Post: #426

Spent Shell Casings: 25 (and 5) Stories by David Rose.

A really fantastic book that I already just finished re-reading.

Post: #427

Just finished William Gibson's "Sprawl" trilogy, (Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive).

Neuromancer is one of the best SciFi novels I have read, truly deserving the awards it got (it is the first novel to win Philip Dick, Nebula and Hugo awards). Grim and gritty action in a world of technology, at the same time so alike and so different from ours. His heroes are flawed but have a code of honour of their own.

Sometimes though he gets too sentimental for my tastes, especialy in the later books (which, I think, complicates too much with the parallel story arcs).

All in all, a good read.

Post: #428

(02-27-2016 02:21 AM)stefpdt Wrote:  I just finished The Way of the Superior Man.

Absolutely loved it. Saved my life.

I caught myself getting way too caught up in building my business, and started slipping on my social life. The book reinforces that you can leverage your alpha capital (game) and your work ethic (entrepreneurship) at the same time.

Basically, the idea that you have to pursue one at a time was probably the single biggest limiting belief that I had. The idea that you have to work 80 hours a week to make your start-up biz successful is all Hollywood. The time that you invest in something is irrelevant. You either make it happen or you don't. Stop waiting, start working on the right things instead.

Just took your recommendation. Looks like a good read so far.

Post: #429

Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game by John Birger

Although this is a book basically marketed towards women to explain why they have trouble finding dates, the book's central thesis is that sex ratios explain why it is harder or easier to find dates. The book has some information that has been confirmed on this site such as New York City is a pussy paradise whereas San Jose and the Bay Area are a lot worse. What I find interesting it the phenomenon that young women and men can both find the dating market frustrating and think that the other side has an easier time. I think the most interesting chapter is the last chapter where the author cites a game theory study on dating to explain how a highly attractive woman could have a hard time dating and why there can be many highly attractive women in their 30s who haven't married yet. I read this book because it is discusses one of the central issues of the manosphere, the dating market. It is a good read.

Post: #430

Finished Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. On Scott Adam's Master Persuasion Reading List <--that's how I picked it up.

A short novella on being a successful expert, practicing your craft not for the approval of others, but for yourself. There's more to life than materialism--there's your mission.

Incidentally, now I don't think of seagulls as just "rats with wings" whenever I see them, thanks to the fantasy of this book.

Post: #431

(07-11-2016 06:03 AM)therealpoder Wrote:  Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game by John Birger

Although this is a book basically marketed towards women to explain why they have trouble finding dates, the book's central thesis is that sex ratios explain why it is harder or easier to find dates. The book has some information that has been confirmed on this site such as New York City is a pussy paradise whereas San Jose and the Bay Area are a lot worse. What I find interesting it the phenomenon that young women and men can both find the dating market frustrating and think that the other side has an easier time. I think the most interesting chapter is the last chapter where the author cites a game theory study on dating to explain how a highly attractive woman could have a hard time dating and why there can be many highly attractive women in their 30s who haven't married yet. I read this book because it is discusses one of the central issues of the manosphere, the dating market. It is a good read.

I listened to an interview with the author on "The Art of Manliness" podcast. He is a real blue pill wimp. It was astounding how much he still wanted to deny the reality of what he had written about.

Post: #432

Just finished Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis.

Great book about Wall street bond trading in the 1980's.

Post: #433

The Missionaries by Owen Stanley

A fun read about a South Pacific island full of savages that is under the administration of Australia. An old-school, tough Aussie shitlord, a bit like Flashman, runs the place. That is until the UN arrives and decide that they are going to bring islanders into the 21st century. The missionaries tasked to do this are full SJW progressives and have no idea what they are facing.

This novel is about as politically incorrect as you can get and very funny as the inept SJW's clash with primitive, cannibalistic culture.

I learnt about it from Vox Day as it's published by his Castalia House label.

Post: #434

I just finished "Cuckservatives". Good book. Nothing really new for me, but presented in a much more eloquent way than I could manage.

Post: #435

(07-17-2016 11:07 PM)chicane Wrote:  I just finished "Cuckservatives". Good book. Nothing really new for me, but presented in a much more eloquent way than I could manage.

I'm halfway through and think it's excellent and very enlightening, knowing little about the machinations of US political history.

Post: #436

Finally read Chuck Palahniuk's "Fight Club", the book is essentialy about what it means to be a man in today's society, not much to say here probably every member of this forum has seen the film. Which in my opinion is on par (if not slightly better) than the book, a rare occurence.

Post: #437

I just finished Animal Farm by George Orwell. Good, but short read.

G

Post: #438

Gorilla Mindset by Mike Cernovich

He basically outlines how a person can change their mood and lifestyle in every aspect of his/her lives.

