The writer of science fiction and fantasy, teacher of philosophical disciplines, and environmentalist Oleg Andros answers the question of the Bukvoid portal: “What to read?“, the science fiction writer, teacher of philosophical disciplines, environmentalist Oleg Andros answers. Your impressions.
– Henry David Thoreau – “Walden, or Life in the Forest”. My impression is that it’s a great philosophical read. This is how I imagine philosophy, unhurried reflection on the world around me. Not everyone will accept Thoreau’s recommendations for living in this world, but in some ways it is close to me. In general, Thoreau is one of the forerunners and inspirations of the so-called deep ecology. He was an American author of the nineteenth century, known more for his descriptions of nature than for his philosophical works.
I also watched the film adaptation of The Mist by Stephen King, directed by Frank Darabont. I recommend both the book and the movie. I also recommend Ugly Swans, a story by the Strugatsky brothers and its film adaptation by Konstantin Lopushansky.
As for relatively new books, I read in one breath Notes of a Ukrainian Samashhed by Lina Kostenko. I believe that the book can be used as a quotation book about life in the 2000s, and I will willingly subscribe to most of the arguments.“
I read Belarusian-language publications unknown in Ukraine – ‘The Code of Absence’ (”Код адсутнасці. Асновы беларуской ментальности“) by Valiancin Akudovich and ‘The Emergence of Belarus’ (”Паўстанне Беларусі”) by Piotr Rudkowski. It’s a shame that for us Belarus, and even more so its political philosophy, is a parallel world that doesn’t seem to exist.”
I also read Peter Gelderloos’s Anarchy Works, a self-published book on the theory and practice of anarchist society. You can’t build an anarchist society based on it, because all the precedents described were either short-lived or led not to “equality and brotherhood” but to the restoration of a more or less hierarchical system. But it is significant that the book was published by activists who translated and edited it themselves and also contributed to its publication. A similar book, but more interestingly written, is Parallel Societies. Two Thousand Years of Voluntary Segregation – From the Essayist Sect to Anarchist Squats” by Serg_Mihalych. A popular guide to social and protest experiments of different times and nations. At least with a share of healthy skepticism about the events described.”
– How do you choose books to read?
– I read what I need for work and social activities, and what I like. First of all, I like something with a fantastic element.”
– What can you recommend for others to read?
– I personally have a list of books after reading which you can sigh and say ‘I am impressed.’
Vyacheslav Rybakov. “The Cesarevich Gravity.”
Colin Wilson. “Parasites of Consciousness.”
Stephen King. “The Dead Zone.
Gennady Prashkevich. “The Golden Billion.“
And many others, just the first thing that came to mind.
Of the Ukrainian books that once made a certain impression were ‘Theme for Meditation’ by Leonid Kononovych and Pavlo Solodko’s The Fourth Revolution, books by Artem Chapai are all unusual phenomena for our literature, which in the 2000s became fascinated with postmodernism, ‘meaningless and merciless.’
There are also books that no publisher has invested in publishing and promoting, but which are worth reading by Ukrainian readers. Because they are written about our realities by my colleagues.”
Oleksiy Burkovsky. “Green Alert” and Stepan Zhabka. “Athens in the Old City”. This is an environmentalist and philosophical-animalist self-publishing house (what a disgusting word for snobs). I dream that someday they will be published not by authors at their own expense, but by branded publishing houses.“
