Books and writers to read

Marcel Proust

Slavoj Žižek

Kurt Vonnegut - A man without a country

Suzanne Brøgger

Claire Bertschinger - Moving mountains

J. J. Rousseau - Emile

David Lynch - Catching the big fish.

Se non che la mia mente fu percossa

Canto XXXIII de "la Divina Comedia" de Dante Alighieri

Se non che la mia mente fu percossa
Da un folgore, in che sua voglia tenue.
All' alta fantasía qui manco possa:
Ma gia volgeva il mío disiro e'l velle,
Si come ruota, che igualmente é mossa,
L'amor, che muove'l sole e I'altre stelle.

"Had it not been that then my mind was struck by

a flash of lightning, wherein its wish came.

Here the elevated fantasy lacked vigour:

But now my desire and will were already turning,

as a wheel that equally is moved,

love, which moves the sun and the other stars.

"Among the three Cantiche, 'Paradise' is the most difficult to understand because it's the most philosophical."

(Thank you Martina!!)

(You did such a nice job! Just look...)

Had it not been that then my mind there smote
A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish.

Here vigour failed the lofty fantasy:
But now was turning my desire and will,
Even as a wheel that equally is moved,

The Love which moves the sun and the other stars.

Instructions for life

I N S T R U C T I O N S F O R L I F E

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
   Respect for self
   Respect for others and
   Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
13. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
14. Be gentle with the earth.
15. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
16. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
17. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
18. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.