Books: high-brow, low-brow, and in between

[Journeyman]

Second lady friend in my life who mentioned about this author Eckhart Tolle. One of them bought a book of his for me once which upon initial skimming seemed like a mixture of Dale Carnegie and L Ron Hubbard rubbish. Why do people keep getting suckered into this?

It's surprisingly popular. The current version of Tolle's program is called "Landmark" and it's got quite a following worldwide. A former friend of mind really got into it and was convinced it was helping him but we ended growing apart because every time I caught up with him, he'd try to persuade me to come along to a Landmark session. Of course, if you go along, you get pressured to sign up for a big group session that goes over a weekend and that costs hundreds of dollars.

It does really seem to help some people but it seems that it can also be really traumatic and actually cause problems for other people.

 

[fxh]

It's surprisingly popular. The current version of Tolle's program is called "Landmark" and it's got quite a following worldwide. A former friend of mind really got into it and was convinced it was helping him but we ended growing apart because every time I caught up with him, he'd try to persuade me to come along to a Landmark session. Of course, if you go along, you get pressured to sign up for a big group session that goes over a weekend and that costs hundreds of dollars.

It does really seem to help some people but it seems that it can also be really traumatic and actually cause problems for other people.

Landmark is an unscrupulous scam/cult/ etc

 

[ballmouse]

The Eye of Osiris by R. Austin Freeman featuring Dr. Thorndyke as detective. I suppose the Thorndyke series is a homage to Sherlock Holmes given the London setting, sidekick narrative, and that the series started 20 years after Holmes first appeared in print.

Anyway, this is one of the first novels featuring Thorndyke and I found it a fun read. The Thorndyke novels appear to be solvable mysteries for the reader (unlike the Holmes ones) and this one in particular I found the writing fun to read. Yes it's English from 1911 but it's a pretty easy read and there is that subtle English humor to it.

 

[Fwiffo]

It's surprisingly popular. The current version of Tolle's program is called "Landmark" and it's got quite a following worldwide. A former friend of mind really got into it and was convinced it was helping him but we ended growing apart because every time I caught up with him, he'd try to persuade me to come along to a Landmark session. Of course, if you go along, you get pressured to sign up for a big group session that goes over a weekend and that costs hundreds of dollars.

It does really seem to help some people but it seems that it can also be really traumatic and actually cause problems for other people.

Landmark is an unscrupulous scam/cult/ etc

I had no idea he was related to Landmark which I came across when I worked in the States. Ultimately I fired the one bloke who was trying to get co-workers and even myself to a session. But that was to reduce costs not because he was shilling Landmark.

I'm too obstinate to ask or receive advice so these trickeries don't work on me but all these women and my former staff in the US were broken in some way (divorce, illness, etc) so I can see how it preys on them.

 

[Journeyman]

I had no idea he was related to Landmark which I came across when I worked in the States.

Yes, Tolle had some sort of training course in self-realisation that he then sold to some former employees/presenters, who re-branded it as Landmark.

It's a bit like Amway or a pyramid marketing scheme - the participants all try to sign up people they know for training sessions so it can get pretty tiring as they're often banging on about it.

I find the idea deeply unappealing, but some people seem to love it and will even travel long distances to participate in sessions (well, prior to COVID, at least).

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Not sure if they picked-up on this over at FNB, it should be good with the narrative by Jason Jules and Graham Marsh doing the design:

Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style - ARTBOOK|D.A.P.

www.artbook.com

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

 

[Dropbear]

I’ve had a few roadtrips for work and listened to 80% of Tokyo Vice. If you like the series, you will enjoy the book … because it is so different. A lot more vice, hardly any yakuza or hostess clubs. A lot more press procedural and Lost In Translation moments.