Subtitled "Myths and Cult Images"
This is an overview of ceramic decoration and various cult figures produced in pre Indo-european Europe in the late Neolothic period. The artifacts are arranged by ritual functions, goddess and god myths or religious roles.
The decorative art work on the ceramics is spectacular.
I find it an interesting book for several reasons:
1) The image Gimbutas creates of a pre Indo-european culture and society built on very different grounds from the social structures and arts of the warrior culture of the Indo-european newcomers.
2) The fact that some of the mythology, gods and goddesses and totemic animals survive even into Greek culture, especially in their drama - animal characters, performance with masks. Greek culture than seems to occupy an intermediary position between this very ancient world and the european culture that grew out the the renaissance rediscovery of the Ancient Greeks.
3) It is interesting to see mythical or symbolic or totemic thinking behind some of the images and cult figures from that time period. It is striking how grounded in daily experience of the world this type of thinking is - so different from rational, linear, causal thinking. Almost a "sideways" kind of thinking. The purpose of this kind of thinking doesn't seem to be power and control so much as recognition of and participation in larger cycles or forces.
At first it seemed to me that we have largely lost this way of thinking but in fact it has just changed realms - from religion and the big unfolding of life, to consumerism. Our myths are lifestyle myths; our cult priests and priestesses are celebrities, and our totemic figures and symbolic decorations are our purchases that allow us to identify with the myth, partake of it in some small way. (Interesting how even such longstanding human basic psychological process or structure can be coopted by the consumer society and the drive for profit...)
Gimbutas also has another book on this period that focuses on fleshing out more fully the life, religion and society of these Old Europe peoples.
Wednesday 31 December 2014
Les désorientés - Amin Maalouf
Un roman à idées, alors ce n'est pas une lecture qui vous entraine, mais un livre intéressant quand même. Maalouf explore les identités d'un groupe d'amis du Liban d'avant la période de conflits quand il y existait une vie intercommunautaire. Il examine les réactions et réflexions communautaires et individuelles de ces amis qui viennent de tous les groupes ethniques et religieux du pays. Il explore les divers effets de l'emigration sur les amis tant que l'effet des conflits sur ceux qui finissent par rester au Liban. Subtil et bien réfléchi, et intéressant pour quelqu'un qui connait un peu cette histoire et qui suit les développements actuels.
Basic Arabic Grammar - Waheed Sammy and Leila Samy
Well laid out grammar with at least some answers to exercises. Might be better used with a teacher.
- from TPL
- from TPL
Friday 19 December 2014
Origins - Amin Maalouf
Not a particularly gripping read, but an entertaining account of his attempt to trace and discover something of his family's past. The sections where he traces down a branch of his family in Cuba is quite interesting.
From this book, you get a sense of how quickly the particular is forgotten or mythologized, and how quickly the world changes, wiping out all traces of the past. Kind of like looking down at your life from the moon - hardly visible, and of no importance.
From this book, you get a sense of how quickly the particular is forgotten or mythologized, and how quickly the world changes, wiping out all traces of the past. Kind of like looking down at your life from the moon - hardly visible, and of no importance.
In the Name of Identity - Amin Maalouf
An discussion of the nature of identity. Some interesting points, others too idealistic to ever happen.
He presents an interesting analysis of the types of situations and events that lead people to simplify and narrow their identity to one or two overriding elements of what is normally a complex web of identities. It is interesting that the dehumanization of ones own self precedes the dehumanizing of other groups in society which are then vilified as the Other. In a sense you also become Other in that situation.
Early in the book he also analyses complexities of his own identity from familial to national to cultural to professional.
While he makes some comments about the evolution of Muslim extremism and the rise of the exclusive Muslim identity, he wisely avoids this minefield - which is any case, in a country like Lebanon, can be turned against lots of other religious and ethnic groups also.
