BrAInwaves and Bookmarks

This document presents  excerpts  from Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares's 1960 anthology,  Libro del cielo y del infierno . The anthology is a compilation of writings on heaven and hell,  ranging from ancient mythologies to modern literature , showcasing diverse perspectives on these concepts. The authors' selection  reflects their encyclopedic knowledge  and includes selections that are...

Jorge Luis Borges's  Historia universal de la infamia  (Universal History of Infamy), a collection of short stories. Borges's prologues discuss the book's allegorical nature and baroque style, influenced by authors like Stevenson and Chesterton. The stories themselves are based on the real-life accounts of various criminals and historical figures, exploring themes of infamy, deception, and fate ac...

This text comprises excerpts from Frank Herbert's  Dune , specifically focusing on the Atreides family's move to Arrakis and the ensuing conflict with the Harkonnens.  The passages detail political intrigue,  the Atreides' preparations for their new feudo, and the challenges they face on the desert planet.  We witness  Paul Atreides' training , his mother Jessica's Bene Gesserit skills, and the ma...

The provided text is an excerpt from Walter M. Miller Jr.'s  A Canticle for Leibowitz , a post-apocalyptic novel. It follows Brother Francis, a novice monk, as he discovers a hidden pre-apocalypse shelter containing relics of the blessed Leibowitz. His subsequent account of this discovery, including a mysterious encounter with a pilgrim, leads to an investigation into Leibowitz's possible canonisa...

The provided text offers excerpts from Fyodor Dostoevsky's  The Brothers Karamazov , showcasing various plotlines and character developments.  Several characters' backstories are revealed , including the complex relationships within the Karamazov family and their interactions with others.  The excerpts also highlight significant events , such as a murder and its investigation, alongside philosophi...

A glimpse into the lives of several characters in St. Petersburg.  The narrative  focuses on Raskolnikov's murder of an elderly pawnbroker and its repercussions, exploring themes of poverty, guilt, and redemption.  We see  the desperate circumstances of Marmeladov's family and the self-sacrificing Sonia.  Raskolnikov's  interactions with various individuals, including the calculating Luzhin and th...

Resurrection  is a novel excerpt detailing the trial and imprisonment of Katerina Máslova, wrongly convicted of murder and robbery. The narrative interweaves Máslova's story with that of Dmitri Nekhludov, a juror at her trial, who is grappling with his past actions and their consequences. Nekhludov's guilt over his earlier abandonment of Máslova drives him to seek her release and reform his own li...

Anna Karenina , by Leo Tolstoy, is a novel of grand themes. It is considered by some one of the greatest love stories in world literature . The novel focuses on passion and adultery , and also on family and the search for happiness . Tolstoy started writing Anna Karenina in 1873. The novel centres on three couples: Anna and her husband, Oblonski and Daria Alexandrovna, and Levin and Kitty . Anna a...

The main themes explored in Tolstoy's War and Peace are: The nature of Russian literature and its distinction from European traditions. Tolstoy saw a unique quality in Russian literature that defied categorization within conventional European genres. He believed that life and history unfold in a mysterious way, not governed by logic, and this perspective shapes the narrative of War and Peace . The...

A science fiction novel. It follows the lives of several characters interwoven with a mysterious event: the sudden disappearance of the stars. The narrative explores the personal relationships and emotional responses to this inexplicable occurrence, alongside the scientific investigations and societal consequences. A significant subplot involves a secret Martian project and its implications for hu...

The provided text is an excerpt from Arthur C. Clarke's  Rendezvous with Rama , a science fiction novel.  The story follows a spaceship crew's exploration of Rama , a cylindrical alien spacecraft that enters our solar system.  The narrative details their discoveries within Rama , including its unique features, strange inhabitants (referred to as "biots"), and ultimately, its departure.  Tensions a...

Isaac Asimov's   Asimov on Numbers  is a collection of essays exploring various mathematical concepts.  The book covers a wide range of topics,  from the history of numerical systems and the significance of zero to advanced concepts like imaginary numbers and the size of the universe.  Asimov's writing style is informal and engaging,  making complex ideas accessible to a broad audience.  He also d...

