Best composer & musician biographies according to redditors

We found 281 Reddit comments discussing the best composer & musician biographies. We ranked the 108 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Subcategories:

Classical musician biographies
Country & folk composer biographies
Jass musician biographies
Pop artist biographies
R&b art biographies
Rock band biographies
Heavy metal musician biographies
Punk musician biographies
Rap & hip-hop musicians biographies

Top Reddit comments about Composer & Musician Biographies:

u/PainMatrix · 85 pointsr/funny

For anyone wondering this is a real book and it is both hilarious and poignant. I'd highly recommend it.

u/ryhanb · 63 pointsr/astrology

Astrology is a psuedoscience, the only problem is if you choose to take the problem personally. That everything in the world should or ought to fit into our current understanding of what science is is a pretty arrogant position to take and one I think most tv personality scientists take in error. The fact of the matter is that human knowledge has grown throughout history. Old facts were replaced by new ones, and thinking that we're somehow now immune to that as if we've suddenly right now got everything figured out is just silly and historically ignorant.

Chuck Klosterman has a really great book about this But What If We're Wrong?

u/infinull · 60 pointsr/AdviceAnimals

Black people wanting to know how be a black friend or how to be a better black friend, should check out How to be Black.

(Everyone who isn't black should also read it, but mostly because it is inspiring and hilarious)

u/RachelDesha · 52 pointsr/nin

I found itThe Stain of Time v2: More Than a Trent Reznor Biography

u/lukepeacock · 17 pointsr/AskHistorians

The latest Chuck Klosterman book deals with this a bit near the beginning.

u/morselsrule · 15 pointsr/reddit.com

The truth about Tiananmen Square is far different than what you commonly read in the press. The following excerpt is from the book Red China Blues by Jan Wong. She was a western journalist who was liberal, pro-democracy, and against the Chinese government. She was on the ground in Tiananmen the entire time, and interacted directly with all the protesters. This is her account:



>I was becoming more than a bit cranky. The outside world thought the demonstrators were disciplined, and marveled. But having lived through the Cultural Revolution myself, talents like slogan shouting and mass marching didn't impress me. Maybe it was sleep deprivation - I was working nineteen hours a day - but to my jaundiced eye it seemed that the students were merely aping their oppressors. They established a Lilliputian kingdom in Tiananmen Square, complete with a mini-bureaucracy with committees for sanitation, finance, and "propaganda". They even adopted grandiose titles. Chai Ling was elected Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Tiananmen Square Unified Action Headquarters.

>Like the government, the students' broadcast station sometimes deliberately disseminated misinformation, such as the resignation of key government officials, which wasn't true. They even, indignity of indignities, issued us press passes. Using transparent fishing line held in place by volunteers who simply stood there all day, they carved the huge square into gigantic concentric circles of ascending importance. Depending on how our press passes were stamped determined how deeply we could penetrate those silly circles. We reporters had to show our passes to half a dozen officious monitors before we could interview the student leaders, who, naturally, hung out at the very center, at the Monument to the People's Heroes.

>One night, a rumor swept through the square that the students had captured some assault rifles. If true, it meant they possessed weapons for the first time. I tracked down the tent where the guns were supposedly stored and asked the wild-eyed student guard if I could take a peek. He refused, but assured me the guns were inside. For an allegation that serious, I had to see the guns for myself. But he wouldn't budge, and I finally stomped off in frustration, never reporting it. Later, I found out it was true, and perhaps a reason the government decided to shoot to kill on the fateful night.

You can read it yourself via Amazon's search inside the book

The West needs to stop falling in love with every movement that calls themselves "pro-democracy" and start looking at the actual actions of that group. Remember, the tyrant Mao came to power with the aid of the American State department, under the banner of "New Democracy" ( and the same for Mugabe in Zimbabwe).

The current leadership of China leaves much to be desired, but it is indisputably the best government China has had in centuries. The leaders of the Tiananmen movement were armed revolutionaries who showed every intention of destroying a competent, if autocratic, regime, and replacing it with a tyranny of their own.





u/snorkelbagel · 14 pointsr/MGTOW

https://www.amazon.com/Pimp-Story-Life-Iceberg-Slim/dp/1451617135/ref=nodl_

Currently reading this. Basically his mom ruined him for life starting at a young age, destroyed any semblance of a family to chase after dangerous dudes. Man grows up with deep hatred to punish women and manipulates them for his stable of hoes, furthering the cycle of ruined families.

u/jocab_w · 13 pointsr/comicbooks

The ultimate sell-out band.

Oh, and if anyone here has not read The Fifth Beatle and loves that kind of music, please correct that ASAP.

u/opsaluki64 · 12 pointsr/history

A good book for anyone interested in this post: https://www.amazon.com/But-What-If-Were-Wrong/dp/0399184120

u/NasTho · 10 pointsr/hiphopheads

Pimp: the story of my life by Iceberg Slim, read it before but its a great read

link

u/training_program · 10 pointsr/army

There are two ones I know about:

Thunder Run , which is the BDE perspective
https://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Run-Armored-Capture-Baghdad/dp/080214179X

Heavy Metal, which is by a Company CDR.
https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Metal-Companys-Battle-Baghdad/dp/1574888579

u/vplatt · 9 pointsr/Eyebleach

Loving your cat is a process, not an event, and if you don't at least know about the "slow blinkies" then you have probably skipped some steps. Additionally, you may have skipped a fear factor or two introduced while your cat was a kitten.

The best book that I have personally seen about this relationship between human and cat is "Cat Daddy" at https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Daddy-Worlds-Incorrigible-Taught/dp/0399163808

In that book, which I happened to get the Audible version of it on discount so I'm mildly biased, he describes different modalities of general cat behavior as well as his experiences around shelters. Generally speaking, the experiences around shelters are fairly depressing. The cat behavior descriptions are spot-on though and may help you diagnose what is going on with your cat.

