A while ago I had a period in which I did not really have any books I really wanted to read. But even when I do, I do not have unlimited supplies to spend on books. Besides, I try to only buy books that I think are a good addition to my library and not books that beforehand I know I will only read once. In the latter case I try to read the book digitally.
So, I started to go through my library and see what books could be an idea to read again. I started with René Guénon. It had been a while since I read Traditionalist literature and I was curious how I would like them after some time.
The first one I picked up was Perspectives On Initiation and now I am reading Symbols Of Sacred Science. I still find Guénon an interesting author, but I must say that time, and undoubtedly also the reading of Mark Sedgewick’s Against The Modern World (reviewed when I finish it) has made me more critical towards Guénon.
Between both books of Guénon, I also read The Essential Coomaraswamy, but this book is almost only about art and not all that interesting. So I picked up The Door In The Sky. I was quite disappointed by the book. Coomaraswamy had a ‘cluttered’ writing style and often I loose him completely in the mass of information that he produces. I even had the idea that the book is too difficult for me. Apparently ‘wisdom’ does not just come with the years…
A very different subject, I picked up The Philosopher’s Stone by Peter Marshall. This book is pretty boring! It is a very lightly written book in the I-form in which the author describes his quest for immortality. He makes all kinds of discoveries that are not really new (at least, nowadays they are not). I read about a quarter before putting it back. I think this one will go to a second hand bookshop some day.
Speaking of which. My hometown may have one such second hand shop left, but it is a very general store that does not sell through the internet. I think even the lesser books that I have are good enough that people who are interested should be able to find them. I would prefer to bring my books to a more ‘specialised’ shop, but I am not planning on driving far to get rid off books. A dilemma…
So indeed, even when there are not many reviews, I read. I also read material that I cannot review too. Old books that are hard to get, texts that are only interesting to a very limited audience or simply things that I read for myself.