Moving from movies and TV to…
Valentin Silvestrov Piano Works “Nostalghia” played by Jenny Lin: These short, modern, tentative pieces are warm and ethereal by turn. In a word, beautiful. (Found through fellow Blockhead David.)
Eloquence by Bill Evans: My favorite Bill Evans is solo piano improvisations, and the ones included here--loose, almost-rehearsals--are masterful.
That would be The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll by Alvaro Mutis, also recommended by Blockhead David. These seven adventure novels under one cover were wonderful companions for many months. Along with nailbiting exploits, I experienced most of all the joy of eating and drinking, the splendor of love, and the glory of loyal friendship.
Ivebeenreadinglately: Levi Stahl reads widely and profusely, and every couple of days has something to share—always entertaining, often profound--from his armchair adventures. For example, this week he quotes from Thoreau’s newly published journals: “Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary. (Dec 25, 1856).” That post moved me to respond, trying to understand Thoreau's apparent masochism.
Pop Candy: My indispensable daily digest of modern popular culture: rarely a day goes by when I don’t follow at least one link to (say) an interview with John Cleese; the top 50 gay movies; a clip from The Daily Show….
Happy Days: These weekly New York Times essays on the search for contentment were provocative, stimulating, fascinating. The blog went on hiatus in September but the content is still available.
Undernews/The Progressive Review: Sam Smith’s alternative news digest and commentary keeps me abreast of what matters, including plenty the elites would rather we didn’t know. And it’s not knee-jerk liberalism either. From Sam’s essay this week: “In the movie Invictus, Nelson Mandela proposes the outrageous notion that one of the best ways to deal with ethnic conflict is to get both sides doing something they mutually find more important than disliking each other. This is not a popular idea among liberals, black or white, too many of whom prefer to scold, outlaw or regulate…. Although we seldom notice it, we have more than a little evidence in [the US] that Mandela's approach works….”
You can also have Undernews delivered free to your email inbox.
(I’ll finish this up, including the promised sashimi, in Part III)
--Julian
. . . amuses the hell out of me:
This article is about the economist. For the snooker referee, see . . . .
--David
Each of the Japan Times books critics has chosen his or her three favorite books of 2009. Me too.
If, like me, you would normally click through first to Donald Richie's recommendations you will be saddened to note that he was unable to contribute this year.
Steve Finbow chose Mieko Kanai's The Word Book
I'm looking forward to his choices for 2010.
—David
