>>332 recently, i have been reading books particularly on religion, philosophy, and political theory. i haven't delved much into these topics, so i don't really have any comments to make, but i'm doing so because i realized i don't really have well thought out opinions on the world and the people in it. so i suppose you could say i'm reading these topics as a means of self exploration and personal/ideological development. currently, i'm reading "The Sayings of the Desert Fathers", a collection of sayings from Christian monks around the 4th to 6th century. i'm a recent Orthodox convert (unbaptized) and it was recommended to me by the Father at my Church. the other book i have been reading is "Fascism, The Total Society" by H.R Morgan, a curated collection of quotes and ideas by different Fascist writers with commentary by Morgan. i'm not exactly a Fascist myself, but i plan on reading all kinds of politically extreme literature from across the political landscape. i suppose i have an interest in the ways one can view the world that would be considered "extreme" by the status quo.

these are my next reads. For My Legionaries is a somewhat longer book at 485 pages so i'm gonna read some Lovecraft alongside it when i need a break.

>>332 I've been reading fiction, it just hits a different spot compared to all other ways of entertainment. My primary source is https://royalroad.com/ , lots of great stuff in the "most popular" category

>>343 you will never be romanian

>>353 never claimed to be. i will be reading the Hagakure too even though i'm not nihonjin.

Most recent were Sirens of Titan and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I am a big fan of his absurdist humor and such well detailed scenes. Absolutely wonderful world building. My mom had may of his books lying around and she would talk about how she used to read them

I recently read Yukio Mishima's Sun and Steel. It's a short but pretty dense read. In some ways I very much agree with the philosophy laid out in it but at the same time I heavily disagree with the conclusions he made. He spends so much time talking about the importance of building up the body and mind and spirit into something greater than the some of its parts, learning through the body what one can't learn with the mind. Thus far I agree and can appreciate his words. But then comes to the conclusion the best way to use it is to piss it away in some vain Icarus-like selfish desire, instead of using his transcendental strengths to affect the world around him or do good work for others. The conclusions he makes almost ventures into Ayn Rand Objectivist territory (I fucking despise Ayn Rand) and overall is just very selfish, immature, and lacks responsibility. It's certainly an interesting read, and there is good wisdom within, but I simply can't agree with his conclusions.

>>357 *sum... whoops

Thinking about getting into Sci-Fi novels. Which ones do you hikarin recommend? I enjoy things like Warhammer 40k, but I don't know much about the pioneers or well established authors of the genre.

This one book i found that is about some really detailed medical problems some people had in the past, mostly really stupid people such as a guy that swallowed 50 knives for fun. I take this book with me sometimes and i show it to people just to disgust them.

I have been reading a lot more lately, which is good. I am almost finished with Yukio Mishima's Sea of Fertility series. It's nothing short of beautiful. I am not the same person after reading Runaway Horses. Temple of Dawn piqued my interest in Buddhism, so I checked out a book titled "Essence of Buddhism" by Traleg Rinpoche from my library. It's a good introduction, and I'd like to read into Buddhism further. I enjoy political science but have read only little about it. If anyone has recommendations about anything (I'm interested in Mao or Showa Japan) I'd be grateful. >>374 It's not a novel, but a rather touching short story. "The Dandelion Girl" by Robert F. Young. I haven't read it yet but I have "When Sleepers Awake" by H. G. Wells on my list, so I'll throw that out there.

>>374 >I don't know much about the pioneers or well established authors of the genre. This is going to sound weird, but Tolkien was an inflection point for science-fiction just as he was for fantasy. Much like in the fantasy genre, authors before Tolkien focused on exploring an idea or making a point rather than building an open world just for the sake of doing it. So bear in mind that those pioneers were nothing like 40k or really any of the modern sci-fi franchises, which have more in common with Tolkien than with Phillip K. Dick and such. H. G. Wells is a good starting point, I read almost a third of his bibliography when I was in high school and from what I remember, I liked his earlier work from "The Time Machine" to "Kipps", his later stuff was badly written, preachy and so optimistic and utopian that I couldn't take it seriously. I think it is completely valid to prefer modern, Tolkien influenced sci-fi over the old guys, so don't feel obligated to read Asimov or Wells if you don't like them.

>>378 Noted. Thanks for the analysis. I do prefer the worldbuilding for the sake of worldbuilding, I enjoy getting invested into and enthralled by a fantasy or sci-fi world. Honestly, using 40k as an example, I really prefer the idea of the galaxy that 40k builds more than I enjoy any specific storyline within the galaxy. The larger framework in which the authors use to lay out specific stories. Do you have any recommendations for authors that do good worldbuilding?