YMMV and all the usual disclaimers. I hope that helps!

u/cryonisis · 9 pointsr/thelema

The lyrics reference a theory by Drunvalo Melchizedik about supposed stages of human evolution and becoming post-human or trans-human or something. Maynard's auto-biography says as much about his interest in Melchizedik's work at the time of that albums writing.

Your thoughts on Drunvalo's theories are your own to pursue. I've personally found some value in his practical exercises, much interest in his geometric work, and much laughter in his ideas about biology; your mileage may vary.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B007YC6G3W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_A-XACb8F3PPBG

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1495024423/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_laYACbZDFZ210

u/TheSingulatarian · 9 pointsr/TheDeuceHBO

You need to read the book "Pimp" by Iceberg Slim.

https://www.amazon.com/Pimp-Story-Life-Iceberg-Slim/dp/1451617135

u/gonzfather · 8 pointsr/marvelstudios

I highly recommend this book. Covers things like your question


https://www.amazon.com/But-What-If-Were-Wrong/dp/0399184139

u/Ojisan1 · 7 pointsr/explainlikeimfive

According to the glossary in the book "Pimp: The Story of My Life" by Iceberg Slim, the bottom woman is defined as a "pimp's main woman, his foundation".

If you look at the pimp game like it's a kind of upside down pyramid - the bottom woman is the base. She is the first one the pimp recruits, the one he has to convince to work for him when he's just on his own, and therefore the one he has to make the most effort to get, and the one who has the most senior rank in his organization. She then is the one who goes out and recruits a couple of more women, who then each go recruit more women, etc. The bottom woman is the base of that upside down pyramid. It all has to do with the psychology of it, using women to recruit other women is meant to be easier than the pimp doing it all by himself. So it's a heirarchy.

Ultimately, the pimp doesn't get too closely involved with the rookies, if he's a good pimp with a large stable - he's got trusted women who deal with the other women. Just like in any crime syndicate, the person at the center of it doesn't want to have to deal with all of the "little people" in his organization. The people at the edge present more of a risk to getting busted or creating drama than your more trusted veterans at the core of your organization.

u/ChuckSpears · 6 pointsr/politics

>Add to that the fact that he's a gangsta rapper and named himself after a delicious summertime beverage.

Fun Fact: Street-names that contain 'Ice' pay homage to the original macdaddy pimp, Iceberg Slim -- a reformed pimp-turned-writer who authored his most famous book in prison, PIMP: The Story of My Life

u/honkimon · 6 pointsr/ToolBand
u/Biff_Tannenator · 5 pointsr/nin

I haven't really looked into it before. I was curious myself so I ended up finding this one on amazon.

Even if you don't read a book on him, Trent's story is an interesting one. He signed a really crappy record deal when when his first album released. Most people believe his second album, "Broken" reflected his anger towards his record label, and it's probably his most "raw" musical outputs (this is also where some people unfamiliar with NIN get the impression that it's "heavy metal" band).

Trent did a lot of drugs in the 90s and really poured his heart out during the albums "The Downward Spiral" and "The Fragile". Most people consider "TDS" to be most representative of his work, while "Fragile" is his magnum opus (an opinion I understand but I personally don't appeal to).

Trent went into rehab and came out with the album, "With Teeth", which was palatable to the mainstream audience. At the time the album was pretty polarizing for some fans as it seemed too "safe" and didn't have the experimental qualities Trent exhibited in his early work.

A few years later, NIN released "Year Zero" which was precluded by an extensive ARG. Some people chalked it up to be a really clever marketing ploy, but for myself and other fans it was an experience, and really showed that Trent was still passionate about his craft and willing to experiment.

I believe it was his remix album to "Year Zero" that finally freed him from his long standing contract with Interscope Records. For a while he dabbled in releasing albums for free online, and invited fans to remix his music.

NIN went on hiatus for a while. Trent focused on composing music for films (mostly with director David Fincher), and started a side project "How to Destroy Angles" with his wife. He resumed his work under the NIN banner and released "Hesitation Marks" not too long ago.

Sorry for the long post... I kinda don't know when to stop once I start writing. The thing that makes many NIN fans so captivated by Trent Reznor is that he's not afraid to make very personal music. He's a very self-aware guy that speaks his mind publicly about things he doesn't agree with. His songs often reflect a deep introspection mired with tragedy... a tragedy that was once very real for Trent.

So yeah, the music is engaging, the man behind the music is captivating... and I think that makes the music even more awesome for the fans. I know this sounds like a huge NIN circlejerk (and maybe it is), but I like to think these are the reasons why NIN fans are sold for life.

u/yoodenvranx · 4 pointsr/de

Ich versuche regelmäßig zu meditieren aber ich bin da leider viel zu inkonsequent...

Generell bin ich Fan des meditieren an sich und halte es für sehr sinnvoll, aber mit dem ganzen spirituellen Drumherum kann ich weniger anfangen.

Mein Einstieg in das Thema war Hardcore Zen von Brad Warner. Er ist Anhänger des japanischen Zen Buddhismus der (deutlich) weniger rituell und spirituell ist wie der "normale" Buddhismus. Das Buch ist halb Biographie und halb Einführun in den Zen Buddhismus, also wenn du dich für einen praktischen Einstieg und Meditation ohne Spiritualität interessierst dann wäre das ein guter Tip.

u/Bock_Tea · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

Buddhism can be as secular and non-religious as you want. You're not going to burn in an eternal fire, sentenced by some authority figure.

You seem like someone who would vibe as well with Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner as I do. Highly recommended.

