to-read
(1884)
currently-reading (22)
read (169)
did-not-finish (0)
history (535)
india (164)
religion (86)
politics (72)
british-isles (70)
philosophy (66)
warfare (66)
currently-reading (22)
read (169)
did-not-finish (0)
history (535)
india (164)
religion (86)
politics (72)
british-isles (70)
philosophy (66)
warfare (66)
society
(53)
rome (45)
europe (44)
detective-fiction (38)
christianity (34)
historical-fiction (34)
anthropology-sociology (23)
hinduism (20)
comics (18)
fantasy (17)
japan (14)
rome (45)
europe (44)
detective-fiction (38)
christianity (34)
historical-fiction (34)
anthropology-sociology (23)
hinduism (20)
comics (18)
fantasy (17)
japan (14)
“It is certainly human to make mistakes, but there are some human beings who make more than others, and they are called fools.”
― The Name of the Rose
― The Name of the Rose
“Decadence is a moral and spiritual disease, resulting from too long a period of wealth and power, producing cynicism, decline of religion, pessimism and frivolity. The citizens of such a nation will no longer make an effort to save themselves, because they are not convinced that anything in life is worth saving.”
― The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival
― The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival
“I'm very gullible when it comes to my own words. I believe everything I say, though I know I am a liar.”
― Lord of Light
― Lord of Light
“You were correct, for all men have within them both that which is dark and that which is light.
A man is a thing of many divisions, not a pure, clear flame such as you once were. His intellect often wars with his emotions, his will with his desires . . .
his ideals are at odds with his environment, and if he follows them, he knows keenly the loss of that
which was old, but if he does not follow them, he feels the pain of having forsaken a new and noble dream.
Whatever he does represents both a gain and a loss, an arrival and a departure. Always he mourns that
which is gone and fears some part of that which is new. Reason opposes tradition. Emotions oppose the
restrictions his fellow men lay upon him. Always, from the friction of these things, there arises the
thing you called the curse of man and mocked; guilt!”
― Lord of Light
A man is a thing of many divisions, not a pure, clear flame such as you once were. His intellect often wars with his emotions, his will with his desires . . .
his ideals are at odds with his environment, and if he follows them, he knows keenly the loss of that
which was old, but if he does not follow them, he feels the pain of having forsaken a new and noble dream.
Whatever he does represents both a gain and a loss, an arrival and a departure. Always he mourns that
which is gone and fears some part of that which is new. Reason opposes tradition. Emotions oppose the
restrictions his fellow men lay upon him. Always, from the friction of these things, there arises the
thing you called the curse of man and mocked; guilt!”
― Lord of Light
“Perhaps the most dangerous by-product of the Age of Intellect is the unconscious growth of the idea that the human brain can solve the problems of the world. Even on the low level of practical affairs this is patently untrue. Any small human activity, the local bowls club or the ladies’ luncheon club, requires for its survival a measure of self-sacrifice and service on the part of the members. In a wider national sphere, the survival of the nation depends basically on the loyalty and self‑sacrifice of the citizens. The impression that the situation can be saved by mental cleverness, without unselfishness or human self-dedication, can only lead to collapse.”
― The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival
― The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival
Shivaprasad’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Shivaprasad’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Shivaprasad
Lists liked by Shivaprasad








































