Have you ever heard/read something that had a huge impact on you and the way you think? Any heroes (fact or fiction)?
Carl Sagan and Terry Pratchett. Both envision embracing reality and truth while keeping the mind open for wonder. I miss them greatly
John Gray “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus”. It was given to me by my ex mother-in-law as a parting shot after the divorce. It’s written in a very humorous style, very entertaining and eye-opening. For the first time in my life, I learned that men and women are different species and communicate with different styles and have different emotional needs. It got me started on my way to studying more about psychology, personality types and men/women interactions. I feel it helped me a great deal in my relationship with women today.
The semi-fiction (is that a thing?) God's Debris was rather enlightening for a teenager questioning religion, as a thought experiment about the nature of God.
When I was younger I got into books by George Sand, the French female novelist who dressed in men’s clothing and used a male nom de plume. She was smart, strong, influential. She fought for the poor and for women’s rights when women were seen as property. She ran in bohemian circles and had many lovers even until her death in her 70s. Her novels weren’t particularly good in my opinion but they feature strong heroic female characters who did what most other novels of the time would portray with male characters.
I actually dressed in my Dad’s hand me downs for some time. My parents still have our family pic with my Dad, my brothers, and I all wearing men’s suits, just my Mom in a dress. Being an only girl with two brothers I was always treated differently and I hated that. I think the novels encouraged me to think that I can do just as well or even better.
That is awesome. Sounds like her novels helped you in a lot of ways. Gave you knowledge, insight and a sense of your own personal power! Too cool.
If you go to my profile and look at my pics you will see what I look like as a man. I actually went to a drag show in drag lol and no-one knew I was not a man. The way people treated me was fascinating to say the least.
@CreativelyMe That’s amazing. Well you make a handsome male so no wonder they couldn’t tell. I tend to be tomboyish in most of my everyday life. I mean I grew up with brothers right? Climbed trees, rocks, roofs. I don’t like being told this is boy stuff, this is girl stuff. We can all learn, do, like the same things, and we can all and work together. not!!!
@CreativelyMe I saw those pictures and was going to ask you about them but was afraid to put my foot in my mouth so I didn't Glad you clarify here.
@jujuofthesea Please feel free to ask anything you want. I am an open book and do not get offended by much.
@graceylou I am a big tomboy myself and gave all the children dolls to play with. I too hate the social labels that try to dictate what we should like based on anything except what we like lol
@CreativelyMe I call myself a tomboy who loves makeup and the colour pink!!! As a kid I played with toy cars and airplanes just as much as I did with tea sets and doll houses. I took piano lessons and kung fu lessons. I loved chasing my brothers on the roofs while wearing my pink party dress. LOL. Still today I prefer to remain undefined.
I've never known anyone who read her novels.
I'm intrigued because a book I'm reading now mentions George Sand. What do you think of them?
@Ellatynemouth It’s been awhile since I read them but I remember them as more social and political statements than actual novels. Of course I read the English translations since my French isn’t good enough to read entire novels.
Heroes.... I'm not sure.
But I read things all the time that press buttons and move me. There is a Primo Levy book I keep planning to read, but I can't face it because of the subject matter.
Anything that stands out, a quote or something? What is the subject matter you are avoiding?
Something that stood out for me recently was a book review.
Sometimes book reviews are mini works of art in themselves. As Dickens once said about ships: they are "a world within", and so too are some book reviews. This particular one struck me because it was well written and passionate. It turned out the author of the review was also a published author in her own right.
The subject matter of the book I'm trying to avoid, yet feel compelled to read, is the Holocaust and the title of the book is 'If This Is A Man', written by Primo Levi.
The book chronicles his experience at Auschwitz. He survived, but some say only physically; such was the ordeal.
@Ellatynemouth A commercial was what impacted me the most as a child so I am not at all surprised that a book review had an impact on you. It really does not take quantity just quality and I suppose our state of mind at the time. I can see why you are having a difficult time reading the book. I would too.
Marcus Aurelius, Marquis de Lafayette, Lao Zao, Sun Tzu, Plato's Republic, ...
Very good choices. Anything particular that stands out?
@CreativelyMe
The Meditations, Tao Te Ching, The Art of War, ... almost forgot about The Prince - Machiavelli, Aristotle - Meta Physics.
The biggest impact on me was Punchbag by Robert Llewellin. Entertaining and eye opening.
Anything particularly memorable?
@CreativelyMe the way that the way men are affects women (even if the book was written by a man)
@Davethecrow That is interesting.