If you need someone to message as a friend, I'm always around. And even moreso if you read that book and would like to discuss 🌚

u/vuduchyld · 4 pointsr/ethtrader
u/notacrackheadofficer · 4 pointsr/news

The most read book in the history of black American culture. I am certainly not kidding. Now that urban redditors know, they will notice it in people's hands on the subway/street.
http://www.amazon.com/Pimp-The-Story-My-Life/dp/1451617135
That is the most read book in the ghetto in history. Sales schmales... every copy has been read until it resembles a wad of crumpled toilet paper.
Passed from generation to generation.
Ice T recently made a film about Iceberg Slim. It was seen by and discussed by the bulk of black American folks, and written/talked about in every single black American news or culture media outlet.
Not one other US mass media outlet has mentioned it. >EDIT. I retract that sentence.<
It was specifically marketed to black people ONLY.
http://www.icebergslimmovie.com/
99% of white people will go to the grave without ever hearing of Iceberg Slim. Every, and I mean every single solitary person in the black ghetto ,over the age of 12, knows exactly who Iceberg Slim was, and have seen his books being passed around or read. There's no escaping the influence of Iceberg Slim on modern urban black culture.
White, Asian, and Hispanic folks have never heard of him, and most never will.
Every rapper who is black that has Ice in their name is paying respect to their Pimp hero Iceberg. Fact.
Ebony, the black US Time Magazine shoe in, applauds wildly!
http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/portrait-of-a-pimp-uncovers-iceberg-slim#axzz3Ji6CLJ1P
How glorifying!
I can't imagine any other kind of US main stream media holding a rapist pimp heroin dealer up into being a hero of the black community.
His books are cheap as fuck to buy used, so have at it folks! Actually learn and see what kind of culture we are talking about.
I, old white dude, have read all of his books, due to my twisted sense of curiosity. Weird, huh?
Edit for serious clarity:
More black Americans have read PIMP, than have read the Bible. I will confidently stand by that assertion.

u/raptor6c · 3 pointsr/anime

This book helped me understand what I've been doing wrong my whole life.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Black-Baratunde-Thurston/dp/0062003224

u/cnostrand · 3 pointsr/pics

The one for The Road actually works, I think.

The one for 127 hours is just awful, as the original had a picture of the author with his prosthetic climbing arm.

u/natnotnate · 3 pointsr/whatsthatbook
u/killcrew · 3 pointsr/AskTrumpSupporters

I'm reading Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth about Reality, by Brad Warner.

Kind of a punk rock introduction to Zen Buddhism. Digging it so far.

u/memebuster · 3 pointsr/beatles

Wow $35 is great considering I aaaaaalmost picked it up at a retail store for $55 last week.
I Me Mine: The Extended Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1905662408/

u/ryneches · 3 pointsr/funny

Yes, yes. This scenario is kind of the whole point of the title.

Anyway, If you like The Onion or The Daily Show, you'd enjoy How To Be Black (even if you aren't). Baratunde Thurston (the author) is a director and a producer of both, respectively. And, just to make absolutely sure the rest of us feel like unaccomplished shlubs, he's also a fellow at the MIT Media Lab.

u/overloadrages · 3 pointsr/cringe
u/geuis · 3 pointsr/funny

This book was written by Baratunde Thurston, published in 2012. https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Black-Baratunde-Thurston/dp/0062003224

He has been an occasional guest on This Week in Tech, was digital director for The Onion, and is currently the supervising producer of original digital content for the Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

He’s also funny as fuck.

u/BootsOrHat · 3 pointsr/SeaWA

Oh, he carries a guitar case because his other love is music. His autobiography, Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean has far too long of a name, but it's a short read.

I could summarize it as a man dives into some dark places in life and finds redemption through taking care of cats. He apparently still plays shows, but prefers to keep those lives separate.

I'm just glad I'm not the only one who's watched it. There might be tens of us!

u/canadian_eh182 · 3 pointsr/funny

Actually sounds like an interesting book.....well there goes $12 to Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0062003224/ref=mw_dp_mdsc?dsc=1

u/Scampire · 2 pointsr/Vent

I sent you a PM in case r/venting has a issue with posting links.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Black-Baratunde-Thurston/dp/0062003224

u/TheMindsEIyIe · 2 pointsr/WTF

Gooooooo Communism! (for those who want more information on the culutral revolution from a first hand perspective, read Red China Blues: My long march from Mao to now)

u/wake-and-bake · 2 pointsr/beatles

Don't know if you're talking about this graphic novel, If not, it's a great read for a Beatles fan.

Last year, I watched this beautiful Spanish film about a teacher and two young somethings travelling across Spain to meet John, who was stationed to shoot How I Won The War. You could probably try getting a copy of the film. It's shot with great finesse, among other good things about the film.

Mattel recently released a line of Yellow Submarine-themed collectibles. They look pretty funky and should be a great gift.


Philip Norman, who wrote what many consider to be the definitive Beatles biography and also went on to write one on John, has come out with Paul's biography this year. Here are some interesting things The Telegraph thinks one could learn from the biography.

u/hadtoomuchtodream · 2 pointsr/mentalhacks

Personally, I don’t think you’re going to find your answers on reddit. These seem like really deep-seated issues that would be best treated by a professional. Like a cognitive-behavioral or behavior modification therapist.

If I had a “hack,” it would be learning about Zen Buddhism. I went through a period of extreme anger and frustration. I was bitter at the world, and always had to be right/get the last word in. Everything was a battle. In hindsight it stemmed from feeling hurt.

The book I read—Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner—changed my life. It’s been 10 years since I read it and honestly don’t remember much of it, but I do recall how much lighter and freer I felt after reading it. It offered new perspectives and helped me recognize the things that actually matter in life. It helped me learn how to pick and choose my battles and, most importantly, how to let go.

