Books Reviewed

Brief thoughts and comments on books and reading…

My tastes are changing as I have become older. I want to be more entertained, less provoked and upset. More fiction, preferably historical fiction, less politics.

Speaking of books that provoke and upset, I have no interest in reading any more books about the Trump presidency. I get it after reading about a dozen books on his administration: he was an awful President and a horrible human being.

In fiction, I continue to read stories where the main character is a man in his 60s and 70s.

My sources for reading material: My Library, Kindle (less than $5 books) Barnes and Noble… I now belong to a new library that will hopefully provide me more opportunities to find books that I am interested in reading. I haven’t bought a book at Barnes and Noble for about time months. Price of their books are often too high and often not worth the price.

How I scout books before I read them? I read reviews from Goodreads, Kirkus, and Amazon. Sometimes books are previewed (maybe the first chapter) and I’ll read the previews to see if it catches my interest. If possible, I try to see the Table of Contents for a book. Often that provides a preview of the contents of the book and if I may find interest in topics covered.

I rarely read non fiction books cover to cover anymore. I tend to skim through sections of a book where I have no interest, am already familiar with the content or bored.

I enjoy collecting aphorisms and seek books about aphorisms. If I am to write a book, it will be aphorisms that I create about life, aging, religion, money, marriage, friendship, etc.

I prefer to read books less than 200 pages. Reading a book that is more than 500 pages is a mental marathon that I can rarely finish.

My universe of reading topics continues to shrink. There are so many things now that I have very little interest in, including politics, self help, health issues, money and finances, Trump etc.

I really don’t need most self improvement books. At 71 1/2, if I haven’t figured things out by now, I never will.

Thoughts from the “Ancient Geek”…

Respect from one is greater than likes from many.

Admittedly prejudiced, I view the golden age of beautiful women in my lifetime to be in the 1970s.

Criticism intended to dampen effort often fuels energy to proceed and succeed.

Credibility of someone’s criticism and judgment is contingent on their own demonstration of expertise or experience in what they criticize.

Possibly as an exception to my rule I just wrote above, but I know “class” when I see, hear or experience it.

A co-worker in my early career once described me as “arrogant, brash and cocky.” Instead of being insulted, I was thrilled that someone described me exactly opposite of who I actually was.

Just as one defrags their computer hard drive to reduce clutter and improve performance, I write Facebook and blog posts to defrag my mind of mental clutter and ideas.

I am culturally obsolete. Based on the Best of 2023 rankings I see on various publications, I have not read the top books, viewed the top movies and TV shows, or listened to the top music, albums or podcasts. I’m still in a 1960s-1980’s time warp culturally.

Musings from an Older Man

As I’ve gotten older, I find that I don’t care that much for other people’s opinions.

As I’ve gotten older, I find that other people really don’t care that much for my opinions either.

As I’ve gotten older, women don’t find me as attractive. When I say older, I meant over “my peak” at the age 5.

As years get longer, my Christmas list grows shorter.

Santa does not deliver my gifts climbing down the chimney; he packages them with my blood pressure medication deliveries.

The major difference between toys when I was young and today is that today’s children need no imagination in playing with them.

Compliments accompanied by the phrase “for a man your age” are brushed by backhand.

My memory is sharp like a tack; literally….

You won’t know what you’ll never know. You’ll never know what you won’t know. (For philosophy majors only.)

I have reached the age when I no longer have to worry about dying “before my time.”

Senescence Round 8

100% Eric Burleigh; 0% ChatGPT

With all due respect to Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and others, the GOATS (Greatest of all Times) in their sports have probably not been born yet.

Wish we can transplant the spirit, unity and enthusiasm of a professional sports team fanbase to unite this fractured country.

Memories of a deceased loved, like a candle, may flicker or dim but the love continues to beat strong.

The concentration and focus of the average American lasts midway between the time spent reading a Tweet or viewing an average TikTok reel.

How soon before we eliminate teachers, classrooms and books for a child’s education and upload knowledge and information by injection of data to their brain?

1776 Continental Congress: Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Henry, Franklin and Adams.
2023 Congress: McCarthy, Gaetz, Boebert, Greene and now George Santos.

Perspicacity of sports and political insights by friends > collective wisdoms of “talking heads and commentators” on TV.

Pickleball acts as viagra for some men of mature age. Both get the blood flowing, creates raised expectations and allows for pleasant times with the ladies.

Mullings of a Mature Man

Senior citizens are like older cars without a gas gauge. Both have travelled many miles and not sure how much time or travel is left.

As years grow, handshakes, hugs and kisses among friends and family are longer.

Photo by Pixabay

Those who are truly happy, if offered a chance to enter a time machine and go back to relive their lives, would decline and say, “I would not change a thing.”

Emptying contents from my mom’s home of 54 years, I sensed fond memories of my youth following them solemnly from the house to the truck taking them away.

One’s definition of “success’ matures with age. Success becomes not so much in what we have but what we contributed with what we had.

If you still believe in 75% of the things you learned or were told in the first 25% of your life, you haven’t been paying attention.

The Oxford Book of Aphorisms (by John Gross) Excerpts

Probably no invention came more easily to man than heaven. Lichtenberg, Aphorisms 1764-99

***

I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching. Emerson, Essays

***

Life is a tragedy wherein we sit as spectators for a while and then act out our part in it. Swift Thoughts on Various Subjects 1711

***

Men shut their doors against a setting sun. Shakespeare, Timon of Athens

***

Equality may perhaps be a right, but no power on earth can ever turned it into a fact. Balzac

***

In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. Churton Collins 1914

***

Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight. Lichtenberg, Aphorisms

***

Good resolutions are useless attempts to interfere with scientific laws. Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

***

The fact of having been born is a bad augury for immortality. Santayana, The Life of Reason 1905

***

At 50 you begin to be tired of the world, and at 60 the world is tired of you. Count Oxenstierna, Reflections and Maxims, mid-17th century

Melancholy Aphorisms

One often feels very alone standing in the midst of a crowd or a large gathering.
Eric Burleigh

When a friendship is reduced to an occasional wave and a hurried “hi”, it may be time for a permanent “good-bye.”
Eric Burleigh

“Life is puzzle unsolved.”― Santosh Kalwar

“If the pieces do not fit into your puzzle…

Try a different picture”
Cass van Krah

Senescence Round 6

For older guys, Pickleball: Exercise = Viagra: Sex

Ukraine: Their legislators are dodging bullets.
USA: Our GOP legislators are dodging ballots.

Hollywood: A slap results in one suffering a 10 year ban from the Academy of Arts and Sciences
Washington: An attempted overthrow of the government results in one being the favorite for the GOP nomination for President in 2024

I am a hoarder of cluttered life experiences and emotional baggage including insults remembered, disappointments, unfulfilled expectations, envies, failures and missed opportunities. Time to declutter…

My most irrational belief is that people should act and think like I do.

Most men should be ending their political careers at age 70 not beginning or renewing it.

Voters are doing a poor job of eliminating politicians whose ages may be less than 70 but so are their IQs.

In their teens and 20s, baby boomers crammed to study for exams and finish class papers. In their 60s and older, baby boomers now cram to complete their bucket list while they are still healthy and active.

In their teens and twenties, baby boomers pulled “all nighters” which was staying up all night to study or finish papers. In their 60s and older, all nighters usually represent the hours between 10 p.m and 7 a.m. where baby boomers try to get a good night sleep.