current bookstack!

Top row:

1. The Soul of Rumi, compiled & edited by Coleman Barks- How can you be a poet without reading poetry? Still, Rumi's poems are more closer to devotions. The imagery is haunting, but they scratch a spiritual itch as well. My favorite line I've read so far: This is how I would die/into the love I have for you:/as pieces of cloud/dissolve in sunlight. 
2. The Notebook of Malte Laurids Brigge by Rainer Maria Rilke- Since I've been trying to keep my own journal lately, I thought it would be good to get some inspiration. Rilke is one of my favorite poets, and the prose in this is not only beautifully written, but introspective and philosophical. It's a fascinating insight into the mind of a genius, but still designed to be interesting enough to draw you in, as if you were reading a friend's diary. But a really smart friend who lived in France 100 years ago.
3. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson- A collection of intimate-feeling short stories, painting an authentic picture of early 1900's prairie America. The author has a gift for characterization and seeing beyond the surface of seemingly ordinary lives. I recommend "Paper Pills" as a strong example. 

Bottom row:

1. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse- One of the quintessential "hippie era" books! (Even though it was written long before that, the English translation only came out in the 50's.) But I'm not reading it just because of that. I, too, am currently on my own "spiritual journey" (ugh it sounds really cheesy when I put it like that but you know what I mean) involving Vedantism and Buddhism. Therefore, this book is a great companion, reminding me that true peace cannot be taught, and that you cannot search for it, but experience it.
2. That's Not A Feeling by Dan Josefson- This one takes place in a therapeutic boarding school in upstate New York. It seems like a cross between The Catcher in the Rye (of course by J.D. Salinger) and It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. David Foster Wallace gave it some high praise before he killed himself, so I have high expectations for it. 
3. 2666 by Roberto Bolano- I don't know much about this book besides the highly complex synopsis on the back and the fact that it's 900 pages long. I'm too intimidated to start it! 

Obligatory But Necessary Introductory Post

Hello there, I'm Sam. I'm still unsure if I want this blog to be more of a private diary-type thing or something published for others' viewing and reading pleasure, but it seems I've subconsciously gone with the latter, seeing as I'm introducing myself and all. So you know my name now, what else should I write? I'll give you some background; nothing will make sense without it. I am a rising sophomore, making me fourteen years old. I recently transferred out of a bourgeois, very homogenous Prep school in the deep south (of the US) to The Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in small-town Iowa. You can probably sense the contrast through the screen. To explain briefly, I had no friends, everyone was a conformist or had a one-track-mind lacking any intelligent thought, and the hierarchy of the whole place was determined by name or money or number of yachts and horses owned or whatever. This new place (my mom learned of it through the Oprah show) is more an alternative education, which I feel suits me much more. It was founded by an Indian guru know for being a "spiritual advisor" to the Beatles in the 60's. We meditate and practice yoga in the AM and PM, and make connections in all our subjects to ancient Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. (For the record, I myself am an atheist but I do follow the teachings of Gautama Buddha, so I am kind of a pseudo-Buddhist if you must put a label to it.) Even if you're no longer of school age I recommend you look it up, it's an interesting concept, and I'm obviously very excited to start. It has a really big international draw too. But I'm veering from the subject. My desire is to become more worldly, less materialistic, and find some meaning in my life. And that is what this whole blog is for. I have blogged before, I had a "fashion blog" which I maintained for about a year and had a moderate amount of followers and commenters. But I deleted it all accidentally year. Oh yeah, let me just put a TW (trigger warning) on this whole site. Maybe I'll share why, maybe not. It's not exactly something I want floating around the internet. But this is a record of the events, inspirations, and musings of my life, and there is a chance it could come up. Regarding what one might find on this blog, there will definitely be more written entries like the one you are reading, art, moodboards, probably lots of liberal politics and opinion-giving, maybe some reposts of other nice things I find on the interwebs, and an occasional outfit post - though this will NOT be a fashion blog, I cannot stress that enough. Oh, and I am a creative writer. Like, a serious one, that's what I want to pursue in my life. I'd like to post some of my writing up, if I wrote a poem or personal essay or such, though I kinda fear plagiarism, and you'll never know who'll be reading it. But we'll see. So yeah, I think that's all. Bless you if you've read this whole thing! I hope to see you back. I'll post again sometime soon.