(For the record, I realize this makes me sound like a born-again but it’s not like that at all—I’m am atheist. Buddhism is more like philosophy and life lessons than religion.)

u/CHOICECOD · 2 pointsr/NoStupidQuestions

Absolutely. Brad Warner is an interesting example. He went from being in punk bands to teaching English in Japan to becoming a Buddhist priest. He wrote a great book called Hardcore Zen if you'd like to read more about his philosophy and experiences.

u/thegivingtr33 · 2 pointsr/trees

I think I heard of that before. Also, Buddhism teaches how connected we are...read a pretty good, straight forward book called Hardcore Zen.

This reminds me of another school of thought: that life is a projection of our minds.

and

What is real is just your perception. [7]

u/AnimalMachine · 2 pointsr/books

There are several popular 'flavors' of Buddhism, but unfortunately I have not read any general overview books covering all of the sects. Most of my generalized knowledge has come from podcasts like Buddhist Geeks and Zencast. Gil Fronsdal and Jack Kornfield are both enjoyable to listen to.

But back to books!

The most accessible Zen book I've read was Nishijima's To Meet The Real Dragon. Other overviews like Alan Watt's What Is Zen and Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind are good but a little obtuse.

And while I can't give it a general recommendation because the writing style isn't for everyone, I really enjoyed Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen and Sit Down and Shut Up.

Of those mentioned, I would go with To Meet the Real Dragon unless you prefer a much more informal style -- then I would pick Hardcore Zen.

u/RedPulse · 2 pointsr/ToolBand

> I just wonder at what point I should let go of expectations for future music from them.

When Maynard gets old enough to write an Autobiography. Oh. Nevermind :/

u/PrincessZoey89 · 2 pointsr/zen

I Just read Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner, currently working on Sit Down and Shut Up, also by Werner. After I finish the other two books in the series, I'll settle down with Shobogenzo. I'm just getting into Zen, it looks amazing!

u/bobzilla · 2 pointsr/beatles
u/rajma45 · 2 pointsr/graphicnovels

LGBT

  • Queer: A Graphic History, as the name announces, is pretty much exactly what your looking for in in the LGBT history deptartment.

  • Love is Love isn't historical yet. But's is a response and testament to the Pulse massacre in Orlando, a historical event in LGBT history.

    Music

  • The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song is a fantastic biography of the First Family of Country Music. It won an Eisner award, if you put stock in those sorts of things. In addition to the music history it touches on the the Great Depression and on the sociology of the rural South.

  • Definitely going to second /u/DobbyDude on The Fifth Beatle. Interesting narrative structure and some of the most beautiful art I've seen in a comic.
u/seth106 · 2 pointsr/nihilism

Some good books about Zen, if you're interested in learning more:

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality Great book, written by a modern Zen 'master.' Colloquial, not translated and thus easy for us westerners to understand.

Not Always So, Shunryu Suzuki

Moon In A Dewdrop, Dogen This guy is the real shit. Lived hundreds of years ago. You can go as deep as you want into this guy's writings, many levels of meaning (or none?). More metaphorical/figurative than the others, very poetic.

When/if you read this stuff, don't worry about understanding everything sentence. It's easy to get caught in the trap of reading and re-reading sentences and paragraphs to try to understand, but in doing so you miss out on the flow/stream of consciousness of the works. Just read it through, eventually the ideas will start to become clear.

u/decavolt · 2 pointsr/CasualConversation

Mediation itself sounds like a great idea but I have no interest in the spirituality or metaphysical aspects. A few years ago I found this book:


Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality by Brad Warner.

It's pretty good, and helped me get started on meditation purely for the empirical physical and mental benefits.

u/Earhacker · 2 pointsr/AskMen

You stop giving a fuck about things like authority, or superficiality. But at the same time, you don't just turn into some rebellious prick. You cut out a lot of bullshit from your life, both external and internal.

It's from Hardcore Zen and the author devotes a whole chapter early on, and it becomes a theme of the book. This blog post gives a few of the highlights, but I can't recommend the book enough. It, and Dale Carnegie, are the only self-help books worth reading if you ask me.

> Question Authority. Question Society. Question Reality. Question Yourself. Question your conclusions, your judgments, your answers. Question this. If you question everything thoroughly enough, the truth will eventually hit you upside the head and you will know. But here’s a warning: It won’t be what you imagined. It won’t be even close.

u/Nefara · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

Not necessarily my favorite book ever, but I'd want you guys to read it if you get the chance: Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner.

It is an incredibly approachable, unpretentious introduction to the idea of mindfulness and enjoying what you have. It's a casual way to shake up your world view and get you to try every day meditation without the whole trappings of mysticism that often get tied into the practice of zen. It brings it down to it's core... that when we get stuck in our own heads and worry about the future, we're not enjoying and taking full advantage of the present.

u/Stryc9 · 2 pointsr/SRSDharma

I was raised in a very strict Evangelical, Fundamentalist Christian household. I had a feeling from the very beginning that it was all bullshit, but I tell you what, I tried valiantly to hang in there. As I got into college, I had moved onto reading Kierkegaard and other Christian Existentialist in order to try to make my religion make any damn sense. Paul Tillich also figured in prominently. Honestly I still really like a whole lot of what both Kierkegaard and Tillich have to say.

Anyway after doing that for a bit, I realized that there was no point in all the mental gymnastics I was doing. I was clinging to this thing because I was raised with it, and that is a lousy reason. So I tossed that shit overboard. For about a minute I hopped onto the New Atheist train. Several things there immediately became obvious to me though. The first was that while I generally agreed with them, they were kind of dicks to everyone. That was kind of not cool in my book. Then there was fact that they seemed to be completely missing a part of life. There seemed there was a sense of mystery, I guess, that that kind of stark atheism just misses. That is not quite it. Maybe wonder or some other ineffable quality. The whole thing just seemed too mean, with a pat answer for everything. And it does a lousy job of answering the whole, "Ok, so what do I do now?"