He presents an interesting analysis of the types of situations and events that lead people to simplify and narrow their identity to one or two overriding elements of what is normally a complex web of identities. It is interesting that the dehumanization of ones own self precedes the dehumanizing of other groups in society which are then vilified as the Other. In a sense you also become Other in that situation.
Early in the book he also analyses complexities of his own identity from familial to national to cultural to professional.
While he makes some comments about the evolution of Muslim extremism and the rise of the exclusive Muslim identity, he wisely avoids this minefield - which is any case, in a country like Lebanon, can be turned against lots of other religious and ethnic groups also.
Thursday 11 December 2014
Under One Roof: Lessons I Learned from a Tough Old Woman in a Little Old House - Barry Martin
An entertaining read. Written to be popular. The story of Barry's adoption of this isolated aging woman is inspiring. What is valuable in this book is the different view he presents of ageing and the aged. The dignity and respect he grants her is a real gift, one that should be given more often. He also has some interesting things to say about dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer's. Funny too, given that it is in the U.S. but there are also some points to consider around the "Nanny State", and the arrogance of experts.
Wednesday 10 December 2014
Regeneration - Pat Barker
Barker's skill as a writer shows in her ability to take a story in which nothing much really happens on the surface, and still lead you through an excellent read. The story is set in a rehab hospital for shell shock during the last year or so of WW I. Why does it work? It is based on real events - some of the characters are famous people from the time. In the flashbacks of some of the patients there are some scenes of the kind of ugly, senseless violence typical of WW I. There is some sex. She is very good at evoking the feel of the times - society, class relations, models of personal interaction.
While it is largely a critical examination of class and British society during the war period, there are also some interesting bits that go beyond the book.
The book brought to mind "Three Day Road" by Boyden, as a contrast. Rather than a direct social critique, Boyden's book puts the war within the context of the native myth of the man-eating Windigo. This is a critique of western society in a larger or deeper sense, moving beyond social tinkering to questioning the whole underlying modus operandi - a society that eats its own young. This myth-based confrontation can even be extended beyond the specifics of the War to our way of being in general; capitalism as a Windigo model.
The most interesting part for me is when the main character, the head doctor, recounts an experience he has working as an anthropologist in New Guinea. He has been questioning the locals about social and kinship relations, but then they turn the same questions back on him. They are amazed and astounded by his account of European social and kin relationships, find them ridiculously hilarious and absurd. This has the effect of unseating the anthropologist's deep, unconscious culturo-centric attitude of European superiority, of Europe and the West as.."the measure of all things" or something to that effect. This is a profound thought, but on the margins of the book.
While it is largely a critical examination of class and British society during the war period, there are also some interesting bits that go beyond the book.
The book brought to mind "Three Day Road" by Boyden, as a contrast. Rather than a direct social critique, Boyden's book puts the war within the context of the native myth of the man-eating Windigo. This is a critique of western society in a larger or deeper sense, moving beyond social tinkering to questioning the whole underlying modus operandi - a society that eats its own young. This myth-based confrontation can even be extended beyond the specifics of the War to our way of being in general; capitalism as a Windigo model.
The most interesting part for me is when the main character, the head doctor, recounts an experience he has working as an anthropologist in New Guinea. He has been questioning the locals about social and kinship relations, but then they turn the same questions back on him. They are amazed and astounded by his account of European social and kin relationships, find them ridiculously hilarious and absurd. This has the effect of unseating the anthropologist's deep, unconscious culturo-centric attitude of European superiority, of Europe and the West as.."the measure of all things" or something to that effect. This is a profound thought, but on the margins of the book.
Wednesday 3 December 2014
Restless - William Boyd
An unsuspected reread. Didn't realize it until some time in the second chapter. A quirky enough plot so I couldn't remember the progression, though I did roughly remember the end.
