Sunday, April 17, 2011
Shakespeare: The World as Stage
by Bill Bryson
This short history of William Shakespeare does little to add to what is known about possibly the most famous playwright in history but it does consolidate what actually is known.
Bryson’s almost conversationalist style paints at least a partial picture of a man whose words inspire and influence us today.
This short history of William Shakespeare does little to add to what is known about possibly the most famous playwright in history but it does consolidate what actually is known.
Bryson’s almost conversationalist style paints at least a partial picture of a man whose words inspire and influence us today.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
April 10th
The last of the glacier in the back yard but more impressively, the mountain of snow that we named "Mount Cauthorn" officially melted last night. We woke up to a snow free yard.
I know that we will have another snow before it is over, but winter is done. Bring on the sun!
I know that we will have another snow before it is over, but winter is done. Bring on the sun!
Sunday, April 03, 2011
I, Claudius
by Robert Graves
Robert Graves traces the Roman Empire from 44 BC to the beginning of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Grammaticus reign in 41 AD. I, Claudius is a work of fiction but gives an excellent glimpse into the life of Rome and its citizens during the height of the Roman Empire. Graves wrote the novel with the voice of Tiberius Claudius, a lame stammering disappointment who delved deeply into the underbelly of Roman politics.
I was captivated with this story from the opening pages when Claudius introduced himself with a prophecy of his ascension to Emperor to the final pages with the death of the insane and sadistic Caligula. Characters we meet along the way include, Livia, the murderous megalomaniac who runs Rome for over forty years, Tiberius, the paranoid Emperor who’s fear keeps him from seeing his friends, and Caligula, who sees himself as a living god yet runs terrified from any form of danger.
I loved this book and cannot wait to start Claudius the God.
Robert Graves traces the Roman Empire from 44 BC to the beginning of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Grammaticus reign in 41 AD. I, Claudius is a work of fiction but gives an excellent glimpse into the life of Rome and its citizens during the height of the Roman Empire. Graves wrote the novel with the voice of Tiberius Claudius, a lame stammering disappointment who delved deeply into the underbelly of Roman politics.
I was captivated with this story from the opening pages when Claudius introduced himself with a prophecy of his ascension to Emperor to the final pages with the death of the insane and sadistic Caligula. Characters we meet along the way include, Livia, the murderous megalomaniac who runs Rome for over forty years, Tiberius, the paranoid Emperor who’s fear keeps him from seeing his friends, and Caligula, who sees himself as a living god yet runs terrified from any form of danger.
I loved this book and cannot wait to start Claudius the God.
Guster: Easy Wonderful
Charlie said: I have Tina to think for my introduction to Guster. Guster is a group that seems like it should be more famous than they are. They have some amazing songs like The Captain, One Man Wrecking Machine, Satellite, Center of Attention and Fa Fa to name a few. Songs that deserve to be played and known yet seem to get minuscule respect and even less play.
“Easy Wonderful” has several songs to add to my list of great tunes: Architects and Engineers, Do You Love Me, Bad Bad World, and Do What You Want. Guster is a fun upbeat pop band that more people should know about. There are a few songs that did not work for me: On the Ocean, This is How it Feels to Have a Broken Heart, and Hercules.
Guster does not shy away from branching out and trying something new. They have done a nice job with “Easy Wonderful” keeping their high energy pop sound but at the same time trying different approaches. Overall I like this album, not enough to sit down and listen to it as an album but definitely enough to add a few songs to my ever growing play list, a play list that has quite a few Guster songs.
On the Tina/Charlie Promote it, Lend it, Deny it scale, I would, Lend it . . . with confidence.
Tina says: I have Luther College to thank for introducing me to Guster. Luther tends to bring in a variety of small and big name artists for “free concerts” (it’s included in your tuition). Long story short, Guster was the first concert that I had the opportunity to attend while at Luther. I immediately feel in love with them. They’re amazing live. One of their band members plays the bongos and there are times when the band will break off in a small jam session revolving around the bongos. All and all they put on a great show.
I was so excited about the release of this album I purchased it on the day that it went on sale. I fell in love with songs like “Do you love Me?” “This Could all be Yours” “Stay with me Jesus” and “What You Call Love” (which was performed on a ukulele live). I did not enjoy Bad, Bad World, This is how it feels to have a broken heart (at the concert they had blue and red strobe lights and it was very strange). I think that this album is inconsistent, they can’t seem to decide if they want to have poppy songs or songs that are a little bit more psychedelic or mellow. It just doesn’t seem to flow from track to track, and it seems to be a little disjointed at times. This is not Guster’s best work….this was not easy, but on the Tina/Charlie deny it, lend it, promote it scale, I don’t feel so wonderful about giving it a lend it.
“Easy Wonderful” has several songs to add to my list of great tunes: Architects and Engineers, Do You Love Me, Bad Bad World, and Do What You Want. Guster is a fun upbeat pop band that more people should know about. There are a few songs that did not work for me: On the Ocean, This is How it Feels to Have a Broken Heart, and Hercules.
Guster does not shy away from branching out and trying something new. They have done a nice job with “Easy Wonderful” keeping their high energy pop sound but at the same time trying different approaches. Overall I like this album, not enough to sit down and listen to it as an album but definitely enough to add a few songs to my ever growing play list, a play list that has quite a few Guster songs.