Very mainstream book recommendation but i reckon that this is the worst book ever read. It's legitimately just torture porn disguised as something deep. While the setting descriptions are amazing, the character development is (in my opinion) extremely subpar. Upsetting because I wanted a good read that would toy with my emotions.

I've actually been reading Erik Larson's The Demon of Unrest which is all about the leadup to the American Civil War, one of my favorite authors and really well written so far!

Confederacy of Dunces. Hilarious book. I love characters like the MC.

bought The Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger recently. i have yet to break into it but i have heard good things and i am looking forward to it.

My current reads, alongside Anna Karenin which I'm reading on my ereader. Me thinks all the people posting about all the polemics they're reading should slow down and read some (good) fiction first...

>>427 Fiction is gude yes. I will be reading some classics next, debating between the Grimm's brothers tales or The Count of Monte Cristo.

>>343 >For my Legionaries holy based

>>429 It was really good. R.I.P to a Real™®© one, Codreanu. Taken too soon and by his own king nonetheless. Vindicated pretty soon after when the commies took over. I very much enjoyed his emphasis on the importance of teaching the intelligentsia the value of and respect for physical labor. Other fash writers talk about this too but Codreanu really lived it in his day-to-day.

>>425 Finished The Storm of Steel. The scenes and experiences he describes in this book are quite harrowing, it's crazy to think men younger than me were going through such horror! I am not sure if I could rise to the occasion like them. Although I am pretty anti-war, the descriptions of honor, bravery, comradere, and sacrifice he gives are quite inspiring nonetheless. Good read. Next I will read some sort of fiction although I haven't decided on specifics yet. Thinking either Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian or Braum Stokers Dracula. Also my book club is likely reading Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals so I'll be reading that too alongside. Hence I wanted to pick something fiction, easier to ingest.

>>439 I am also reading Nietzsche and Junger right now. First I read Nietzsche's "The Antichrist", and I pretty much completely agree with his critique of Christianity as well as egalitarianism in general. I was drawn to Nietzsche's philosophy because of my personal, religious, and philosophical wanderings throughout my life which have so far lead to similar conclusions to Nietzsche's. Right now I'm continuing with "Beyond Good And Evil", after which I think I will rest a bit from Nietzsche, since some parts of his writing are a bit heavy. As for Junger, I am reading his shorter work "War as an Inner Experience". The descriptions of WW1 are thrilling in it too. And recently I've also been reading "Fascism Viewed from the Right" by Evola. The aristocraticist critique of not only liberalism and Marxism, but bourgeoisie nationalism as well has been insightful.

I am reading the guide book for my friend's Orthodox Church, because I am confused

>>439 You've reminded me to request it on the interlibrary loan service

>>450 I have not read much Nietzsche at the moment (I am only halfway through Genealogy) so it's not as if I have a nuanced or fleshed out understanding of his thoughts, but I so far do agree with his distinction between knightly-aristocratic judgement and priestly judgement, as well as what it actually means to be aristocratic. I do not agree with many of his critiques of Christianity (as a Christian myself) but I do agree with his critique on the veneration of weakness in Christian thought. Also I find it refreshing to read someone who understands the importance of imposing morality from positions of power. >Evola I have not actually read any Evola, although my girlfriend says good things about his works. I am very much interested in reading more about the concept of aristocracy and what it means to be aristocratic- not in a class sense but a spiritual sense- and am very interested in works expanding on this if you have them! In fact this desire to learn about aristocracy as a mindset is the reason I became interested in Nietzsche in the first place. I will keep "Fascism Viewed from the Right" in mind. I also am considering reading "Revolt Against the Modern World" by Evola, if you have any comments on that work. I do have a copy of "A New Nobility of Blood and Soil" by Darré at the recommendation of someone I know but I haven't read it yet.