A very good read, but I'm not sure what to make of this one. A bit Le Carre-esque in that it deals with the world of spies and international intrigue. Perhaps some kind of reflection on the famous double agent period of English secret service history? I almost wonder if it isn't also some kind of style exercise just to show he can write a damn good espionage novel too. Definitely not a reflection on truth, good and human values, like Le Carre's work. In part a reflection on the unknowable other - Hamid, the German girl, the brother-in-law all at some point seeming tied to secret political organizations, but in fact not - or even the opposite. The mother herself - how can you not know your own mother? How can she be other?
Also somehow a reflection on the fleetingness of life, its provisionality. The invented selves, the masks, the hovering threat of everything "going away" as he mentions in several contexts. The uncertainty of identity. At least for some people.
Within the book there are also the regular folks - the police officer, her own father, the "stupid people" according to the lead male character and chief spy. At least some of them - the father, Hamid - seem to stand as some kind of refuge, a haven.
A very good read, but I'm not sure what to make of this one. A bit Le Carre-esque in that it deals with the world of spies and international intrigue. Perhaps some kind of reflection on the famous double agent period of English secret service history? I almost wonder if it isn't also some kind of style exercise just to show he can write a damn good espionage novel too. Definitely not a reflection on truth, good and human values, like Le Carre's work. In part a reflection on the unknowable other - Hamid, the German girl, the brother-in-law all at some point seeming tied to secret political organizations, but in fact not - or even the opposite. The mother herself - how can you not know your own mother? How can she be other?
Also somehow a reflection on the fleetingness of life, its provisionality. The invented selves, the masks, the hovering threat of everything "going away" as he mentions in several contexts. The uncertainty of identity. At least for some people.
Within the book there are also the regular folks - the police officer, her own father, the "stupid people" according to the lead male character and chief spy. At least some of them - the father, Hamid - seem to stand as some kind of refuge, a haven.
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Not Even My Name - Thea Halo
A moving account of the life of Thea Halo's mother, a Pontic refugee from Turkey driven out in the 1920s. The story is bookended by their modern day attempt to track down and revisit her mother's native village in the mountains on the Pontic shore.
An interesting read for several reasons:
The contrast between the political experience of a group like the Pontic Greeks in the early century, and the day to day experiences both at the time of Thea's mother's childhood and of their recent return to Turkey - both experiences feature Turks as important actors but it presents such a contrast of indifferent evil on one hand, and kindness and empathy on the other. How does this happen? What does this say about a society that it can show both of these attitudes, play both of these roles? Is it something in human nature? Is it something in the nature of society - us vs. them at times, us together at times? Is it a comment on particular, personal vs. generic, theoretical experience of the Other?
What does it do to a dominant society when it has to work so hard to deny and cover up its past? To concoct alternative false narratives and broadcast them far and wide? To the point of looking foolish, ridiculous? What does it do to the inner dynamic of the society itself? Does it stunt the society's ability to reason, to come to grips with reality in other ways? Does it leave the society vulnerable to oligarchy? Evil? Again, is it human nature or political man at the heart of this? Turkey is not alone here - many societies live like this, including Canada, the US, Israel, Japan, Russia. What does it mean to live a fiction so totally?
It is hard to imagine the state of Thea's mother when she arrives in the US. It is hard to imagine the level of destitution she had been reduced to - essentially the loss of everything tangible and intangible. A life teetering on the edge of invisibility, of nonexistence. Loss of home, loss of all family, loss of all community, loss of name, loss of any material good save the clothes on her back. loss of mother tongue. No sense of belonging anywhere or to anyone. Loss of way of life, but replaced only by the experience of suffering - no knowledge of any life outside the old one.
Then picture so many of the immigrants to the US at that time, all coming from a similar level of habitual destitution or similar loss. Surely that has some effect on the shaping of a society, its understanding and its values. Surely this goes some way towards explaining the difference between the Old World and the New World in the early and middle 20th century.
Stories like this continue in the Middle East even today (and other parts of the world too) - Syria, Palestine, Iraq, eastern Turkey. Still on the same bases - ethnic and religious difference, the vulnerability of minorities. You can read some of these stories in the book recently posted, Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms.
