What's on your bookshelf?

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.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd September 2015, 07:55 AM

Please accept my apologies David, if I interpreted your "pinch of salt" comment a little too literally. My problem is that I have earnt my living for most of my life by being a professional nit-picker, and on things that I take seriously, yes, I do tend to over-pick the nits.

David · 23rd September 2015, 02:01 PM

Apology accepted, but unnecessary. I was merely trying to make my position more clear.

Gavin Nugent · 25th September 2015, 05:24 AM

Some but certainly not all, many more a boxed away until the reading room shelving is complete...I'll be happy to publish them later if there is interest

Some are of no literary use to me at all as I only read English...but images often speak volumes, more so if the caption that are not in English translate well.

Gavin

25th September 2015, 05:24 AM	#7
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Some but certainly not all, many more a boxed away until the reading room shelving is complete...I'll be happy to publish them later if there is interest Some are of no literary use to me at all as I only read English...but images often speak volumes, more so if the caption that are not in English translate well. Gavin Attached Images

22nd September 2015, 08:49 PM	#1
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	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,053	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	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,231	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.

23rd September 2015, 07:55 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,053	Please accept my apologies David, if I interpreted your "pinch of salt" comment a little too literally. My problem is that I have earnt my living for most of my life by being a professional nit-picker, and on things that I take seriously, yes, I do tend to over-pick the nits.

23rd September 2015, 02:01 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,231	Apology accepted, but unnecessary. I was merely trying to make my position more clear.