Arcadia Discussion Zone

Hello All,

A quick post to share a great tip on a book source that you may not have heard of.

Ever heard of Postscript books? (www.psbooks.co.uk)

A well established mail order company that sells overstocks, out-of-print and reprints from all major publishers and University presses, with discounts of up to 80%

In this months catalogue they have three choice offers which may appeal to forum members:-
1. Magic Stones, the secret world of ancient Megaliths by Jan Pohribny
Hard back RRP 29.95 LISTED AT 12.99
2. The Megalithic European, Julian Cope Hard Back RRP 35.00 LISTED AT 9.99
3. The Enigmas of The Freemasons, Tim Wallace- Murphy. RRP 19.99 LISTED AT 5.99

As well as loads of academic and specilised study books.

Its not a book club, there is never any compulsion to buy, but, trust me there is always something I need to read!

BTW I am not connected in any way with the company, this is not a commercial but they sell the sort of books that will interest you!
Maybe even your own ones at discount

Regards,
TD

Julian Cope as in Teardrop Explodes....first trumpet wielding band of my generation....they made Brass cool to all us punks.

Thanks, sounds like a good source of books.



An excellent book, well worth a place on anyone's bookshelf, I'd say. I paid the slightly less discounted rate of £22 from Amazon.

But with Sheila's comments above in mind, one could say that owning that book at any price is a "reward" in itself.

Just in case this comment was too obscure for those who weren't teenagers in the UK in the 1980s, this will explain everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU3XjOwwfJE

Still a great video, I think.

And Julian Cope's excellent website...

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/index.php

To be said in Kenny's voice..."I didn't know he had a website....."

Thanks Mr January.

Actually, I always thought that was Julian Cope's website, but it appears to be the work of Andy Burnham...

Anyway, it is a good resource...

Thomas D, hi, and thanks for the great recommendations.

I can personally vouch for both the UK and European Megalithic books. My UK version (UK megalithic sites) is worn to bits and has been in the boot of my car for years, should my travels take me near one of the hundreds of sites he lists. I think I have seen like 90% of them over the years. There are some on the Outer Hebrides that I have not gotten around to yet: )

And the European version is excellent also, although less comprehensive I suppose. But still a must have at 9.99! I mean, this is a huge book, full of color photos and all sorts of great stuff....Selecting a site or two from the book is great way to add a little intrigue to ones European holiday, I think.

On another note, JC is great. Have thought about interviewing him on 17 Questions for some time now. Love his books, and of course music.

World, shut your mouth, indeed.

Andrew

I've just got back from Ireland with the specific purpose of studying Megaliths there. I go there because they have been largely untouched there, particularly on the west coast.

I picked up a book there first published in 1962 written by Maire MacNeill on the Festival of Lughnasa. It has 800 pages and is an absolute gem.

Lughnasa is called the Feast of the Transfiguration by the Christian church.

"My dear Roseline, who died on 6 August 1967, the feast of the Transfiguration, while leaving the zero meridian by car." (p. 108)."

Philippe de Cherisey.

Hi Roscoe, welcome back from Ireland....bet you took loads of great photos.

" My whole life needs to hesitate and I awake in the same moment that I die... "................Et in Arcadia ego.

Thanks. I've got loads of photographs. The locals call the Cromlechs Faerie forts and it's bad luck to touch them. Weather wasn't too good though.

But there's an old Irish saying.

"Forget about the weather, this is Ireland"

I go here next


Built by Richard Coeur de Lion on the site of a former pagan temple

Les-Andelys, first occupied by the Celtic tribe the Andes. Apparantly jam packed with Megaliths.

The birthplace of Nicolas Poussin.

I thought i might recommend a book i am reading ...

Its:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0141 ... sib_rdr_dp

I really like this author, and have read a few of his books.

And as xmas ix on its merry way, you may want to ask for it as a gift from your loved one

These first two reviews will give you the idea ....

182 of 187 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Shining Bright Lights, 8 Jul 2006
By Critch "Noumenon" (Madrid, Spain) - See all my reviews

Having only read the hardcover edition, I'm going to stick my neck out and assume that when Breaking the Spell is released as a paperback Daniel Dennett won't be backtracking much on a topic which evidently concerns him a great deal. Rightly so, since it increasingly seems that we have replaced a cold war based on political difference with one that has its foundation in the most personal beliefs of ordinary people the world over. Whether we cherish one divine source or another, or instead celebrate an entirely natural evolution of mankind, we need to understand each other better in order to coexist peacefully, as we should.