Some references:
Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City, M. Housepian - Tor Ref.
The Slaughterhouse Province, Leslie Davis - Tor Ref.
The Blight of Asia, George Horton ??
Ambassador Morgenthau's Story - Henry Mortenthau - Tor. Ref.
What does it do to a dominant society when it has to work so hard to deny and cover up its past? To concoct alternative false narratives and broadcast them far and wide? To the point of looking foolish, ridiculous? What does it do to the inner dynamic of the society itself? Does it stunt the society's ability to reason, to come to grips with reality in other ways? Does it leave the society vulnerable to oligarchy? Evil? Again, is it human nature or political man at the heart of this? Turkey is not alone here - many societies live like this, including Canada, the US, Israel, Japan, Russia. What does it mean to live a fiction so totally?
It is hard to imagine the state of Thea's mother when she arrives in the US. It is hard to imagine the level of destitution she had been reduced to - essentially the loss of everything tangible and intangible. A life teetering on the edge of invisibility, of nonexistence. Loss of home, loss of all family, loss of all community, loss of name, loss of any material good save the clothes on her back. loss of mother tongue. No sense of belonging anywhere or to anyone. Loss of way of life, but replaced only by the experience of suffering - no knowledge of any life outside the old one.
Then picture so many of the immigrants to the US at that time, all coming from a similar level of habitual destitution or similar loss. Surely that has some effect on the shaping of a society, its understanding and its values. Surely this goes some way towards explaining the difference between the Old World and the New World in the early and middle 20th century.
Stories like this continue in the Middle East even today (and other parts of the world too) - Syria, Palestine, Iraq, eastern Turkey. Still on the same bases - ethnic and religious difference, the vulnerability of minorities. You can read some of these stories in the book recently posted, Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms.
Some references:
Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City, M. Housepian - Tor Ref.
The Slaughterhouse Province, Leslie Davis - Tor Ref.
The Blight of Asia, George Horton ??
Ambassador Morgenthau's Story - Henry Mortenthau - Tor. Ref.
Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms - Gerard Russell
Subtitled "Journeys into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle East".
An interesting account of the author's exploration and contacts with several ancient religions now in the process of disappearing in their homelands. He includes some history of the region, and the religious and political conflicts as well as an historical view of the various religions themselves. His accounts of personal meetings and experiences are also interesting, although sometimes I wish he would include more of what he learned or experiences and less of the how and what of the meetings.
Religions he looks at are:
Mandeans - Iraq, especially the south and the marshes area; latter day Manicheans of sorts.
Yazidis - Turkey, Syria, Iraq
Zoroastrians
Druze - elect priestly cast; most members know almost nothing of their religion and beliefs strangely; more a community and collection of traditions for most than a religion
Samaritans - a pre-Talmudic Jewish sect; very ancient; very small - currently about 800 followers
Copts
Kalasha - Afghanistan - like the Druze in that most members know almost nothing about the religion; a priestly cast; more of a tradition and community for most
In the introduction he mentions how some of these religions offer glimpses of an older way of conceiving and living religion, and I can see that in the ones that have esoteric knowledge, initiation and a closed priestly cast. What is also interesting about them, is how hard a time they have when the followers are no longer a tight, small community but a diaspora of exiles and refugees. They don't have the open structure and generalized knowledge that allows them to continue in this sort of scattered situation.
In the Epilogue, he looks at some of these communities in the United States. He, and several people he interviews, mention how this exile from the homeland can often strengthen someone's practice and adherence as way of shoring up identity in this new foreign environment. The religion becomes more of a vehicle for maintaining social and personal identity, as well as cultural values.
A list for further reading at the end of the book.