Rating - 9/10 (the highest I give to any book)

Post: #439

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Amazing and fucked up. I am utterly addicted.

Post: #440

Been on a graphic novel binge for a while.

- Just finished omnibus volume 12 of the Lone Wolf and Cub series: very interesting take on feudal Tokugawa era life in Japan. Primary protagonist and antagonist are extremely red-pill... shiet, even the 3 year old son makes most guys look like pussies. Lots of fighting, gore, and talk of bushido/honor.

- Bone - The Complete Series: Artwork is surprisingly good and the author has a great sense of humor. Plot is very Tolkien-esque and although it's sort of annoying that the protagonist Fone Bone puts the (literal) princess on a pedestal, the overarching quality of the book makes it highly recommended.

Post: #441

Five Men of Frankfort

A biography of the Rothschild family at the very beginning of their ascent into wealth. Very much of a story of being the right people at the right time at the right place assembled with the right teams. The father of the dynasty, Meyer Rothschild, came from wretchedly poor circumstances but through networking, provide high quality services at a cheap price, and above all by taking extreme personal risks, him and his sons built up a massive fortune. They basically provided banking services to the fugitives and outlaws of the Napoleonic empire : exiled and deposed princes and monarchs, smugglers, gold traffickers, and the like. It could easily have all blown up in their faces though, and several times they brushed way too close with the Napoleonic police service.

With Fire and Sword, by Samuel H Byrnes

A memoir of a Union soldier during the American civil war, who somehow got caught up in all the major actions undertaken by General Grant's armies between Vicksburg and the taking of Savannah. I've read this not long after reading Grant's memoir, so it was interesting contrasting the events described, first from the point of view of the general, and then from the point of view of a common soldier. I also enjoyed the author's general enthusiasm about his tasks as a soldier and his refusal to give up on life even when captured by the Confederacy and basically mistreated horribly.

Post: #442

KING, by Elliott Hulse

A buddy and I gave into the hype and bought Elliott's book. Love or hate the guy, he is a huge success and has much knowledge to share. I figured this book would be Gorilla Mindset on steroids, but it fell flat.

First - the marketing for this book was A+. After reading Product Launch Formula I was able to dissect marketing sequence down to the bone, even months later when he repeats the cycle by dropping "if you'd like to join the KING's squad, sign up below." Even though I noticed the cues and triggers in his email marketing, I still bought the book.

Onto the book, it is only available in hardcover. This allowed the book to be sold at a higher price ($27) and for the book to be marketed as "limited supply only." According to Elliott's emails, the first 2,000 copies of the book sold out within 2 hours. Do I believe that...not sure, but I know I bought a copy.

The text itself, fell flat. I have always respected Elliott for what he's done, but I can't watch his videos. All of his videos start with "Sensationalist Title about Generic Fitness Topic X!!!" and then discuss new-age topic Y, without giving a direct answer to topic X. I get it...and it works for him, but not for me.

That being said, I figured his "magnum opus" would be excellent. If he has great ideas and boiled them down to a book, it would be straightforward and really describe what he preaches and believes. I expected to open this book, open a chapter, and read what Elliott believes. What his personal ethos is, what challenges he overcame, and how he fixed it. MikeCF was able to do such, iff you ask what Mike and mindset is about...read his book, you'll find out.

Elliott's book, not so much.

The first 200 or so pages are about strength training, all about programming and why you should lift. It was written by Elliott's right hand man, Chris Bernard, who did a good job, but the whole time I couldn't stop from thinking why the fuck they put all of this in. I expected the book to be life mastery and mindset, not why you shouldn't overtrain. I did not learn much from this section. It felt like filler and all of the suggestions could be found online. They even wasted 30 or so pages with full-page pictures of Chris doing exercises. "This is a deadlift."

The second half of the book was written by Elliott. It was better, but still fell short. He includes many mindset and lifestyle tips, talks about them for a few pages, and then says "if you'd like to read more, read xyz book..." which is where he got the idea from. There was nothing revolutionary in here, and Elliott kept the tone so seperated that you never knew what personal gain he received from the content. Mike lays it out perfectly and says "I had this problem. Here's how I fixed it, and you can too." I walked away from Gorilla Mindset with actionable goals and mindset changes. With Elliott's book, I wasted time and only gained a longer reading list.

2/10 WNB

Post: #443

Finished Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. It was disappointing after reading Invisible Monsters and Fight Club.

Post: #444

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

A great book that was the work for an ever better movie (Apocalypse Now), although I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would, because I thought it would be more like the movie I believe. That being said, Mr. Kurtz is a fantastic character and the journey through the Congo jungle is interesting. A complex novel, not as accessible as Brave New World, but with the upmost concentration the reader will get to the heart of man - the civilized barbarian.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

A must read for the neo-masculinty movement. As a response to 1984, the enslavement of the population will not come through force, but will be achieved by carefully creating a society founded on no-strings-attached sex, all the drugs you could ever want, thereby conditioning people to enjoy their social destiny. Although written in 1931, the novel predicted the future - 85 years later, the novel is a frightening description of our world today. I'd recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Roosh's works of the dystopian future as well, as there is an apparent influence found in his works, direct or through the influence of this novel in other works.

