The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise
- Downloads：6398
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2023-01-15 00:19:47
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Pico Iyer
- ISBN：059342025X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Q
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I haven’t finished reading this book yet but I received this NY Times review and wanted to post it。 https://www。nytimes。com/2023/01/10/bo。。。 I haven’t finished reading this book yet but I received this NY Times review and wanted to post it。 https://www。nytimes。com/2023/01/10/bo。。。 。。。more
Veronica
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I was lucky to receive an ARC， and I deeply enjoyed this book。 A brilliant travel memoir which asks the question “what is paradise？” Iyer takes us to the commonly known locations of earthly paradise and investigates。 I recommend this book to travel fans and people who would like to dig a little bit deeper into the meaning of life。
Gary Singh
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Possibly his best book。 He had to write all the other ones first， before he wrote this one。 More words coming soon 。。。。
Dan
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My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group- Riverhead for an advanced copy of this travel collection and memoir by Pico Iyer。People tend to believe that where the live is the best place to live in the whole wide world。 Young people are the exception to this， but most people will swear that the patch of earth they are on is the best place to be。 Sure this place might have this， and another place that， but we， we right here have this， that and another， so that beats them all。 Fami My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group- Riverhead for an advanced copy of this travel collection and memoir by Pico Iyer。People tend to believe that where the live is the best place to live in the whole wide world。 Young people are the exception to this， but most people will swear that the patch of earth they are on is the best place to be。 Sure this place might have this， and another place that， but we， we right here have this， that and another， so that beats them all。 Family is one reason， faith might be another， fear of the outside， that should be factored in。 Their own bit of paradise。 For some that might be as close as they get， for others it is a start to a wonderful afterlife。 But what I paradise？ Why is it a destination or an end result to a life sometimes kept small？ In The Half Known Life， Pico Iyer， essayist， writer and world traveller attempts to figure out what paradise means to people， to himself and if anyone can ever find it。Pico Iyer has been travelling and writing for almost fifty years。 Iyer's many works focus on not only the places that he has gone to but the effect that travellers have had on the people and culture， and the effects the inhabitants have had on him。 The idea of paradise has occurred to him quite a few times over the years， seeing things that few others have， visiting religious sites and taking in the ceremonies and ideas of the culture around him。 What is paradise and why do people want to not only live in it， but spend their afterlife there also。 Is paradise a state of mind， an attainable goal， or just a dream fed to the populous by religion and or governments to keep people in line， and not wanting more。 Iyer describes his travels to Iran， North Korea， Japan and other places， meeting with people who defy their stereotypes， or unfortunately match what Iyer was warned about。 As he travels Iyer contemplates what he has learned， and always ready for the next experience。A book that is both a memoir， a travel collection and series of essays on where we are now， and where we might be going。 I have been reading Iyer for quite a long time， starting with his book on Katmandu almost， wow thirty years ago。 Watching Iyer's progression as writer， a thinker and a person who has been influenced by his experiences is wonderful to watch。 The book is full of small scenes with people， especially the ones who show random acts of kindness， or don't practice what they preach， which happens quite a few times。 Iyer has a real gift for describing both odd situations， the history of where he travels， the bureaucracy he deals with and the beauty of the land and area。 The idea of paradise is one that is very strong in many religions， and in many ways of thought。 Iver does a good job of explaining different theories， and can expand on them and tie them into things he has seen or felt。 The book does take a few pages to get going， but is well worth the trip。Recommended for readers who like travel books with a lot more discussion than restaurants and sights to see。 Iyer is a wonderful writer and any trip with him is well worth the experience。 A good read for the cold months about the world that exists outside the walls we have put up around our paradises。 。。。more
Joe
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The author's travels are undoubtedly extensive and impressive。 The book contains some interesting and entertaining tales of these travels。 The author's travels are undoubtedly extensive and impressive。 The book contains some interesting and entertaining tales of these travels。 。。。more
BooksnFreshair （Poornima Apte）
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