>>454 To be frank I am also a newbie on both Nietzsche and Evola, just started reading them, so I can't supply many recommendations or comments, but I definitely do share your fascination with the aristocratic. Perhaps the only work that comes to mind in regards to such matters that I've previously read is "Bushido" by Inazo Nitobe. It's an overview and analysis of the core values of the medieval samurais' code of honor which I found very interesting. As for Revolt and Blood and Soil, same as you, heard of them but haven't dived in yet. >gf that reads Evola Lucky lol

>>458 Fair enough. In that case I will simply commend you for your interest in aristocratic, fash, and otherwise illiberal philosophy/theory. Keep up the good reads. Aristocracy is not something we ourselves will achieve in such a fallen age, but we can always try to live to those standards the best we can and impart what we learn on our children. If you haven't read For My Legionaries by Codreanu, as mentioned above, I highly recommend you giving it a read. >Bushido by Inazo Nitobe Y'know I have read the Hagakure at the recommendation of Sam Hyde, which is basically a collection of sayings written by the student of a samurai. You may have some interest in that. There's a copy on Amazon with the radiation symbol on the cover for some reason, which is the translation I have. I don't think Eastern philosophy is entirely applicable to the Western mind, so seriously take your readings of Eastern philosophy with a grain or two of salt, but you may find some use out of it if you haven't read it already. I enjoyed it at least. >Lucky lol I really am lol. Very lucky indeed. She also has read Nietzsche and says he's one of her favorite philosophers, but I don't really know to what depth she actually understands and internalizes these heavier reads. She's not dumb by any means but it's rare to see a woman who truly philosophizes like (some) men do. I am not sure what causes this, no disrespect intended. I love women.

I've just started the first book of Yukio Mishima's The Sea of Fertility tetralogy series, Spring Snow. Normally, I read autobiographical works when I am researching different historical figures and Yukio Mishima has piqued my interest; Temple of the Golden Pavillion I thoroughly enjoyed and found fascinating! I thought I would start with his fictional works first before I read Sun and Steel.

>>468 do you feel like judging distinguished people's lives are worth or nor worth your interest has at times made you jaded?

>>469 Although moments of violence and strife during parts of a person's life may make me feel numb, I get a sense of 'overwhelming humanitarian struggle' that actually invigorates my curiosity (if that makes any sense ). It makes me feel pride in being human!

I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo a couple weeks ago. I was concerned that with it being so long (about 1400 pages!) it would struggle to keep my interest but that ended up not being the case. Not only is it a good story but it was also interesting on a more meta level to see glimpses into the lives of European nobility. Even if the story itself is fiction it's still based in reality, so to read about the types of things nobles did for entertainment, what their relationships were like, what they did to acquire wealth, what their homes were like, etc was interesting for me. Beyond that, the revenge Dantes got on those who wronged him was satisfying. Also (spoilers for the ending) the fact that he, being in his late 40s, ends up with his 16 y/o slave girl, is a bit uhhh... antiquated. I very much expected him to reunite with Mercedes. But anyway it was a nice read, I can see why it's such a classic. I should read Don Quixote at some point too. Right now I'm taking it real easy and reading the light novels for Youjo Senki tho.

I finally finished To the Lighthouse the other day! It took a lot longer than I expected since I wasn't used to the prose, but it was a very beautiful read and I wouldn't have it any other way. Not quite sure what I should read next, I'll probably go to the library this weekend.

>>332 Read Blood Meridian a few months ago Enjoyed it a lot Still trying to figure out what the significance of the Judge getting naked means

Recently I've been getting the feeling every time I read that I'm missing out on a lot of what the book has to say. Are you guys constantly analyzing and asking questions while you read or do you just kind of take it all in? I read for pleasure first and foremost so I think I'll keep going at my own pace but I can't help but feel there is much more to it...

you guys read books?

>>475 Once in a while

>>474 If you primarily read fiction then I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you have a specific reason why you're approaching it academically. However if you're reading nonfiction with intent to learn, and you struggle to digest what you're reading, then I recommend taking notes. As an example, write a paragraph or list of bullet points outlining the themes and purpose of each chapter. You don't need to remember every sentence of a book but this method helps me retain the important stuff.

reading macbeth which is my first shakespeare and i can already see the genius in this work. the way the witches tell macbeth and banquo something true and arguably good and yet it's an ill omen merely because they told him. if they hadn't told him anything, there'd be no problem.

>>474 >>477 Sometimes, writing notes on fiction can still help a ton though. Helps with retention, and sometimes I like to just write very short comments that express my emotional reaction (literally just stuff like "omg" or "thats so heartbreaking" lol). Then, sometimes, I read a book like To the Lighthouse like 472 mentioned, and with that book I underlined a lot of lines for beauty or because they seem to deal with intense themes. That is to say, fiction can teach like nonfiction too! In its own way, emotionally.

