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psycheinaboat is currently reading Grammar Devotional.

I’m 35 years old, female, from the United States. I’ve been a DailyLit member since February 03, 2007. My reading interests include Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Poetry, and Folktales.

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Book Requests - Wikipedia Tour: The Saints

I have enjoyed the Wikipedia tours organized and offered here on DailyLit. A tour of the canonized Saints could be very interesting for believers and nonbelievers alike.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (13)

Wikipedia Tour: The Grand Tour - Very enjoyable

I am still reading, but I am enjoying 'The Grand Tour' very much.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Reply (1)

Book Requests - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I echo many of the comments here. 'The Bro K' is one of my favorite books of all time.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (9)

Question of the Week - Question of the Week #31: American Writers

William Faulkner is my favorite American author.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (16)

Burn This Book - Burn This Book

Well worth looking at. Reading excerpts made me want to buy the book.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (0)

The Black Monk - Chekhov's Monk

We claim to celebrate those who are gifted, but what happens when brilliance surpasses the norm and becomes “weird”? Chekhov explores this question in The Black Monk.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (0)

Question of the Week - Question of the Week #28: For Adults Only

In middle school I discovered Jane Austen's books and read them, but "Wuthering Heights" and "Madame Bovary" in high school stand out in my mind as the first of my mature reading. It's like Austen was my harmless gateway drug.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (25)

Question of the Week - Question of the Week #26: Once upon a time...

I love fairy/folk tales. "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" is one of my favorites as is "Bluebeard." Giambattista Basile's "Stories from Pentamerone" are some of the oldest, predating Grimms'. Basile offers one of the oldest versions of Sleeping Beauty.

I posted this topic 3 years ago. Replies (22)

T.S. Eliot - T.S. Eliot

Yesterday was Thomas Stearns Eliot's birthday!

You can read Eliot's poetry through DailyLit and look for "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock" to mark off the years. Eliot wrote it at the ripe age of 29.

I posted this topic 4 years ago. Replies (3)

Classics Books - Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Nothing to be sorry about at all. Thanks!

I posted this topic 4 years ago. Replies (2)

Classics Books - Letitia Elizabeth Landon

A long time ago I requested that the poetry of L.E.L. be added to the site, and while I hate to ask again, I would still love to see her work here. I would sign up immediately to read her stuff.

There seem to be more employees working on the site now, so maybe I will get lucky?!

I posted this topic 4 years ago. Replies (2)

Middlemarch - Middlemarch

I am currently reading Middlemarch and it is keeping my interest though I do not like it nearly as much as Eliot’s other novel, The Mill on the Floss.

Much of Middlemarch seems satirical to me. Has anyone else read this book? What do you think?

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Reply (1)

Poems Every Child Should Know - A hit with parents and children alike!

I am reading and enjoying this right now. Some notable poets and memorable poems are offered in this anthology.

I do wonder if many of these poems are of the lesser known variety because I have read many of the authors for years and have never found these treasures before.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (2)

Tao Te Ching - Ignorance masked as englightenment

As I skim the Tao, I realize that many of the ideas expressed have stayed with me even as I have forgotten about reading them. However, in my very Western life, I have no idea how I would incorporate most of these concepts or if I would even want to. I think Taoism may be a lot like Communism in that it looks good on paper, but is hard to bring rightly to human society.

I would also imagine that the life of a staunch Taoist has its own complications and problems. Just as poverty has a different set of problems than wealth, there are still problems that come with any human lifestyle.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (10)

Tao Te Ching - Ignorance masked as englightenment

After rereading portions of the Tao-Te-Ching I feel that overall there is a promotion of detachment and simplicity. You used an example from The Pearl, so I will go with that.

In The Pearl, in my opinion, Steinbeck was pointing out the problems that come with progress, namely that material gain brings greed and corruption. In the Tao, I feel that Lao-Tzu is in many ways offering guidance to avoid such problems. The teachings support cutting the tethers that tie us to this world, to not even dwell too much on the material world in our contemplation, to be as flexible and calm as the Taoist vinegar taster who smiles at whatever flavor life brings to his mouth.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (10)

Book Requests - L.E.L.

It would be great if this site offered the poetry of Letitia Elizabeth Landon in email supplements. She is very much underrated in my opinion.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (0)

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Would all of our portraits end like Dorian's?

I remember Dorian really enjoying witnessing the picture as it became more grotesque. I think it takes a certain type of person to relish in self decay as well as sadism. Perhaps, Dorian was weak and that allowed him to be lured into evil. I think you are right that not everyone would have the same temptation, but perhaps we would all go “astray” in our own special way… I dare say many of us probably would.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (7)

Tao Te Ching - Ignorance masked as englightenment

A friend of mine read the Tao the same time I did and we had a discussion something like this. She felt that parts of the teaching promoted laziness, both mental and physical. I do understand what you mean.

I'll reread parts of my copy this weekend and come back for more discussion.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (10)

Tao Te Ching - Ignorance masked as englightenment

It has been a while since I read the Tao, but I found that it seemed (to me anyway) to encourage detachment more than to promote ignorance.

I posted this topic 6 years ago. Replies (10)