Well I never - it's Spinoza's birthday (born 1632) - just as I'm finally beginning to get some kind of grip on his famously impenetrable system. What grip I have is entirely due to this brilliant book, which I am reading with an increasing sense of having my eyes opened to something very big, wonderful and - yes - life-enhancing. I recommend Betraying Spinoza to all who might be interested - a true guide for the perplexed.
And it's also the birthday of one of my enduring literary heroes, Laurence Sterne - and of Scott Joplin. Which calls for a rag, if only I had the technology (here at NigeCorp) to link to one...
Sagittarians all, of course, like me.
Ooh, looks good Nige. I am always reading these brilliant little quotes by Spinoza, so perhaps it's time to find out more.
ReplyDeleteYou might enjoy Patrick Kurp on Rebecca Goldstein on Spinoza in his postings:
ReplyDeleteDefending Spinoza
Defending Spinoza, Part 2
Defending Spinoza, Part 3
Since my Amazon shopping basket has amassed about £30 in your book recommendations in the last half hour, I'll have to give the Spinoza a miss. Unless, of course, he was a particularly good illustrator/humourist.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave - it was Patrick who first led me to this book, as to so many others... And Dick I got my copy very cheap - might have been on AbeBooks...
ReplyDeleteSagittarian it is then Nige, hmmm, all is revealed, we Cancerians salute you, joking apart, the lady to whom I have been married for the past forty years (what!!!!!) swears she can identify a persons star sign simply by their nature, she is invariably correct, extremely spooky. I doubt Spinoza could do that.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who can knock out Joplin rags like a pro, only when totally stoned. Sober, he's rubbish.
Dick, since becoming a frequent visitor to this and BAs blog my Amazon wish list is now measured in furlongs.
However, The Plan is available from Lulu