This text is an excerpt from Isaac Asimov's  A Short History of Chemistry , tracing the evolution of chemical understanding from antiquity. It explores early metallurgical advancements with copper and bronze, then examines ancient Greek theories of matter and the four elements. The text subsequently covers alchemy, the rise of quantitative chemistry with Boyle and Lavoisier, the crucial role of ga...

Snake , a healer skilled in using venomous snakes for medicinal purposes, embarks on a journey across a harsh desert landscape. She encounters various individuals and challenges, including a mysterious individual who steals her maps and journal. Snake's journey is driven by her need to find new dreamsnakes, essential for her healing practice, and to resolve past mistakes. Her travels involve helpi...

A science fiction novel.  One narrative strand  follows a group of scientists' attempts to understand a mysterious energy source, the "Electron Bomb," discovered through an exchange of materials with a parallel universe, and the ensuing ethical dilemmas and power struggles.  A second narrative  explores the lives of a unique triad – a Rational, an Emotional, and a Paternal – in a world where matte...

This text is an excerpt from Paul Strathern's  Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes , a biography exploring the life and philosophical work of Ludwig Wittgenstein.  Strathern details Wittgenstein's unconventional upbringing ,  his transition from engineering to philosophy , and  his development of two distinct philosophical systems . The book summarises Wittgenstein's key arguments from his  Tractatus Logic...

The provided text is an excerpt from Paul Strathern's  Thomas Aquinas in 90 Minutes , a concise biography within a series exploring prominent philosophers. It details Aquinas's life, focusing on his education, Dominican order membership, and intellectual contributions. The book highlights Aquinas's synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy and Christian theology, examining his arguments for God's exist...

This text is an introduction to Baruch Spinoza's life and philosophy, taken from Paul Strathern's "Spinoza in 90 Minutes".  Strathern presents a concise biography of Spinoza , highlighting his expulsion from the Jewish community and his subsequent career as a lens grinder.  The book also explains Spinoza's philosophical system , a complex, mathematically-structured panteism that views God and Natu...

This text is an excerpt from  Socrates in 90 Minutes , part of a series offering concise introductions to major philosophical figures. It covers Socrates' life, focusing on his unconventional methods, his trial and execution, and the challenges in separating his actual teachings from those attributed to him by his student Plato. The excerpt also explores the development of philosophy in ancient Gr...

This excerpt is from Paul Strathern's  Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes , part of his "Philosophers in 90 Minutes" series. The book offers a concise biography and explanation of Schopenhauer's philosophy, which is characterised by  pessimism  and a focus on the  universal Will , a blind, purposeless force driving human suffering. Strathern contrasts Schopenhauer's ideas with those of earlier philosopher...

Paul Strathern's book,  Sartre in 90 Minutes , part of his "Philosophers in 90 Minutes" series. The book offers a concise overview of Sartre's life and philosophical ideas, focusing on his pivotal role in popularising existentialism after World War II. It examines Sartre's unique approach to existentialism, his rebellious stance against bourgeois values, and his complex personal relationships, par...

This book provides a concise biography and philosophical overview of Saint Augustine.  Strathern's work traces Augustine's life , from his struggles with sexuality and his overbearing mother, through his spiritual crisis and conversion to Christianity, to his significant contributions to philosophy.  The text highlights Augustine's synthesis of Christianity and Neoplatonism , his original ideas on...

"Russell in 90 Minutes"  is a concise biography of Bertrand Russell by Paul Strathern, covering Russell's life and philosophical ideas. The book examines Russell's passions for love, knowledge, and human suffering, which shaped his personal life and intellectual pursuits. It explores his contributions to epistemology and logic, including his work with Alfred North Whitehead on  Principia Mathemati...

Plato in 90 Minutes  by Paul Strathern provides a concise biography of Plato, contextualising his life within the broader history of philosophy. It explores Plato's early ambitions, his relationship with Socrates, and his travels. The text also examines Plato's Theory of Forms, his political philosophy as exemplified in  The Republic , and the lasting impact of his ideas on subsequent philosophica...

An introduction to Friedrich Nietzsche's life and philosophy, taken from Paul Strathern's "Nietzsche in 90 Minutes".  Strathern's book , part of a series on philosophers, offers a concise overview of Nietzsche's ideas, including his concept of the  Will to Power , his pronouncement that "God is dead", and his notions of the  Eternal Recurrence  and the  Übermensch (Superman) . The excerpt also cov...