Jonathan

Art, Literature, and Music; the rest is superfluous. (Just a Royal Mail Postman, attempting to understand life)

[Impressions @impression_ists]

Loneliness by Hopper

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Four short stories by Raymond Chandler. One of my favourite writers, his novels are entertaining beyond belief. The dry humour inducing, rye whiskey infusing, clever Marlowe deducing, never gets old. My only
wish is Chandler wrote as many as Agatha Christie!
🥃 🌞

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

@antonmohorcic That’s the one I haven’t read! It’s on my list. I’ve read both Life at The Bottom and Our Culture What’s Left of It, I’d say this is more narrative driven, with mini essays in between.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Dalrymple’s latest, An Englishman’s Home is His Car Park. A trip to Worcester is the backdrop for Dalrymple’s exquisite analysis of contemporary England. As usual, his ability to deconstruct pillars of English society is extraordinarily accurate. His dry whit is the icing on the cake.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Rented a car, drove to Valldemossa. Chopin spent a bit of miserable time here. Well I wasn’t ill nor is it winter, I was just taking in the glorious sun and scenery. I attempted Deià - Robert Graves’ territory, no parking. Another time Mr Graves. Maybe a refresher of I, Claudius?

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Peguera, Mallorca known as ‘Little Germany’. Today is market day - established in 2014. Fresh fruit & veg, artisan crafts, and local delicacies. Treat for the eyes and for the tastebuds! The pungent olives, fresh mint, and sweet cherries were the highlights.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Great novels give deep insight into others lives. Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel does that and much more. Hagar, a 91 year old independent, tough as old boots woman is defiant from the get go. Old age isn’t about lying over, it’s about fighting, and never giving up. Thank you Laurence.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen is an existential nightmare in the best sense. Her ability to portray cold hard facts about nuclear war is second to none. I struggled to comprehend the levels of destruction - I never want this scenario, or any others come to pass. Nightmare fuel. @AnnieJacobsen

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

I read this book because it kept cracking through X algorithms, I thought why not? A tale of quiet rebellion, dedication and decency; Stoner faces the challenges of everyday life. It is heart wrenching and paradoxically stoic. But in the end, life carry’s on. Marvellous.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

I have read several of McCarthy’s works lately. But it was No Country for Old Men, the fantastic film, not the book, that introduced me to him. I watched it when I was in my early teens, and several times after that too. I am making up for lost time to appreciate his genius.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Sat in Matlock Bath reading Stephen King’s 11.22.63. I rarely read King but his accessible prose, interesting concepts, and suspense thriller narrative does add to the joy of reading. Time travel, 50s/60s life, and a foreboding event in the near future — What will happen? 🇺🇸

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens. Social commentary on Class, Criminality, Education and Money reveals complex Victorian Britain, moreover translating today. A great work of fiction that peels back our social fabric with delicacy. Pip’s transformation bares contemplation.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Ligotti’s pessimistic work; in part, inspiration for True Detective season 1.

Contemplate the horror of consciousness, its deception.

This work challenges my belief structure. I remain contemplative but fight against its philosophy. Maybe another trap of my consciousness?

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

@DrDavidVernon I have seen this book before — The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton. Is it an important read for someone concerned with meaning in their life and a vulnerability towards melancholic emotions? Thank you.

[Natural Philosophy @Naturalphilosy]

“I’m a real self-educated kind of guy. I read voraciously. Every book I ever bought, I have. I can’t throw it away. It’s physically impossible to leave my hand! Some of them are in warehouses. I’ve got a library that I keep the ones I really really like. I look around my library some nights and I do these terrible things to myself—I count up the books and think, how long I might have to live and think, ‘Fuck, I can’t read two-thirds of these books.’ It overwhelms me with sadness.”

— David Bowie

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

Finishing Hyperion inevitably leads to its sequel: The Fall of Hyperion. Hyperion was ambitious in its design and executed that ambition with precision. Simmon’s storytelling is remarkably grounded, compelling, addictive and not far off the truth of human nature. The Fall next.

[Jonathan @ExistentialJon]

I had to go to my local charity shop and find some classics. Dostoyevsky and Dickens - titans of literature. After the Hyperion Cantos maybe? 📚