Now reading...

[Bright Moments]

scalzi rocks! check out "old man's war"!

[ejp626]

Voinovich's Moscow 2042, which just showed up.

I've gotten a little off-track reading forbidden Soviet literature, but soon I will be returning to Narayan and Mahfouz.

Moscow 2042 is quite good, quite droll in some places. I don't have it at hand, or I would quote him on prophets and beards, for example. Basically, the plot is that an exiled writer gets a ticket to go visit Moscow in the future (2042 -- knock wood, I'll live to see this, though it probably seemed like forever in the early 80s when written). Pure communism is practiced only in Moscow, which is walled off from the rest of the world, and it has reached new levels of brutality. On the other hand, most Muscovites are also secret Simites (followers of a writer very much like Solzhenitsyn with a pinch of Tolstoy thrown in). It should surprise no one that ultimately the government is overthrown and a new Tsar comes to power. Indeed, I wouldn't go quite so far as to say Putin has tsar-like powers, but the Russian character does seem to respect or at least respond to authoritarianism. One interesting twist is that the writer is venerated in the future because of a book he wrote, which turns out to be one he hasn't yet writen -- and which contains his report on what he found in the future. Several people, in the future as well as the present, try to get him to change the book to see if it will change the future, but he wisely refuses.

Then I read Venedikt Erofeev's Moscow to the End of the Line, which is sort of a prose-poem on alcohol consumption and its consequences. I didn't find it particularly enjoyable, but it was engaging, sort of like watching a writer labor under deep compulsions. I was reminded a bit of Christopher Smart's For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry actually.

Also reading a non-fiction book called Divided Cities for a book review. Then back to my master plan for the year.

[BillF]

Also reading a non-fiction book called Divided Cities for a book review. Then back to my master plan for the year.

That looks interesting! A few years ago I did a taxi tour of the scenes of the Troubles in Belfast. I was amazed to see 40 foot high steel barriers separating the sectarian areas of the city. Most Brits have no idea of this and fondly imagine you have to go Israel to see such things!

[jlhoots]

Patti Smith: Just Kids

[Matthew]

To get in shape for the upcoming baseball season: Mariners 2010 Annual

[ghost of miles]

Also reading a non-fiction book called Divided Cities for a book review. Then back to my master plan for the year.

That looks interesting! A few years ago I did a taxi tour of the scenes of the Troubles in Belfast. I was amazed to see 40 foot high steel barriers separating the sectarian areas of the city. Most Brits have no idea of this and fondly imagine you have to go Israel to see such things!

I'll second Bill's sentiments--will have to check this book out as well.

Getting ready to start Kevin Starr's EMBATTLED DREAMS: CALIFORNIA IN WAR AND PEACE, 1940-1950:

[jazzbo]

[Jazzmoose]

I'd be very interested in hearing what you think of that one, Lon. Looks interesting.

[jazzbo]

It is interesting so far. The author's premise is that the nature and character of Ancient Egypt and ancient Egyptians is not best served by Western interpretations; as an Egyptian he feels he brings a different insight into the facts and suppositions.

So far I know from the preface that he subscribes to the very interesting theory of Osman re: an Egyptian dynasty and the Jewish kings and leaders Mosses, David and Solomon. And that he believes that a certain huge block of limestone in the form of a lion with a man's head may be much older than 4500 years. Of what I've read before he seems to be presenting a view of ancient Egyptian character and religion that is consistent with some of the western versions, the more open minded ones. He, as some more modern Western scholars, sees the multiple "gods" as "angels" and all aspects of the one true god Re (Ra). He is going to make claims that Egyptian religion is the fountainhead and bedrock of Judeo-Christian-Islamic religious thought and expression, a claim that I will have little animosity towards.

[sal]

"Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport" by Simon Kuper & Stefan Szymanski

[Jazzmoose]

It is interesting so far.

I guess my main concern is "scholarship or crackpot rant"; sounds like it falls into the scholarship camp. I'll definitely have to check it out.

[pasta]

Star Trek: Phase II : The Making of the Lost Series by Judith and Garfield-Reeves Stevens

[Matthew]

So What: The Life of Miles Davis. John Szwed's biography of Miles Davis, which I will read during my business trip the next ten days. Nothing helps reading like long lay-overs in airports..

[jazzbo]

It is interesting so far.

I guess my main concern is "scholarship or crackpot rant"; sounds like it falls into the scholarship camp. I'll definitely have to check it out.

Well, the author is not a typical Egyptologist. I don't consider him a "crackpot." He does have an agenda, but most authors and most scholars do. He's not a non-scholar so to speak, he's a civil engineer, and he's studied Egyptology as far as I can tell a lot of his life. He is interviewed briefly here on this page.

http://www.egypt-tehuti.org/gadalla.html

From the interview:

M.G.: I didn't intend to focus on Ancient Egypt, just because I'm Egyptian. It was only after I began reading existing books about the subject, that I discovered how MUCH they knew, and how AWARE they were of the universe, in every action of their daily lives. Yet this information is suppressed in almost all of today's references and textbooks. I have made it my life's mission to get the TRUE image of the ancient Egyptians out to the world, for those who are ready to hear it

[medjuck]

Patti Smith: Just Kids

Me too. I'm really enjoying it.

[BillF]

So What: The Life of Miles Davis. John Szwed's biography of Miles Davis, which I will read during my business trip the next ten days. Nothing helps reading like long lay-overs in airports..

Good choice! I found it very readable.

[brownie]

Starting to read 'Charles Delaunay et le Jazz en France dans les Années 30 et 40' by Anne Legrand

which came out last week. A well documented book on the fascinating figure that was Delaunay.

The book was published after Anne Legrand's thesis that won her a ph.d. at the Sorbonne University.

Looks excellent right from the start!

[paul secor]

Anita Brookner: Strangers

[BillF]

Nick Hornby, Juliet, Naked

Englishwoman discovers disappeared American rock legend through internet music discussion forum!

[paul secor]

Nick Hornby, Juliet, Naked

Englishwoman discovers disappeared American rock legend through internet music discussion forum!

Read it a couple of weeks ago. Identified some with the internet bit. Hope I'm not as far gone as the rabid fan in the novel - tho my wife sometimes thinks I am.

Different jacket cover for the book here in the States.

Edited February 25, 2010 by paul secor

[paul secor]

David Bajo: The 351 Books of Irma Arcuri

[jlhoots]

Robert Utley: Billy The Kid (A Short Violent Life)

[BillF]

Isaac Asimov, Foundation

[aparxa]

This month:

Ken Follett - The Eye of the Needle

Michael Connelly - The Overlook

Oscar WIlde - Selections from A Laurel Reader (Huge highlights were a Rereading of Savile's Crime and Star-Child)

Now: Henry James - The portrait of a Lady ( The narrative is a pure pleasure)

[aparxa]

Michel Folco's latest.

Don't know if the fellow has been translated in english, are they frenchies here who are digging his stuff ?

Never h(re)ad so far. Historical satyrs ? How do you like it ?