It was about this time that my ex-wife (we were married at the time) gave me the book Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner. As a side not here, I think Brad is kind of a creeper, and a lot of his teachings strike me as a little simplistic these days, but he will always have a bit of a special place in my heart for bringing me into Buddhism. Anyway, so I read that, and stuff in there just kept ringing true for me. I have always been a little bit of a philosophy dork, and there were so many things things in Buddhism, specifically Zen, that struck me as applied philosophy. Philosophy taken out of the clouds and actually put into practice. Which, as it happens to be, had been one of my major critiques of philosophy for a long time.

"In relation to their systems most systematizers are like a man who has built a vast palace while he himself lives nearby in a barn; they themselves do not live in the vast systematic edifice. But in matters of the spirit this is and remains a decisive objection. Spiritually, a man's thoughts must be the building in which he lives—otherwise it's wrong." -Soren Kierkegaard

While the above quote was specifically about Hegel, it has much broader application.

Anyway, being that as it may, there were lots of things about Buddhism that rang very true to me. So I started reading everything I could put my hands on about it. In addition to this, I found that there was a temple near me, the Houston Zen Center. I immediately felt comfortable there, though it seems like I was the youngest member there by a decade or two. Then a couple of guys and myself wanted a more youth oriented group, so we sent out an email to Noah Levine and got permission to use the name Dharma Punx for the group. We have been meeting for a couple of years now.
My schedule is all messed up with work, so getting up to the zen center is kind of a pain in the ass, but I make it up there as often as I can. I sit zazen with some regularity. I have a fantastic teacher in Gaelyn Godwin. Not only is she brilliant and possible one of the most wise people I have ever met, she has got a wicked wit on her. She is constantly messing with me, but in a most perfectly loving and gentle way. She has been a profound influence on my life.

I have taken the lay precepts. I have been talking about here in another decade or so, when I reach retirement age, going into the practice full time, and taking the full monastic vows. We'll see. No definite plans, but that is one of the ideas I have floating around my head.

u/poubellle · 2 pointsr/explainlikeimfive

if you are interested in a first-person perspective on the cultural revolution you would probably like the book "red china blues: my long march from mao to now" by jan wong. it's told by a canadian journalist who went to beijing after university in 1970 to explore her chinese roots. her follow-up books are also good (she wound up a foreign correspondent) but red china blues is the most fascinating.

edit http://www.amazon.com/Red-China-Blues-Long-March/dp/0385482329

u/mushpuppy · 2 pointsr/atheism

Plus Hardcore Zen's full title is excellent!

You were embarrassed to say it, weren't you? :)

u/muzzl3 · 2 pointsr/funny

I wonder if this young scholar had read this book: http://www.amazon.com/How-Black-Enhanced-Edition-ebook/dp/B0071CNGME/ref=tmm_kin_title_0/176-4834974-0499143?ie=UTF8&m=A3QI763M62X7GQ

With honest storytelling and biting wit, Baratunde plots a path not just to blackness, but one open to anyone interested in simply "how to be."

u/Hinxsey · 2 pointsr/melbourne

Currently enjoying But What If We're Wrong?

Super interesting.

u/harlanji · 2 pointsr/philosophy

I am currently reading Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth about Reality. I get the impression that in one view (Soto) people are born enlightened and only need to realize it (like Plato's dialog of Meno). The author seems to talk about enlightenment as a consistency of truths being realized--"solving the philosophical problems". But in that view, Zen masters say the experience of enlightenment should not be over-emphasized or over-valued. The author goes on to say that it is not retirement from the world, but really only the beginning of the hard work.

edit: like Nelstone's comment below, the author describes his enlightenment as looking at the sky and feeling recognition like seeing himself in a mirror.

u/Doctragon · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

Not sure about books but check out My Cat From Hell for good tips. Jackson Galaxy has written a book but I haven't read it and from Amazon it doesn't sound like an advice book but an autobiography of sorts.

Best advice I can give you is to play with your cat. If she doesn't like a toy, try a different one. My cat is very picky about what toys she likes but loves to play. It took a while to find favourites but you can donate her rejects to a shelter!
So many cat owners I've met think their cat just likes to chill/sleep and so they never play with them. Most cats do like playing but you have to keep them interested!

EDIT: Actually, sounds like there is advice! Here's the link

u/filthyikkyu · 2 pointsr/Music

It's been done.

u/ddollarsign · 2 pointsr/religion

I don't know about the greatest, but here are a few I've found enlightening:

u/ketogrrrly · 1 pointr/fasting

This is what caused me to have irregular heart beat (and feel like it was pounding), dizzy spells, anxiety, and a variety of other problems. It also made my blood pressure unusually low - on the low side of normal. Alcohol makes it much worse. I also had a strong adverse reaction to trees in the past, where I would have panic as it was wearing off.

I was able to connect it to food because fasting was the only time I felt better. Since I've been paying attention to this and monitoring my diet for this, I'm not having anxiety attacks - at all.

Read this or listen to it and see if it might resonate with you. I find a lot of relief from doing ashtanga yoga with meditation, but that's kind of girly, I know - though my current teacher IS a man. Regular old meditation might help you, though. It might sound crazy but this also helped me during a really high-stress time.

u/killabeesindafront · 1 pointr/hiphopheads

A book that sounds relevant to your class that might interest you (full disclosure: haven't read it yet) is Chuck Klosterman's But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past.

u/Variable303 · 1 pointr/booksuggestions

Check out, The Last Season, by Eric Blehm, as well as, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, by Aron Ralston. The latter is what the movie, "127 Hours", was based on.

u/genesic365 · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Coincidentally, Chuck Klosterman just released a new book like 2 days ago - But What If We're Wrong? So that's an option.