"that is the secret of happiness and virtue - liking what you’ve got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny”

Tough Guy by Bob Probert (with Kirstie McLellan Day)

An autobiography on hockey's most famous (and I'd argue, best) fighter, a story of a troubled man who led a lifestyle of sex, drugs, prison, and fist-fitting, goal-scoring, action. Even Gretzky went out of his way at the NHL All-Star Game in '88 to meet Probert. A frustrating player, you read this book and shake your head at the choices he made, but Bob was who he was from the time he first picked up the bottle in his teenage years - he played hard both on and off ice. While reading I often forgot it was written by Kirstie, as she manages to capture the voice of Probert in writing. A book about one of the toughest to ever play the game. Bad decisions aside, his attitude on the ice should be respected and dare I say emulated for masculinity.

Snake by Ken Stabler (and Berry Stainback)

I read Tough Guy and Snake around the same time, and while there are some similarities between the two - infamous off-ice/field lifestyles fuelled with alcohol and women - Stabler's book isn't as good as Probert's, but the story itself is much happier throughout, and Stabler seemed to make better choices (no jail time, no mention of near death experiences with drugs, no sudden heart attack at 45) and the first chapter is a must read for the party stories that made the book so famous upon release. Snake is my favourite QB not in the NFL today, and as his Raiders career went, so does the book peak after the first chapter with the Raiders best seasons in the mid 70s. A good read for the first chapter, a great read for fans of Snake and the Raiders.

Badasses: John Madden's Oakland Raiders by Peter Richmond

A great book not only for Raiders fans, but for NFL fans especially of the 70s, or anyone looking for the most interesting band of rebels professional sports as ever had. Not only were they rebels, but they were dominate throughout the 70s, culminating in the Super Bowl 11 victory. Very much enjoyed this one, and will possibly make you a Raider fan (unless you're a Broncos/Chargers/Chiefs fan). Each player on the team throughout the 70s is brought up and profiled with quotes from a dozen or so players from the era. It made me wish the NFL was still like the 70s instead of what it has become today.

Post: #445

Watership Down (1972) follows a band of rabbits as they flee their home and travel across the English countryside in search of a better life.

Not your typical children's book, Watership Down runs almost 500 pages and features several dark/mature themes, such as leadership, loyalty, brotherhood, treachery, bravery, risk, war, death, politics, religion, mating and the meaning of (rabbit) life.

The judicious use of a rabbit language (glossary provided) helps the reader enter the world of rabbits. Rabbits are apparently competitive storytellers, and several chapters consist of self-contained rabbit fables that relate indirectly to the action of the novel.

This novel has been branded as ANTI-FEMINIST because female rabbits are not depicted here as strong, independent bunnies. Instead, they are helpless, dependent on male rabbits for protection and are valued primarily for their potential as domestic, rabbit-making machines.

I've read it three times so I would say it holds up to repeated readings. Skip the animated movie; it doesn't really capture the magic of the book. The author, Richard Adams, wrote a bunch of other books after this one but they aren't good.

Post: #446

Sperm Wars. Mandatory in my opinion! Explains much of human sexuality. It is al about spreading the genes.

For example I've learned that the cockhead is shaped the way it is to extract the sperm from the man before you out of the vagina.

Mindblowing!

Post: #447

The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage
Some kind of derivative of Enochian Magic , good read but difficult to understand

https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328865715l/1002484.jpg

Post: #448

The Black House by Patricia Highsmith.
Same author as The Talented Mr. Ripley, and that Cate Blanchett movie Carol.
Dark stuff. A lot of red pill in her writing, despite her being a lesbian. She left the U.S., I believe in the late 60s to live as an expat in the French countryside.

Post: #449

Death In The Long Grass by Peter Hathaway Capstick.

Great book about a professional hunting guide in Africa in the 1960's. The author recaps his personal stories of encountering Africa's deadliest animals.

Best Quote - "There is nothing on Earth more quiet than 14 dead elephants."

Post: #450

I found myself rewatching Conan the Barbarian and was shocked at the brilliance of that often mocked film, when in reality it is red pill to the core, full of historical allegory and with grand tales, amazing epic imagery. A brilliant film, go rewatch it if you haven't. In any case after that I got interested in the original Conan stories and found them on the Gutenberg project, since they're from the 1930s. They're sort of short stories of a few to maybe twenty pages and make for great reading if you need something to fall asleep on.