Vladimir Nabokov is one of the few authors whose style of stringing words really really gripped me. He is so stunningly descriptive, he practically ravishes every word. I love quoting him because of his descriptive skills.
Aw! Usually, I don't comment on people's feelings, but your expression was so genuinely cute, that I got really happy for you. However, in more important affairs, I will read those books. Specially Ada and Muslims are coming. They look amazing.
It's incredible to hear him saying this, after watching _Men. Abuse. Trauma._ "[...]who will not be watching the show, because she doesn't like this." I mean, it almost hurts to hear him say that, knowing the context. Edit: typo
I just read Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. It's not strictly philosophical, if anything it's very much inspired by Carl Jung's work at the time. But I would definitely recommend it for those of a philosophical branding. It's an incredible book.
On the topic of Nabokov, I don't think there's any better way to read Lolita than by listening to Jeremy Irons narrate it. It's the best audiobook I've listened to. He reads it like every sentence was born from his lips. High praise, but I commit: You *will* understand what I mean if you get the book. I'd read along and ahead, and then I'd listen to his reading and the paragraph would just unfold anew. Please listen to this enraging, disgusting, beautiful and poetic book as narrated by Jeremy Irons. Irons also played Humbert in a film adaptation so I suppose that's why he did that book, but I was still disappointed he's not read any other Nabokov work. The man who does Ardor is workmanlike by comparison - judging by the sample, mind you. Guess I'll get the silent one! (also if anyone reads this and knows any book with an exceptional audio narrator pls rec pls pls rec, it gives me life)
I'm going to graduate from high school this month, I studied the history of philosophy for three years but since I'm not going to study philosophy at uni I'd want to start studying it on my own. I've actually picked up Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. Do you have other recommendations for first time philosophy readers like me?
The last one was a literal gift from RL Van Veen, and caterpillar Abi though she was Ada (and she seems to be in so many ways) but turned out to be closer to Lucette in many ways, too... Oh, hell =(
Fun fact: "women's clothes", of the impractical variety, were historically also of a style signifying power, because only the idle wealthy could get by wearing impractical clothes (high heels, flowing dresses), and the working poor had to wear practical clothes (boots, pants). I wonder what that says about our societies today where that line is draw across gender rather than across class, with women on the side of the line once reserved for the upper class...
FWIW I am genderqueer myself and observe that difference in my own life. I wear women's clothes when I am relaxing and feeling comfortable and happy and well-to-do, but men's clothes when I have to get shit done.
Pfhorrest The impracticality of feminine clothing worn by the rich due to their ability to from excess riches. However when applied to the working class and women such can be seen as a purposefully impediment to productivity another way of subdugating them. Enforcing feminine clothing such as dresses and complicated make-up rituals helped to distinguish between levels of nobility but are now a way on determining which, more commonly women, are better than one another preventing radical social change to equalise rights due to the extra hurdles enforced, which explains why many radical feminists dislike female beauty standards and such can often result in them appearing anti-feminine.
When the government chose to triple tuition fees I decided to give away my degree free on RU-vid so anybody could learn what I was learning but not accrue and debt or pay anything
Ada was given to you by someone incredibly dear to you? That is so romantic and lovely. Anyway, thank you for recommending Ada, I will certainly be reading it given my fascination and love of Russian literature. I love books that are challenging and extremely descriptive of their subject matter, I also like books that deal with mature themes, so this book is right up my street
Awww... (I almost don't want to say about the point you raised about power - power and sex are closey related in the brain apparently via gonadotrophin [triggers puberty] that, from what I read on wikipedia, positively increases with social dominance [whatever that really means]... ...broadens the context of taking it lying down, but is also a block to tackling inequality... this is what people talk about when they refer to raising consciousness because there is never progress without needed compromise).
Hey Olly! Great recommendations as usual. Just ordered Ada. Question: What is the song playing when you were explaining Ada. I listen to a ridiculous amount of classical music, but for some reason I cannot remember it and it does sound familiar.
Hey Olly! I was just wondering if there's a list of all of the books you recommended somewhere? It may be a bit lazy of me, but going through the vids to find them all is a bit of a hassle. Thanks!