In that vein, I also really enjoyed Gene Weingarten's The Fiddler in the Subway, which is a collection of his features and columns for the Washington Post. The headline story is about a stunt where they get a world class violinist to play in a DC Metro station to see if anyone will notice, but the other stories are quite good as well.

u/kanst · 1 pointr/IAmA

But What If We're Wrong

It came out like 3 days ago

u/HighDagger · 1 pointr/funny
u/Xdexter23 · 1 pointr/books

The book Pimp by Iceberg Slim should of had this for the definition page.

u/Saparot · 1 pointr/Buddhism
u/MarkDTS · 1 pointr/AdviceAnimals
u/Chicken_Salad_On_Rye · 1 pointr/MemeEconomy

This might not help specifically with memeconomics but I recommend it for any college student

u/iluminatiNYC · 1 pointr/TheRedPill

First of all, I would like to state that before mentioning my additions that books should be thought of like classes in college. Yes, you need the basic knowledge to go do what you're going to do, but you also need to get off your ass and apply it.

Without further ado, here are my recommendations in addition to what was mentioned.

Pimp by Iceberg Slim (Robert Beck). It's a nice introduction to the psychology of gaming women on top of an interesting exploration of race, gender and intersectionality. It's smarter than it's rep.

The Mystery Method by Mystery (Erik von Markovik). It's not a great book, but it gives you immediate actionable steps to apply immediately. Then, once you read the theory and get experience, you can apply what you learned.

The Red Queen by Matt Ridley. This should be read with the next book to up your fundamentals in evo-psych.

Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan. Written as a critique of the first book, these two will give you some deeper theory of evo-psych.

u/Erares · 1 pointr/pics

Book covers aren't allowed? Amazon site book

Either way...whatever :)

u/johnbentley · 1 pointr/funny

http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Black-Baratunde-Thurston/dp/0062003224

> The Onion’s Baratunde Thurston shares his 30-plus years of expertise in being black, with helpful essays like “How to Be the Black Friend,” “How to Speak for All Black People,” “How To Celebrate Black History Month,” and more, in this satirical guide to race issues—written for black people and those who love them. Audacious, cunning, and razor-sharp, How to Be Black exposes the mass-media’s insidiously racist, monochromatic portrayal of black culture’s richness and variety. Fans of Stuff White People Like, This Week in Blackness, and Ending Racism in About an Hour will be captivated, uplifted, incensed, and inspired by this hilarious and powerful attack on America’s blacklisting of black culture: Baratunde Thurston’s How to Be Black.

u/erowidtrance · 1 pointr/offmychest

This is the book that got me into zen meditation, you can probably get it for almost nothing off ebay. It's a really good book which isn't esoteric like many on meditation. I'd really recommend trying zen meditation, it's about as basic and easy as meditation gets and if you do it enough on a daily basis it will be the most beneficial thing you've ever done in your life. I has been for me.

u/braffination · 1 pointr/BPDlovedones

I have not meditated in several years, but there was a time where I was doing zazen multiple times a week. There are certainly a lot of books out there that could be helpful guides: Zen Meditation in Plain English and An Introduction to Zen Buddhism would be good for the philosophy and practice, but my favorite book to recommend is Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, and the Truth About Reality by Brad Warner. That last one is a brilliant treatise on Zen philosophy as it pertains to a modern, Western life.

The toughest part about meditation is getting the mind to do the right thing. As you said, it's about being more mindful of the moment that is happening while letting go of the past and not concerning yourself with the future. Generally, most practices center around counting breaths, focusing on the sensation of breathing, and generally getting the brain to shut off all of the extraneous things that are bumping around in there. For BPD sufferers, that would be all of the negative thoughts floating around, making their lives tougher.

Imagine that your mind is actually a little person manning a big control room with thousands of monitors. Each monitor shows a memory, a future plan, current sense data, emotions, etc.; basically everything that makes you, you is up on those screens. Zazen is about learning how to temporarily shut these monitors off at will, either individually, by category, or wholesale. The ideal is to shut all of them off and just be left with the mind alone (this is the idea behind the Buddhist notion of "watching one's own mind". When your mind is not distracted by past memories, by future plans, by sense data, by emotions, it is in it's most pure state: Emptiness. This is not to be confused with little-e "emptiness" but is a Buddhist concept unto itself.

It's tough to get to that point and it requires lots of practice. There will be many times when you are counting breaths and thinking about how stupid the whole thing is, or how you have to run errands later that day, or how your back hurts, or how that one time your friend called you fat in middle school and it really hurt. This is ok! It's normal! That's what your brain does all day every day, you can't expect it to not do that just because you are meditating. When thoughts and distractions arise, let them. Observe them. Then let them fall away and start counting your breaths again. With lots of practice, you will eventually get to the point where you can let all the excesses of your mind fall away and achieve relaxation, knowledge and mastery of the mind, and plenty of other benefits.

Anyway, these are just some scattered thoughts. Just start reading about it! The Brad Warner book is a great place to start because it summarizes lots of Buddhist philosophy in a really palatable way. Good luck!

u/chlorofluoro · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I've enjoyed Hardcore Zen. It's a little tedious at times, but I feel it gives a fair introduction to a layman's version of Zen Buddhism.

u/BlackInTokyo88 · 1 pointr/japanlife

Aint happen to me. Jus an example.
If u wanna learn more read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Pimp-Story-Life-Iceberg-Slim/dp/1451617135

u/ergomnemonicism · 1 pointr/books

Hmm. True crime isn't often known for being well written. But check out Public Enemies by Bryan Burroughs, Columbine by Dave Cullen, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, and of course, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. T.J. English has written some supposedly good stuff, and (being from Boston) I can recommend some good books on Whitey Bulger, including Brutal, Black Mass and Rat Bastards.