On the Tina/Charlie Promote it, Lend it, Deny it scale, I would, Lend it . . . with confidence.
Tina says: I have Luther College to thank for introducing me to Guster. Luther tends to bring in a variety of small and big name artists for “free concerts” (it’s included in your tuition). Long story short, Guster was the first concert that I had the opportunity to attend while at Luther. I immediately feel in love with them. They’re amazing live. One of their band members plays the bongos and there are times when the band will break off in a small jam session revolving around the bongos. All and all they put on a great show.
I was so excited about the release of this album I purchased it on the day that it went on sale. I fell in love with songs like “Do you love Me?” “This Could all be Yours” “Stay with me Jesus” and “What You Call Love” (which was performed on a ukulele live). I did not enjoy Bad, Bad World, This is how it feels to have a broken heart (at the concert they had blue and red strobe lights and it was very strange). I think that this album is inconsistent, they can’t seem to decide if they want to have poppy songs or songs that are a little bit more psychedelic or mellow. It just doesn’t seem to flow from track to track, and it seems to be a little disjointed at times. This is not Guster’s best work….this was not easy, but on the Tina/Charlie deny it, lend it, promote it scale, I don’t feel so wonderful about giving it a lend it.
Light in August
by William Faulkner
Faulkner is a deep writer tackling such topic as race, religion, and existentialism. He delves into all these important themes in "Light in August".
The story begins with a young pregnant girl, Lana Grove, walking several hundred miles in search for her baby’s father, Lucas Burch who ran out on them. Lana’s story is overlapped by two other story lines, that of Reverend Hightower and of the troubled story of Joe Christmas.
The most compelling account is the latter, where Joe Christmas struggles with his inner demons spurned by his clouded identity. He skirts the line between white and black and feels rejected by both races. The treatment of blacks in the south is painful to read about, the language referring to them equally painful. He is a tragic character who meets a predictable end.
Reverend Hightower is caught in his past. He has been removed as the church but refuses to leave the place of his grandfather’s glorious past. He is the springboard for Byron Bunch’s attempts to win Lana’s love.
I liked this book. I like how uncomfortable I felt reading about Joe Christmas’ past. I liked Lana undauntedly pursued Lucas Burch. I liked how, even as good as Byron Bunch was to Lana, he did not win her. And I liked how Reverend Hightower clumsily attempted to recapture the present.
Faulkner is a fantastic writer and this is a fantastic book.
Faulkner is a deep writer tackling such topic as race, religion, and existentialism. He delves into all these important themes in "Light in August".
The story begins with a young pregnant girl, Lana Grove, walking several hundred miles in search for her baby’s father, Lucas Burch who ran out on them. Lana’s story is overlapped by two other story lines, that of Reverend Hightower and of the troubled story of Joe Christmas.
The most compelling account is the latter, where Joe Christmas struggles with his inner demons spurned by his clouded identity. He skirts the line between white and black and feels rejected by both races. The treatment of blacks in the south is painful to read about, the language referring to them equally painful. He is a tragic character who meets a predictable end.
Reverend Hightower is caught in his past. He has been removed as the church but refuses to leave the place of his grandfather’s glorious past. He is the springboard for Byron Bunch’s attempts to win Lana’s love.
I liked this book. I like how uncomfortable I felt reading about Joe Christmas’ past. I liked Lana undauntedly pursued Lucas Burch. I liked how, even as good as Byron Bunch was to Lana, he did not win her. And I liked how Reverend Hightower clumsily attempted to recapture the present.
Faulkner is a fantastic writer and this is a fantastic book.
The Maltese Falcon
by Dashiell Hammett
With the last few books, after reading them, I have been watching the movies they inspired. I watched both versions of “All The Kings Men” (1949 and 2006) and more recently “The Maltese Falcon”.
I believe Dashiell Hammett popularized the noir private-eye with this story. Sam Spade is on the edge of society, calculating, corrupt but with a sense of inner justice. When one thinks of the how it was to live in the 30’s one thinks of Spade in his gray suits, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a fedora cocked shading his eyes.
The story is full of caricatures, a jolly fat man, a drop dead gorgeous client, a one track minded cop, and of course Spade. Spade sees through each character to find his justice even at the cost of his own happiness.
The story is dated, the genre is passé, and Spade is extremely sexist and not especially likable. With that said, “The Maltese Falcon” was tolerable.
With the last few books, after reading them, I have been watching the movies they inspired. I watched both versions of “All The Kings Men” (1949 and 2006) and more recently “The Maltese Falcon”.
I believe Dashiell Hammett popularized the noir private-eye with this story. Sam Spade is on the edge of society, calculating, corrupt but with a sense of inner justice. When one thinks of the how it was to live in the 30’s one thinks of Spade in his gray suits, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a fedora cocked shading his eyes.
The story is full of caricatures, a jolly fat man, a drop dead gorgeous client, a one track minded cop, and of course Spade. Spade sees through each character to find his justice even at the cost of his own happiness.
The story is dated, the genre is passé, and Spade is extremely sexist and not especially likable. With that said, “The Maltese Falcon” was tolerable.