The Mandeans of Iraq and Iran - E S Drowser
The Secret Adam - E S Drowser
Chronology of Ancient Nations - Biruni (AD 1000)
Year Amongst the Persians - Browne
The Turban for the Crown: The Islamic Revolution in Iran - Said Amir Arjomand
An interesting account of the author's exploration and contacts with several ancient religions now in the process of disappearing in their homelands. He includes some history of the region, and the religious and political conflicts as well as an historical view of the various religions themselves. His accounts of personal meetings and experiences are also interesting, although sometimes I wish he would include more of what he learned or experiences and less of the how and what of the meetings.
Religions he looks at are:
Mandeans - Iraq, especially the south and the marshes area; latter day Manicheans of sorts.
Yazidis - Turkey, Syria, Iraq
Zoroastrians
Druze - elect priestly cast; most members know almost nothing of their religion and beliefs strangely; more a community and collection of traditions for most than a religion
Samaritans - a pre-Talmudic Jewish sect; very ancient; very small - currently about 800 followers
Copts
Kalasha - Afghanistan - like the Druze in that most members know almost nothing about the religion; a priestly cast; more of a tradition and community for most
In the introduction he mentions how some of these religions offer glimpses of an older way of conceiving and living religion, and I can see that in the ones that have esoteric knowledge, initiation and a closed priestly cast. What is also interesting about them, is how hard a time they have when the followers are no longer a tight, small community but a diaspora of exiles and refugees. They don't have the open structure and generalized knowledge that allows them to continue in this sort of scattered situation.
In the Epilogue, he looks at some of these communities in the United States. He, and several people he interviews, mention how this exile from the homeland can often strengthen someone's practice and adherence as way of shoring up identity in this new foreign environment. The religion becomes more of a vehicle for maintaining social and personal identity, as well as cultural values.
A list for further reading at the end of the book.
The Mandeans of Iraq and Iran - E S Drowser
The Secret Adam - E S Drowser
Chronology of Ancient Nations - Biruni (AD 1000)
Year Amongst the Persians - Browne
The Turban for the Crown: The Islamic Revolution in Iran - Said Amir Arjomand
Life is Elsewhere - Milan Kundera
A reread. Life is Elsewhere - kind of a critique of 19th and 20th century lyricism, which includes both romanticism and surrealism. One of the points Kundera is making in this book is that communism falls into the same camp, which is an interesting observation. Why is it there? With lyricism, it shares the simplistic black and white analysis of people and society. It shares the idealization of the "struggle". It shares a belief in "elsewhere", in the future, in some idealized version of reality which we must move towards.
Interesting that he should make this point in the 70's - I believe John Gray makes similar observations in some his books I've read recently. Gray makes the point of locating both capitalism and communism within the post-Christian cultural history of Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.
As usual, he shows his deep, critical understanding of the writers and cultural movements of Europe and the West
I suspect Kundera feels more affinity with the Enlightenment period, the period of Montaigne. I will have to reread some of his later work to check this out.
Interesting that he should make this point in the 70's - I believe John Gray makes similar observations in some his books I've read recently. Gray makes the point of locating both capitalism and communism within the post-Christian cultural history of Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.
As usual, he shows his deep, critical understanding of the writers and cultural movements of Europe and the West
I suspect Kundera feels more affinity with the Enlightenment period, the period of Montaigne. I will have to reread some of his later work to check this out.
Nights at the Circus - Angela Carter
More of a Magic Realism novel than her other book, Infernal Desire Machines of Dr. Hoffmann. I finished it but it was touch and go - to be fair, Magic Realism is not my favourite style. Nor is the gothic imagination for that matter, and her style is also definitely gothic (true of her short stories also, of which I read a few lately). Gothic, macabre, larger than life, fantasiste - all words that can apply. For me, the problem is these elements tend to outweigh or replace the drive of a good narrative - which you still see in Infernal Desire Machines. The books seems to wander from one thing to the next with out much of a real progression, and then suddenly there you are at the end. Almost a dreamlike structure in the narrative.
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