If you're looking for stuff on actual murderers, it's going to be a little harder. Most of that stuff is crap. I guess the old standbys are Helter Skelter, The Stranger Beside Me, and BTK.

u/_refugee_ · 1 pointr/Buddhism

Try Hardcore Zen sometime :)

u/Rebel_Stylee · 1 pointr/AskMen

More of an autobiography to see what real manliness is like:
Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim
http://www.amazon.com/Pimp-The-Story-My-Life-ebook/dp/B0043RSK9E

u/CyanRain · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I hope that you trying to finish off your goals will dissuade you from doing this act.

I am currently 29. When I was younger I had a family member kill themselves. Shortly after I graduated high school a friend of mine killed himself. A few years back a military buddy of mine killed himself. A girl I have care for dearly has on several occasions come to the point...

No matter how you go about doing it, those who care about you will always feel the impact. Most will always wonder if there wasn't something else they could do, why they did not see something.

When someone goes it is like tearing a point out of a spider's web, it is felt throughout the web. The web will always bear some reminder of the damage that was done.

If you have spoken to all of these people, have taken the anti depressants etc.. maybe you just need to spend some more time in introspection.. Grab some old philosophic literature, do some reading and think over what you read.

I don’t expect any one answer to fit for everyone.

I recommend reading this book, even if it’s not your answer it’s worth a read and it’s considerably less dry on the subject than others.
http://www.amazon.com/Hardcore-Zen-Monster-Movies-Reality/dp/086171380X

u/10thflrinsanity · 1 pointr/IAmA

Though the unique events you've experienced up until this point have certainly shaped your neural-response mechanisms and brain chemistry... You're still a part of an evolving consciousness that is humanity and the universe. Likewise, as am I. The universe is experiencing itself through your existence, just as it is with my own and everyone elses'. Have you read much about Eastern philosophy? If not, I recommend you pick something up, start with Hardcore Zen.

u/Time_to_Live_Free · 1 pointr/NoFap

Believe it or not, Between a Rock and a Hard Place. A good story about willpower and finding out what's important (the movie isn't bad at all either).

u/RMank · 1 pointr/Futurology
u/FallsDownMountains · 1 pointr/mildlyinteresting

On a side note, if you're interested in this form of writing, there's an autobiography of a pimp - Iceberg Slim - that's almost impossible to read (I have to google every other phrase). Terribly interesting, though.

u/eviljordan · 1 pointr/gaming

This guy would disagree with you.

u/armrha · 1 pointr/AdviceAnimals

I see that word 'guilty' thrown around a lot on this issue.

I'll be clear, I think the systemic oppression of blacks in the US is an enormous crime and the ramifications will be felt for probably thousands of years.

That said, I don't want anybody to feel guilty. Guilty feelings aren't going to make anything better, it's a negative emotion that breaks you down as a person. Guilt isn't something you should feel, but you should be aware of the advantages you have and the disadvantages other people have. It's that blindness to the privilege that just makes people furious -- And even not having contributed to slavery in your past, your whiteness has led to you benefiting from racist society. Like this comic illustrates (someone else in the thread linked it already, good comic though.).

It's only natural that people get downright angry about it. Some people will be furious. Some people get so many doors slammed in their faces that they get bitter, and they start only seeing the advantaged as cogs in the system of oppression. That's not a good thing of course, but can you really blame them? A lifetime of being generalized and marginalized, those frustrations are going to go somewhere. I'm sorry if people are always venting on you, but a lot of people just want to see some awareness of that privilege -- some perspective on what it means to be white versus what it means to be black in this country.

That book reddit is always making fun of, 'How to Be Black', is actually a very funny but sometimes very painful book for anybody to read about racial issues in America. If Reddit would stop laughing at its hilariously over-repeated joke pretending it's an instruction manual and read it, they'd understand the title. I don't know, just an example of something I see popping up a lot that shows a lack of perspective. But anyway, good luck to you and thanks for the response.

u/Obvious0ne · 1 pointr/politics
u/LeaflessTree · 1 pointr/funny

The book

Nothing to take creep shots over.

u/Grannyjewel · 1 pointr/Drugs

https://www.amazon.com/Rat-Bastards-Boston-Mobster-Everyone/dp/0061232890

Dude who did his time and didn't testify against his mentor (Whitey Bulger) despite his mentor having shared information about the author to the FBI.

u/erthian · 1 pointr/atheism

>And that just doesn't cut it. That's what all religious people say about their beliefs. "Just go ahead and devote yourself to it for a while and you'll see what I mean!"

Yea, I know what you mean. Its unfortunate because religious fundies have made this argument so many times, its impossible to say it with out sounding like a tool. If any thing, I'd suggest reading Hardcore Zen, by Brad Warner.

Basically, all I can say is that I've been able to have so many insights and been so much calmer from doing zazen. Maybe its because I'm just naturally high strung, but I notice a dramatic difference when I'm doing zazen versus when I'm not. Its not a matter of 'just believe in god and some mystical thing will happen that probably has to do with him', its more like, when I practice the methods set down by ancient buddhist dudes, I feel a fuck ton less worse about my self, the world, and really life its self. Its not a matter of faith at that point. Its just the whole "why the fuck should I waste my time on this nonsense" part that requires faith.

Its like if you've eaten fast food all your life and you don't even know what feeling healthy feels like. Why would you believe that this magical "healthy food" would change any thing?