I've been trying to track down a good copy of Ada or Ardor for a while but I can't find a good annotated version. The penguin one linked to on Amazon seems to have annotations by Vivian Darkbloom, who is Nabokov himself I believe (the name is an anagram of Nabokov and the character is mentioned in Lolita). Are these the notes you refer to at the end or do you have an edition with different notes?
Very late comment, but one can find an abundance of notes and analyses on THE INTERNET. Vivian Darkbloom's notes are, from what I've heard also quite comprehensive.
Sisyphus’ Boulder weirdly enough, I’m reading the novel right now! Darkblooms notes are great! But that’s cos Vivian Darkbloom IS Vladimir Nabokov (also they’re anagrams).
@@notwallace8557 I know they are Nabokov's notes. But I'm happY they are working out for you. I just finished it, but I read the first British edition from 1969, and Vivian Darkbloom's notes were not introduced until the 1970s. At first I looked up everything in online annotations, but at about 70 pages in I decided to just go with the flow of the book, and reread it some other time with notes. I probably missed a lot , especially the things on Chateaubriand, whose works I haven't read.
Nabokov is one of my favourite author but I haven't read this one! I don't know if I should try to read it in english since I'm not a native speaker though, it sounds challenging.
I'm halfway through The Muslims Are Coming! and it's incredibly interesting but also deeply concerning. Also, stunning analysis at the end there "errrr...umm...yeah". xD
good video, but just fyi, "transvestite" isn't exactly an appropriate term anymore because of how often it has been used as derogatory. "cross-dresser" is a lot more appropriate
Since you're a fan of Russian literature as well as nonfiction, I have a great recommendation for you. It's called "The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
hey olly i love your stuff but I would like to see other philosophy that isn't just social and ethical philosophy, I still like your stuff but would like to see more of the other areas of philosophy
it's not too philosophical but one of shklovsky's books may interest you. he was a Russian Formalist which although is antithetical of modern thought, Reading shklovsky is like looking into the past, pre-soviet russia.
I lost you on 'islamophobic' mate. Is it phobia of a race or inborn trait: as it clearly is aiming to sound as bad as Homophobia/Xenophobia etc. Is it just a word thrown around to trap anyone who disagrees or criticises the Islamic religion?... Most likely the latter as I am yet to hear anyone use the word 'Christianphobia' or 'Hinduphobia' or 'Budhhistphibia' despite the fact that all of those religions are routinely made fun of, judged harshly and inaccurately, and are routinely killed (killed almost only in the Islamic world - but saying that might be considered islamophobic so I guess I shouldn't bring up the fact)
A while ago, when I was a bit younger, I did a 2 part series on racism and racialisation - Part 2 used Islam as a case study, so that might help explain it? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BGIetWAds6A.html
7:28 ... ummm given the content of that book I am very curious and kind of cringing away at the thought of what the answer could be to who it is that gave you that.
Esmé Islam is fundamentally regressive and violent, though. It's a cancer that needs to be stopped, virtue signaling apologists are getting in the way of this.
Sir Meow The Library Cat while I'm a fairly staunch atheist, I think it's unfair to call all of the mythology of a religion or religions "vicious". there are absolutely things in the Bible, the Qur'an, and other holy books that I disagree with, but there are also extremely beautiful peaceful parts. all these books are products of hundreds and thousands of years of writing and interpretation.
Christianity has certainly lead to violence. But it isn't woven into the fabric of the religion like it is with Islam. Christian's look up to Jesus, who is forgiving, altruistic, peaceful, and loving. Muslims look up to Muhammad, someone who set out on murderous conquests in the name of Allah, slaughtering those of different religions and burning entire villages just for being different. I'm not arguing against the violence brought upon by Christianity: it's obviously there. But when your entire religion is centered around a barbarous conquistador, then of course it's going to be inherently regressive and violent. How can you honestly say it is not regressive when you have things like Sharia Law threatening Western values of liberty and equality? As for muslims themselves, I never said they weren't loving, caring people like most of us. So drop the strawman. There are plenty of muslims who flat out reject these violent ideas in the Quran. But there are also many that accept them. And a religion like Islam serves as fertile grounds for radicals and terrorist who wish to subdue others violently in the name of Allah. If you can't accept these facts, then you are an apologist.