I have purchased The Theory of Japan's National Polity and Pure Socialism by Ikki Kita, also known as Kokutairon and Pure Socialism. It's a work from 1906 forming a controversial and revolutionary ideology (for its time) that's often considered to be Japanese fascism. It sounds quite interesting so I want to give it a read. >>480 >That is to say, fiction can teach like nonfiction too! In its own way, emotionally. That is true, I suppose it's a difference in how I approach fiction. I generally read fiction as a way to "cool off" after reading nonfiction works, which tend to be harder and require more brainpower. I don't care to put as much effort into studying the themes of fiction as much because to me they are more leisurely reads, even if they're challenging in their own right. Taking notes on works of fiction can be just as useful as taking notes on nonfiction, you are right.

>>484 Huh, that sounds very interesting. Have you read far enough to know what the "pure" part of pure socialism is referring to? Also, if the book is often considered fascist, does the socialism actually refer to any left wing economics, or is it so far more standardly rightist?

>>485 I have ordered it but it hasn't arrived yet. >Also, if the book is often considered fascist, does the socialism actually refer to any left wing economics, or is it so far more standardly rightist? If you read the economic theory of most fascists; the Germans, Romanians, Spanish, even Italians to a degree, the economic system is more left-leaning than you'd think. Modern politics has rotted people's brains into trying to fit everything into a clean left/right dichotomy, but Fascism was created in opposition to both Capitalism and Communism. It is third position, or "radical centrist" as some call it. Different types of Fascism will differ on economic policy, but generally they are some kind of Corporatist/Syndicalist structure. Whether or not you want to call them proper socialists is a different discussion, but they are certainly more economically left than Capitalists and reject Capitalism outright. Fascists almost unanimously believe in extensive workers rights, public healthcare, environmentalism, public works, public transportation, and heavy curtailing of business for the benefit of the community. I would imagine Kita presents some sort of similar class-collaborative system opposing the aristocracy system of his time.

>more left-leaning than you'd think. While that's true, especially of earlier works (which 1906 would definitely qualify as!) most of the fascist economics I am familiar with / have seriously studied are things like the mass privatisations of Nazi Germany or its economic policies related to the Holocaust (the expropriation and auctions, and I guess one could say "public-private partnerships" around labour camps). But you are right, there are more than a few references to the economically marginalised in fascist writings. >left/right dichotomy I used to feel this way, thinking the division was roughly accurate but part of a generally stifling political atmosphere. People getting given so few options so that they think fewer things, etc. But a friend of mine once argued to me an explanation for left vs right that I found very convincing. What they said was that left wing thinking is basically structural whereas right wing is basically individual. Where rightists see individuals, leftists see structures, and where leftists blame structures, rightists blame individuals. In this way, "no such thing as a free lunch" is a basically right-wing argument, as it takes a truism about how specific people interact and extends it to the government. The leftist, then, would respond that the public does something fundamentally different than the private.

>>487 >What they said was that left wing thinking is basically structural whereas right wing is basically individual. Where rightists see individuals, leftists see structures, and where leftists blame structures, rightists blame individuals Why refuse the "restriction of the market VS freedom of the market" explanation? It's less convoluted and more consistent.

It's a consistent description in a world where markets are everywhere, but the distinction originated in the french revolution, which was in many ways precisely a revolution to strengthen markets, against the aristocracy. It also allows for nuance like explaining how someone who believes in structural racism is left on the issue of race relative to someone who doesn't, even if the latter is a communist. Although, the most left wing view I think would be the one in Racecraft, which sees race as not exactly derived from class but does see it derived from a class system.

>>489 Wouldn't that French aristocracy in question actually also be the left, too?

>>489 >>490 Per the definition around the markets*

sorry guys this has nothing to do with the thread but it came to mind what the fuck is up with farmers? like all of their crops and shit gets bought by the same enormous corporation, whats the poont of engaging in business when you dont have access to the bartering process that's fundamental to a market?

>>491 Exactly my point, Hikarin! It’d be crazy calling the French conservatives and reactionaries leftist, but the market definition (because it takes our current world and political problems for granted) makes it seem like monarchist traditionalism could be leftist. Another example (I got this from Racecraft too but it’s the book I’m reading right now so still on topic!) is the set of antebellum southern planters who argued slavery was better ethically than capitalism. Their argument was basically conservative and paternalist, but many of their descriptions of capitalism can read as surprisingly left wing if you ignore what they thought was better.

>>491 >>493 Isn't right-wing vs left-wing mostly about linking social hierarchy to property? Like rightists believe wealthy individuals and families have demonstrated their ability to preserve and grow value so it's fine if they run the show, but leftists believe this is an arbitrary and unethical way that leads to inefficiency and instability.