>All I want is to hear one bit of wisdom that Buddhism has provided to the world that is not arbitrary or an assumption.

Thats the problem... it IS based on assumptions. The problem for me was always that I was an extreme pragmatist.

However, the 'faith' in Buddhism is different then the faith in Christianity, like I said, in that you get ACTUAL results. You are calmer, happier, and better equipped to deal with life.

At some point, if you want to be a scientist, you have to have faith that learning science will help you get there. If you want to be a psychologist, you have to have faith that taking psychology courses will help you get there. My goal is to be centered and happy and productive. After much research and questioning, I decided to have faith that Soto Buddhism would help me get there.

>If that were reasonable then we'd all be spending all of our lives trying out the infinite list of religious ideas people claim to have veracity.

Not your whole life, no. And not even a huge chunk of it. But studying the worlds religions IS important to a lot of people. I did as much as a teenage, and found that 99% of them were silly as hell. I, like you, thought Buddhism was in the same group as well, but the western Buddhists always struck my fancy. But ya.. I felt like you do.. like they are just watered down pot heads. I'm glad I moved past that stigma.

If you don't like this stinking Buddhist stuff, try some Schopenhauer first. That guy is pretty sweet. His ideas are very similar and equally helpful., tho I tend to get on with Schopenhauer better then many others.

u/CrazedIvan · 1 pointr/DeepThoughts

I know you were just proposing an example, but I just want to say that the earth is in fact round and we do orbit around the sun. We have sent so many people into orbit, and so many probes into space that give you such a clear view of the earths shape that I personally can't take the idea that the earth is anything but round. I would also urge someone who believes the earth to be in another shape that isn't round to take some time and look at the science of satellites, GPS, and time keeping. They all run on precise measurements based on the earths round shape. If the earth wasn't round, these systems just wouldn't work.

A simple way to prove yourself of this, is to tie a gopro to a weather balloon and launch it. In the footage of the gopro, you will see the curvature of the earth. Now, I digress...

> Does it make me crazy in "your" opinion that I believe it is "possible" that there is a great conspiracy concerning the truth of mankind that we are taught versus what is reality?

It really depends on what you believe and the basis of that belief, along with how quickly you're throwing away the basis of our current understanding of what our reality is. If you're basing your theory one some headline you saw in a tabloid or a small article buried deep in the web, I am going to consider you crazy until you can present to me a lot of facts on why you believe.

I really don't think that providing facts is too much to ask.

> Why do some people think it is insane to question the "facts" that are fed to us?

I highly believe its our education system and how we teach people along with how the scientific community works. We essentially teach people that once you graduate college you know everything, or at least that what people think, that these are the facts. They are taught this is the world, there is where we are, and now go add to it. So people come out with a sense of entitlement when it comes to their knowledge and education. People are rarely ever taught to think for themselves, but rather that the answer is in the back of the book.

I think there is a good number of scientist out there who do question everything. But the problem they find themselves trying to balance is their own credibility while trying explore new findings. So much of what the science community does is based on things they already view as fact. If you introduce a new theory that disrupts all of that, you best have a pretty solid basis to do so. Otherwise you will find yourself discredited and it will make it harder to find funding. On the other side of that you also have scientist who have worked their whole life on a particular subject matter. So when someone comes along and says, "well, what about this?" there can be a lot of push back. Some people just don't want to loose their authority, or loose their life's work from someone who is on the outside.

If you propose questioning science in a public forum to a scientist, they are going to tell you that the science is sound due to peer review and the scientific method based on multiple experiments. That really is the key, multiple experiments that have been peer reviewed. So it can be pretty understandable when someone comes from the outside and says "well, what about this?" that it is immediately met with skepticism. I think you would be pretty hard pressed to find a scientist who doesn't question something. Its what they do for a living. If they don't question it, and scrutinize it, they are probably not a great scientist.

I might suggest to you a great book called But What If We're Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman. In it I think you will find a pretty deep book that examines our current understanding of the universe and questions what would happen if there was found a fundamental aspect to knowledge, that if discovered, would cause us to rewrite everything we currently know.






u/Atheist_Simon_Haddad · 0 pointsr/atheism

Then explain this!

u/HanoverWilliam · -3 pointsr/ghettoglamourshots

>The only piece of shit who should be ashamed the guy narrating. What kind of empty, soulless, cruel person would attempt to humiliate women who are already in the direst of circumstances.

I'm not sure if you've had the privilege to live in such a shitty place. However, I assure you, these women for the most part, are there of their own free will and accord. With the exception of the women being trafficked. However, those women are typically kept under lock and key. I know, it sounds blunt and cruel, however in my experience, having cousins themselves as street walkers, are lucid of their actions.

>It’s not funny at all to laugh at the cruelty of this sociopath.

You probably aren't aware, that this may be the pimp or a local pimp observing his surroundings through a pimp's perspective. Pimps are sociopaths, they don't give a shit about anyone's opinion. It is their business to profiteer off of willing women. They are inherently sociopaths.


> I’ve never read the accounts of women on the street who were happy being treated worse than garbage, being used, being a mans blowup doll with as much respect given to one, and being battered and abused.

You should REALLY read or listen to Pimp: The Story of My Life

>Shame on this garbage for amusing himself over such misery. I’m so disgusted at the absolute depravity and soullessness of some people. Who the fuck is he to judge these women? He’s a nothing and a nobody sociopath, so fuck the fuck outta here!

We all live in a dimension of our own creation. It will exist even if you don't approve of it. Unfortunate truth.

u/laugh_w_me · -5 pointsr/politics

Yep, mob is Irish and and mafia is Italian. At least that's how it was explained in "Rat Bastards".

https://www.amazon.com/Rat-Bastards-Boston-Mobster-Everyone/dp/0061232890