Today we find him in a high-level physics report; illustrating phenomena that can't be described in ordinary technical terms. He appears in psychology textbooks; illuminating the workings of the mind in a way no straightforward explanation can. In two definitive volumes (The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin and The Subtleties of the Inimitable Mulla Nasrudin) Idries Shah takes us to the very heart of this mysterious mentor; the Mulla Nasrudin. Skillful contemporary retellings of hundreds of collected stories and sayings bring the unmistakable--often backhanded--wisdom; wit and charm of the timeless jokester to life. The Mulla and his stories appear in literature and oral traditions from the Middle East to Greece; Russia; France--even China. Many nations claim Nasrudin as a native son; but nobody really knows who he was or where he came from. According to a legend dating from at least the 13th century; Nasrudin was snatched as a schoolboy from the clutches of the "Old Villain"--the crude system of thought that ensnares man--to carry through the ages the message of how to escape. He was chosen because he could make people laugh; and humor has a way of slipping through the cracks of the most rigid thinking habits. Acclaimed as humorous masterpieces; as collections of the finest jokes; as priceless gift books; and for hundreds "enchanted tales;" this folklore figure's antics have also been divined as "mirroring the antics of the mind." The jokes are; as Idries Shah notes; "perfectly designed models for isolating and holding distortions of the mind which so often pass for reasonable behavior." Therefore they have a double use: when the jokes have been enjoyed; their psychological significance starts to sink in. In fact; for many centuries they have been studied in Sufi circles for their hidden wisdom. They are used as teaching exercises; in part to momentarily "freeze" situations in which states of mind can be recognized. The key to the philosophic significance of the Nasrudin jokes is given in Idries Shah's book The Sufis and a complete system of mystical training based upon them was described in the Hibbert Journal. In these delightful volumes; Shah not only gives the Mulla a proper vehicle for our times; he proves that the centuries-old stories and quips of Nasrudin are still some of the funniest jokes in the world.
#1718478 in Books imusti 2016-12-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.00 x .63 x 8.50l; 1.48 #File Name: 0857337998160 pagesHaynes Publishing UK
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Fairly in-depth look at England's "Queen of the Skies"By Daryl CarpenterHaynes' 2016 entries in their "Workshop Manual" series have been fairly solid. I'm starting to get the feeling they could hammer these things out in their sleep by now. I enjoyed their De Havilland Comet manual quite a bit; and was happy to see another "manual" on an iconic British jetliner. Keith Wilson takes a different tack from the established Haynes format; there aren't quite as many detailed technical diagrams or systems descriptions this time around; which was somewhat disappointing at first. Instead; there's plenty of excellent history; lots of superb photographs; and some excellent insights into the VC10 from those who were intimately familiar with it.Considering that only 54 VC10s were built; it's rather incredible the huge number of roles it served in the 51 years the aircraft were flying. The majority of the book focuses on their service with the RAF as in-flight refueling tankers. In the second half; we get lengthy sections written by a former VC10 pilot; flight engineer; and "sumpie" (propulsion systems mechanic). The chapter on flying the VC10 is particularly impressive; walking the reader through a typical refueling sortie; from pre-start to shutdown; with detailed checklists and control panel close-ups. Sgt Ollie Pallett discusses some of the "joys" of maintenance; including engine changing; defueling; and life on the line at RAF Brize Norton. Finally; John B Williamson describes some of the finer points of being a flight engineer; including his lengthy training; standard operating procedures; and the importance of crew co-ordination.There's a lot of "good stuff" here; including descriptions of all surviving VC10s; a production list which includes the fate of each aircraft; and fairly decent histories of the type's development; and civilian and military careers. There's even a chapter devoted to some of the unbuilt designs put forward by Vickers-Armstrong; including a double-decker passenger variant; and a long-range bomber armed with multiple Skybolt missiles! Unfortunately; the relatively small number of diagrams is a bit of a letdown. The included schematics are pretty decent; but none are anywhere near as detailed as Frank Munger's spectacular cutaway of the aircraft from 1962.Again; Haynes has delivered a solid work; with a few minor but somewhat irritating flaws. It's an excellent history; and a fairly detailed retrospective; but as a "workshop manual;" it falls a little short in places. Still; if you're a fan of classic jetliners; or have an interest in how they worked; it's worth a look.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book is formatted like other volumes in this seriesBy CustomerThis book is formatted like other volumes in this series. In summation: it is well-illustrated; highly readable; and is a definite must for anyone interested in this elegant aircraft.
