What's on your bookshelf?

David · 22nd September 2015, 06:56 PM

One thing to absolutely keep in mind Harry is that almost none of these books on keris can be 100% accurate all the time. I believe "The World of the Javanese Keris" by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom is perhaps one of the most accurate of all these books, though it does deal with only a small area of the keris world. You will also encounter a great deal of conflicting information from book to book, especially when dealing with names of pamor patterns and dhapurs and such. Names change from region to region, so this info is not necessary wrong, just different. Names also change over time periods sometimes.
You will also find that certain books merely repeat old myths and legends that don't necessarily hold water (though may have some cultural value).
In the words, all reading on things keris are best taken with a few grains of salt.

David · 22nd September 2015, 06:58 PM

I would suggest that you start a new thread to talk about this first keris of yours since this thread was started as a query on books.

harrywagner · 22nd September 2015, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I would suggest that you start a new thread to talk about this first keris of yours since this thread was started as a query on books.

Thanks David. Good idea. What's the common practice for doing that? Should I just upload the photos again to the new post or just link to the photos in this post?

Henk · 22nd September 2015, 08:49 PM

I think you should upload the pictures in your new thread.

David · 22nd September 2015, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henk

I think you should upload the pictures in your new thread.

I agree with Henk and see that you have already done so. So hopefully folks will comment on it over there.
More conversation on books here is always welcome as well.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd September 2015, 12:02 AM

David, I do agree with just about all of your comments in respect of the published writings on the keris, but I cannot agree when you say all that :-
"--- all reading on things keris are best taken with a few grains of salt ---".

I do not challenge the few grains of salt, in fact I reckon we could use a whole salt cellar and still come up short when we consider some of the writings on the keris, and that is not only recent writings, and not only writings in English.

However, some writing on the keris must be taken seriously. One of the works which must be taken seriously is the Solyoms' publication. This is the reason I repeatedly recommend it to anybody who asks. Yes, its scope is limited, but it is about as good as any publication on the physical aspects of the keris can ever be.

May I suggest that rather than "all reading", we might be able to consider that "most reading" more accurately reflects the situation in respect of published writing on the keris?

Your comments on gaining an understanding of the cultural background to the keris, I endorse wholeheartedly.

David · 23rd September 2015, 04:40 AM

Now now Alan, i think you are nitpicking my words just a bit too much. What i wrote was immediately after stating "I believe 'The World of the Javanese Keris' by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom is perhaps one of the most accurate of all these books, though it does deal with only a small area of the keris world". I agree with you completely on this book to the best of my own personal experience to say. I will happily concede to use of the word "most" over "all". I was simply turning a phrase there. What more, i have certainly not read ALL books on keris so i couldn't possible know if there are even any others of equal accuracy to the Solyom book. It an excellent work for sure.
However, by "grain of salt" i did not intend "disbelief". I didn't really even mean anything as strong as "doubt". Merely a healthy state of skepticism. In an infinite universe even things we are fairly certain of might well turn out not to be correct in the face of new research and evidence. And a little salt usually makes my food taste a little better.

22nd September 2015, 06:56 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,214	One thing to absolutely keep in mind Harry is that almost none of these books on keris can be 100% accurate all the time. I believe "The World of the Javanese Keris" by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom is perhaps one of the most accurate of all these books, though it does deal with only a small area of the keris world. You will also encounter a great deal of conflicting information from book to book, especially when dealing with names of pamor patterns and dhapurs and such. Names change from region to region, so this info is not necessary wrong, just different. Names also change over time periods sometimes. You will also find that certain books merely repeat old myths and legends that don't necessarily hold water (though may have some cultural value). In the words, all reading on things keris are best taken with a few grains of salt.

22nd September 2015, 06:58 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,214	I would suggest that you start a new thread to talk about this first keris of yours since this thread was started as a query on books.

22nd September 2015, 08:49 PM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	I think you should upload the pictures in your new thread.

23rd September 2015, 12:02 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,994	David, I do agree with just about all of your comments in respect of the published writings on the keris, but I cannot agree when you say all that :- "--- all reading on things keris are best taken with a few grains of salt ---". I do not challenge the few grains of salt, in fact I reckon we could use a whole salt cellar and still come up short when we consider some of the writings on the keris, and that is not only recent writings, and not only writings in English. However, some writing on the keris must be taken seriously. One of the works which must be taken seriously is the Solyoms' publication. This is the reason I repeatedly recommend it to anybody who asks. Yes, its scope is limited, but it is about as good as any publication on the physical aspects of the keris can ever be. May I suggest that rather than "all reading", we might be able to consider that "most reading" more accurately reflects the situation in respect of published writing on the keris? Your comments on gaining an understanding of the cultural background to the keris, I endorse wholeheartedly.

23rd September 2015, 04:40 AM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,214	Now now Alan, i think you are nitpicking my words just a bit too much. What i wrote was immediately after stating "I believe 'The World of the Javanese Keris' by Garrett and Bronwen Solyom is perhaps one of the most accurate of all these books, though it does deal with only a small area of the keris world". I agree with you completely on this book to the best of my own personal experience to say. I will happily concede to use of the word "most" over "all". I was simply turning a phrase there. What more, i have certainly not read ALL books on keris so i couldn't possible know if there are even any others of equal accuracy to the Solyom book. It an excellent work for sure. However, by "grain of salt" i did not intend "disbelief". I didn't really even mean anything as strong as "doubt". Merely a healthy state of skepticism. In an infinite universe even things we are fairly certain of might well turn out not to be correct in the face of new research and evidence. And a little salt usually makes my food taste a little better.