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Jonathan Lamothe

jlamothe@bookwyrm.social

Joined 2 years ago

Programmer and free/libre software enthusiast.

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Douglas Adams: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Paperback, 1991, Pocket Books) 4 stars

There is a long tradition of Great Detectives and Dirk Gently does not belong to …

So what of this horse, then, that actually held opinions, and was sceptical about things? Unusual behaviour for a horse, wasn't it? An unusual horse perhaps?

No. Although it was certainly a handsome and well-built example of its species, it was none the less a perfectly ordinary horse, such as convergent evolution has produced in many of the places that life is to be found. They have always understood a great deal more than they let on. It is difficult to be sat on all day, every day, by some other creature, without forming an opinion about them.

On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to sit all day, every day, on top of another creature and not have the slightest thought about them whatsoever.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by  (Page 4)

I love the way Douglas Adams has of putting things into perspective.

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

“It’s amazing how gullible people are,” DeLoy continues. “But you have to remember what a huge comfort the religion is. It provides all the answers. It makes life simple. Nothing makes you feel better than doing what the prophet commands you to do. If you have some controversial issue that you’re dealing with—let’s say you owe a lot of money to somebody, and you don’t have the means to pay them—you go in and talk to the prophet, and he might tell you, ”You don’t have to pay the money back. The Lord says it’s Okay.“ And if you just do what the prophet says, all the responsibility for your actions is now totally in his hands. You can refuse to pay the guy, or even kill somebody, or whatever, and feel completely good about it. And that’s a real big part of what holds this religion together: it’s not having to make those critical decisions that many of us have to make, and be responsible for your decisions.”

Under the Banner of Heaven by  (99%)

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

Content warning spoiler

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

Content warning violence/"blood atonement"

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

In Dr. Groesbeck’s learned opinion, this revelation was a delusional artifact, as were all Ron’s revelations, spawned by depression and his deeply entrenched narcissism, with no basis whatsoever in reality. Which is, of course, what nonbelievers typically say about people who have religious visions and revelations: that they’re crazy. The devout individuals on the receiving end of such visions, however, generally beg to differ, and Ron is one of them. Ron knows that the commandments he’d received were no mere figment of his imagination. The Lord spoke to him. And he wasn’t about to believe the words of some faithless, pencil-neck shrink over the voice of the Almighty. That, after all, would really be crazy.

Under the Banner of Heaven by  (50%)

This hits a little closer to home than I'd generally care to admit.

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

Joseph acted fast to resolve this dilemma [contradictory personal revelation] by announcing in 1830 — the same year the Mormon Church was incorporated—that God had belatedly given him another revelation: “No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jr.” But the genie was already out of the bottle. Joseph had taught and encouraged his Saints to receive personal revelations, and the concept proved to be immensely popular. People liked talking to God directly, one-on-one, without intermediaries. It was one of the most appealing aspects of Joseph’s new church.

Under the Banner of Heaven by  (26%)

I know this was definitely a draw for me.

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

The tone of this book is interesting. The author makes no attempt to conceal his disdain for Mormonism. Admittedly, there is much worthy of criticism.

If I'd read this book as a believer, I'd have been quick to write this guy off as an anti-Mormon apostate, and probably wouldn't have finished reading.

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

As his sixth wife, Debbie became a stepmother to Blackmore’s thirty-one kids, most of whom were older than she was. And because he happened to be the father of Debbie’s own stepmother, Mem, she unwittingly became a stepmother to her stepmother, and thus a stepgrandmother to herself.

Under the Banner of Heaven by  (12%)

🤔

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

Content warning criticism of Mormonism, mention of murder

Jon Krakauer: Under the Banner of Heaven (2003, Doubleday) 4 stars

Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. …

There has been a recent Hulu series of the same name made based on this book that's been criticized by many Mormons as being "filled with anti-Mormon lies"... so obviously I needed to read it.

I hadn't even finished the first paragraph before I found something I know they'd object to.

This is going to be an interesting read.