Dennett makes the point that in any society where freedoms of thought, speech and faith are prized above all else, freedom of enquiry should be the natural extension. Yet the default position amongst the world's various faithful on the subject of religious investigation is almost invariably one of affronted refusal. His concern is that ignorance not only leads us towards potentially dangerous misunderstanding, but that it can also blind us to the finer qualities of the things we love.

Dennett is a committed atheist, but this does not make him an enemy of the religious. His arguments and analysis are fair and the book's purpose valuable: to illuminate the situation for all concerned (which means everyone) and to suggest possible ways to move forward. He does not offer solutions, but paves the way for the first steps toward greater understanding and does so with his typical clarity, depth and good humour. A very good book. Comment Comments (2) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)




309 of 331 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Dennett's Dangerous Idea, 15 Mar 2006
By Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon (Hardcover)
Can religion be subject to scientific scrutiny? In this remarkable study, Dennett proposes that not only can religion studied be methodically, but that it should be. His suggestion will be stupefying to some, as he readily admits. Is your mind open to the notion that the vast repository of human values could be carefully examined? Then this book will provide many new paths for you to explore. He openly appeals to a wide audience, starting with his fellow countrymen. Dennett's ability to present complex issues, including those of social importance, in a clear and almost intimate manner should grant this book the wide readership he seeks.
The beginning chapter, "Opening Pandora's Box", reminds us that what was long considered inexplicable or mysterious can be revealed. He anticipates the criticism that "spiritual" things or "faith" aren't qualities that submit to analysis. The task, he acknowledges, is immense, but can be accomplished. Certain elements must be agreed upon, such as the definition of "religion". What we call religion, Dennett, contends, ought to exclude "spiritualism", fanatic devotion to secular items such as ethnic groups or idolizing sports figures. On the other hand religion is a dynamic and variable concept and tight demarcation is neither possible or desirable. Religion, then, is a social system incorporating supernatural agents that can reward or punish. Writers preceding him, such as Robert Atran, Pascal Boyer and Walter Burkert are acknowledged as good starting points. Dennett cites them often as contributors to his thinking. His distant, but highly influential, mentor is William James.

Although Dennett's atheism is well known, this book is anything but a call for the abolition of religion. Quite the reverse. He acknowledges the pervasive place of religion in human society. He asks how that came to be and thoroughly examines the various elements that comprise the makeup of a religion. Beginning with the concept of invisible "agency" as the explanation for unusual or unexpected phenomena, ideas about these agents became memes passed through and accepted by society. "Memes", a concept popularized by Richard Dawkins, are the mental equivalent of biological genes. Memes are ideas that replicate and expand through a population. In the case of religion, Dennett suggests, answers to the mysterious might be offered by society's older and wiser members. When such elders died, their transformation into agents themselves. It was almost inevitable, then, that human-like deities arose to be consulted and advise society on courses of action and behaviour.

Once established, and with such powerful agencies underlying them, religions mounted a defensive barrier against inquiry. This "wall" which ranges in firmness from mild disapproval to vigorous hostility, has prevented science from posing rational questions about religion's tenets. Dennett counters that religion should not be excluded from the range of topics that can be investigated. Language research has demonstrated that something seemingly too amorphous to clarify meaningfully can reveal a wide spectrum of human endeavours. He sets out a number of areas to investigate, such as the distinction between belief in a god and the "belief in belief". The latter is part of the glue of social cohesion and common purpose. Can we learn how that works? Dennett's earlier work on "intentional objects" is invoked to discuss how gods are perceived by believers. What will the deity do in a given circumstance? What must the believer do to condition response? These are all plausible questions for enquiry and Dennett seeks to have them pursued.

