Comments on: What I Read – Mark Parman

By: Vina

Vina — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:33:01 +0000

This itnrodcues a pleasingly rational point of view.

By: Phil Cos

Phil Cos — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:42:56 +0000

Nice to read that the Good Old Days are still alive @ the Parman place. How long does it take to go down to the creek for the water for coffee? only kidding.The simple life is still the best and the most intellectually stimulating.

By: John H. Fischer

John H. Fischer — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:11:35 +0000

Barry,

I am sad for me to… when it comes to reading for leisure.

Actually, when it comes to leisure all together.

Right now on my front lawn is a camper for sale, simply because it seems a waste to have it as it has not been used in 3 or more years. Other than one Clancy book (which few would call literature, but it was at least not a current day newsy trade publication), I can remember when I read for liesure.

I moved my bike to a place in my garage so I would have to walk around it to get in the house as a reminder to me that I need to take some time to go riding. So far, that strategy has not worked.

Thanks to technology, so much of our lives is no longer 9-5 work days… but technology allows us to be productive 24/7. Some are able to resist the temptation of letting work lives spill into our recreational lives… alas I am not one with that ability.

I am not sure if it is reassuring to know that I am not the only one who is losing touch with how to do things for the simple enjoyment of doing them (such as read), or if it is actually quite sad and borderline disturbing that this is not only a “john” issue.

By: Barry Liss

Barry Liss — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:24:49 +0000

Of all the threads on CW over the years, I have found this one to be the most stimulating – not just Mark’s but all of the ‘what I read’ posts. I think it really points to a central problem in our lives – the texture, velocity, force and overall quality of the information we consume. It begs questions, what is your mind? what is language? what is leisure? It seems like so many of you have turned your backs on what’s best in the past for a presentist triviality of twitter, facebook, and the novelty of the news. I am sad for you. Others scale books like they’re alpine peaks – the Gulag Archipelago, Wendell Berry, The Invisible Man…those aren’t snobbish really…they are wholesome, healthy and authentic…the symbolism of the gargoyle comes to mind as an iconic representation of those who bypass the alma mater…