posted February 27 30 minutes ago, mjmooney said: My take is quite simple: I dismiss demons precisely because they don’t fit a scientific worldview. I've never seen a demon. But I've seen horrors where people blame their own behaviors on "demons." You'd be surprised -- or maybe you wouldn't! -- by how some of the most supposedly eminent scientists in the world quite readily abandon science when confronted with, for instance, criminal behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitvilla Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 7 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said: I've never seen a demon. But I've seen horrors where people blame their own behaviors on "demons." You'd be surprised -- or maybe you wouldn't! -- by how some of the most supposedly eminent scientists in the world quite readily abandon science when confronted with, for instance, criminal behavior. Yeah ... some people like their pet speculations. When it comes to individuals and groups, doing science is really hard work. Personally, any horror I might create I blame on my brain chemistry. And should I conjure up a demon or two, in my saner moments that too would be my brain chemistry in action. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 1 VT Supporter Share Posted March 1 Finished one, started the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Philip Larkin's Letters. Amazingly interesting and a reminder that before the age of ubiquitous phone and Internet access, people were incredibly isolated, so if you wanted to discuss some arcane subject, you had to subsist on a meagre supply of letters from the few people who shared your interest, and who might live the other side of the country. On the subject of poetry, I see JCC has a new book out, called What!. I'm looking forward to that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 On my Orwell binge I also finally got round to reading Animal Farm. Currently wading through On Anarchism by Noam Chomsky. bit of light holiday reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 6 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said: On my Orwell binge I also finally got round to reading Animal Farm. Currently wading through On Anarchism by Noam Chomsky. bit of light holiday reading I've read a few books by Chomsky but I have always been disappointed that after he's laid out the problem, he always seems to conclude that there's no solution because the system is built to make that impossible. I've never been that keen on Orwell's tales and fables and much prefer The Road To Wigan Pier, which lays out the conditions of the working-class in the north, including the lousy food/diet and the vermin-infested housing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 1 hour ago, MakemineVanilla said: I've read a few books by Chomsky but I have always been disappointed that after he's laid out the problem, he always seems to conclude that there's no solution because the system is built to make that impossible. I've never been that keen on Orwell's tales and fables and much prefer The Road To Wigan Pier, which lays out the conditions of the working-class in the north, including the lousy food/diet and the vermin-infested housing. Re: Orwell binge Wigan Pier and Notes from Catalonia are next on the list. He's incredibly easy to read as I think @Marka Ragnos said a while ago. Animal farm took one morning. I~'ve never read a book so quickly. I was surprised when I'd finished that a few family members were discussing whether it was appropriate reading for my 17 year old neice. I'm not surprised it was dismissed as a kids book by publishers originally. I'll be recommending it to her regardless. As for Noam, it's the first book of his I've had. The 3rd chapter which I'm trudging through right now is a bit heavy going but it makes me realise I know little of the Spanish Civil War on which this whole chapter discusses. The previous chapter though is kinda similar to what you describe but not so much that there's no solution as such, but that by attempting things we may well find one, but he offers no easy answers. I like that he swerves any zealatory backlash when asked the inevitable question of "what would you do?" when criticising parts of the staus quo. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 5 VT Supporter Share Posted March 5 7 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said: Animal farm took one morning. I~'ve never read a book so quickly. I was surprised when I'd finished that a few family members were discussing whether it was appropriate reading for my 17 year old neice. Really? What did they think? Too sophisticated? Or too childish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 1 minute ago, mjmooney said: Really? What did they think? Too sophisticated? Or too childish? yeah, they thought it would be a bit much. I was surprised when I read it. It's really accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMelvillan Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 On 16/01/2024 at 17:08, MakemineVanilla said: Determined to seek a bit of comfort and familiarity through these dark and chilly days of January, I decided to re-read Iain Banks's best book, The Crow Road. Its just as good as I vaguely remember it. Some say it is his best book, and I wouldn't disagree. Yay. This is my favourite book. love it, have re-read it a bunch of times and I also appreciate the TV adaptation Steep Approach to Garbadale by him has a similar kinda vibe and I would recommend it also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 5 VT Supporter Share Posted March 5 1 hour ago, VILLAMARV said: yeah, they thought it would be a bit much. I was surprised when I read it. It's really accessible. 17 is the ideal age. I think we did it earlier than that at school. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 2 minutes ago, mjmooney said: 17 is the ideal age. I think we did it earlier than that at school. weirdly, my dad was one of the family members and I'm pretty sure he was about the same age when he read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 7 VT Supporter Share Posted March 7 New biography out. Should be interesting, if you're into Keith Haring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A'Villan Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Reading this. @Stevo985 I'd recommend. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 19 VT Supporter Share Posted March 19 (edited) I'm seeing more and more students at US universities whose reading skills have deteriorated badly, particularly in the last five or six years. It's striking. I know this thread tends to be (wonderfully!) more about reading suggestions, but I thought I would mention that reading itself is threatened globally. It's especially clear, I think, if you're an educator, a parent, or someone trying to hire people -- people just aren't reading for pleasure anymore. Quote Poorer results tended to be associated with higher rates of mobile phone use for leisure and where schools reported teacher shortages. Edited March 19 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 25 VT Supporter Share Posted March 25 Canto 22 in the Inferno is actually quite hilarious. Really enjoying Dante's sense of humour as I wend my way through Hell in Robert Pinsky's translation. Pitchforks -- ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 On 19/03/2024 at 16:07, Marka Ragnos said: I'm seeing more and more students at US universities whose reading skills have deteriorated badly, particularly in the last five or six years. It's striking. The Chinese don't let their own children on the zoo that is Tiktok in the West. People are shit at spotting thin ends of wedges. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNVillan Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I am about halfway through (what was written of) The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Quite like it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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