His final chapter is an outline of research paths that could be followed to investigate religion. He proposes a theory, which all readers are asked to challenge. He presents many commonly-held practices that are taken for granted, asking for explanations of why they exist and reconsideration of their value or impact. Should children receive religious instruction before they understand the issues? Is it "mental child abuse?". Should the practice be banned or is there another option? For this and other questions, evidence must be compiled and presented, along with countervailing theories, if they can be formulated. The only thing unacceptable is finding the quest itself unacceptable. Religion, Dennett notes, is too important to be beyond inquiry.

This book is rich with questions we should be asking ourselves, if we aren't already. Review them in this excellent call for explanations for an overlooked subject. Dennett knows that enquiry alone will not destroy religion. If it should, then religion's thrall on humanity was false to begin with. Dennett notes that if enquiry results in clarification and honesty, religion would emerge in a healthier condition. Whichever you wish or hope to achieve by investigating religion, it's clear the task must be undertaken. There are endless opportunities for research careers in the topics he lists for further exploration. Read this and find out where you might help take up the challenge. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I have highlighted the last paragrapgh because i feel it is very significant.
And correct!

Thank you so much. I loved the vid.

Reminds me of why they used trumpets to bring down the wall of Jericho....even the walls got goosebumps.

Okay...so I was first chair trumpet in marching band, still...gotta love that brass!

A Taste of Honey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_KDPUTyDyQ

Eidt to add: Found another one!
(The) Rise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ennMD1fPtXA&feature=related

Christmas book bargains -

- Ermengard of Narbonne, Frederic Cheyette - 2001 edition £7 (was £22.95)

- The Secret History of the World, Jonathan Black - £4.50 (was £9.99)

- Procopius: The Secret History, trans. G.A.Williamson - £5 (was £8.99)

And probably a pile of others....these from www.bibliophilebooks.com

Interesting court case decision yesterday, and a reminder that what we take for granted on the internet today may not be there tomorrow. Might be worth checking some books out before it becomes impossible to consult them on the web -

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 8537.story

One of the reason why I rip wiki so much. I don't information filter because, let's see, it's tantamount to censorship.

A Burning of the Virtual Library of Alexandria. What the?

Free the Books, Words and Letters.
VIVA LA LIBERTY LA LIBER.
I don't know if that makes sense but hey I can't be educated anymore. NOT MY FAULT.

Happy New Year to you all!

Over the Christmas period spent some time in Hereford and managed to squeeze in a visit to Hay-on-Wye.
For those of you not familiar with this small welsh market town it is a modern day Alexandria.
If you value books and enjoy a lost hour browsing in a second hand book store then Hay is the place for you.
It has thirty old book shops.
Whatever you are looking for its there! There are even books you didnt know that you couldnt live without!
Made a great start on next years present list and scored two must-haves for myself.
TD

and scored two must-haves for myself.

Come on share, what are they, what are they?

ndawe wrote:

[/b]


'The Yellow Cross' by René Weis on the Cathar supression.

'Monks and Wine' by Desmond Seward. a fascinating insight into the role of Monastic Orders and their wine production.

And Change out of £15.

'But Catholic men that live upon wine
Are deep in the water, and frank, and fine;
Wherever I travel I find it so.
Benedictus Domino'
Hilaire Belloc

TD.

'The Yellow Cross' by René Weis on the Cathar supression.

'Monks and Wine' by Desmond Seward. a fascinating insight into the role of Monastic Orders and their wine production.

Great finds, I have them both.

In case people are in the area, there is also the lovely book village at Montolieu, not far from Carcassonne - some fascinating bookbinders have also set up shop there. And Richard Booth from Hay on Wye was greatly involved in setting the place up, although he has since withdrawn as an actual bookseller there.

Another good book-town - Wigtown in Scotland - they boast a quarter of a million books to choose from...

Books, books, glorious books, quoi.

Are we allowed to sell or swap old books (between each other) on here?

dont see why not.....we should post the bookcase pictures again

away to charge the camera up ....back in a bit x

Anything you are looking for in particular Sheila/Tingra?
Send me your 'wants' list and when I'm next in Hay I'll have a rummage on your behalf !
Happy New Year to all!
TD

Ah thanks TD

we have a few good book places here on the coast and i can spend hours browsing much to my other halfs disgust

heres a few of mine on the tidy bookshelf

Wow, there's a bookshelf!

I spotted "The Rise" on the third eyeballing...no "City of Secrets" or did you never get another copy?