I am getting most adept at selecting challenging books. I think I have said before I started this practice after seeing it in a book about reading. Anyway, The British museum is falling down( the Author originally wanted to name it The British Museum had lost its Charm) turned out to be more than I expected. It is a humorous story about a Catholic British couple struggling with the churches practices regarding birth control. But because the main character is involved in Literary research at the British Museum the author cleverly writes parts of each chapter in the style of several notable classic authors . Not being familiar( with any detail ) of the authors being parodied It went right over my head for the most part. It was not until the books afterword that I had the AHAH! moment. I enjoyed it none the less. Now I am reading about St Peters Basilica . Not becuse of the catholic theme of this book alone but in combination of it and The stones of Venice. I wonder if you could call it viral reading?
On the reading front I just finished The Stones of Venice and am starting The British Museum is Falling Down written by David Lodge. The stones of Venice was really enjoyable and much more than than I had thought. It is written so well that I did not have as much difficulty with it as I feared. the Author presents his Ideas that the art of the renaissance is pestilent.The first half of the book is spent in a crash course of fundamental aspects of architecture so that the reader can see the good and bad of each period. After a section discussing the nature of the Gothic he then moves on to wonderful detailed descriptions of the two most important buildings of Venice.The Gothic Ducal Palace and the Basilica of St Mark. He ends with 3 chapters on Renaissance presenting his reasons for its failures . My new book is a comic novel(a departure from my usual non fiction reading) regarding Catholics and their dilemma with birth control. A blurb on the back cover states Rueful Rabelaisian glee Catholic Herald Should be fun!
Being Saturday today we were at dog class. As we loaded up for the trip home we noticed a small
Gecko right on the middle of the plastic covering the instrument gauges. Not realizing we had brought it with us
and being the silly sentimentalists we are, we could not leave it 30 miles away from its home,our back carport.
so we dutifully tried to not excite it all the way home. I repeatedly instructed Sharon (she was driving) not to freak out and crash the car if it jumped on her. It meandered over to my side about halfway home but basically stayed on the inside
of the windshield. We all made it all the way home and as far as we know our unexpected passenger is reunited with his wife and kids. That is our story and we are sticking to it.
Here we go again. Another book that will be challenging I am sure. A detailed look at the architecture of the Renaissance by an author who detests it. It does concentrate on Venice(which was my attraction to it) and is well written so no matter what it will be rewarding.
Just finished reading Hellhound on his trail and found it the really enjoyable.
It really was difficult to put it down at times. I found it interesting that James Earl Ray ( that name is not mentioned until
late in the book) came from such a crime ridden family. It was also fascinating that he came really close to escaping to
another country where it would have been difficult to expedite him. There are a couple of weak points one of which is that the Author does not develop how this petty criminal bungling his way around the country(after escaping form a prison) all of the sudden buys a rifle and commits this major league crime. Aside from that the story remains gripping for the entire book
All the planting is done and in record time. There are 52 new starts that will not have fruits until year after next.
We had to curve the lines to avoid a rocky area at the far end of the first section. There are always
rock areas around the lot(excluding the ones in my head) so planting is an adventure!
As I am reading a book about the assassination of Martin Luther King I remembered where I was when it happened.
I was in the 74th army band stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. Actually I lived at home and commuted to the army but that's another story. When all the unrest started the powers that be decided the Military police needed help so the band was to be used as a second riot squad. I am serious! we actually got rifles(we were all really qualified to use them) but affixing a bayonet to it and
doing that lock shuffle step was something else. After the MP commanders saw us"drilling" they then decided
it wasn't such a good idea.
I just finished reading Big Island Journey (see post below). Sad to see yet another example of a culture that
was almost wiped out after being "discovered" by the industrialized world. Now I am reading Hellhound on His Trail.
which looks as if it will be enjoyable. Written by Hampton Sides it details the stalking and assassination of Martin
Luther King . Sharon (Mrs NOTSO) just finished it and could hardly put it down.
Pineapples almost gone! . Have posted photos of the plants but not many of the fruits. We have been growing them for 5 years now and have become pretty proficient. We have already worked out a space for 50 new plants and will have around that number of second year plants. Those are the ones that will have fruit next season.
Here is the second in my series of Interesting Village/Pub names from the Good Beer Guide.I suppose it would be more interesting if I could determine how these names originated but because there are 50 or so counties and 4,500 pubs listed in the guide I will probably be lucky to just finish this list.
Hard to believe in just a few weeks we have gone through almost all of the current crop. We have given almost 60 away ,
and consumed 5 There are about 15 that remain to be picked. The photo above shows all of the starts rooting before planting and several
fruits that we picked in the past 2 days. Now all that needs to be done is removing 20 more plants, weeding, planting and fertilizing.
I am getting tired just thinking about it
Having just finished Pausanias Guide to Greece (written in the 2nd century) ,I am now reading a Hawaiian history book.
Although I had to slog through 500 pages the Greece book was worth it. It is fascinating
that some things that occurred then can be so different ( the idea that the gods gave warnings for a year that an earthquake was coming)
but others( A young couple in love who can not get permission from their families to marry) remain the same .Any way I am going to put away the classics for a wile and try to learn more about the island where I live.
Pineapples have returned once again. All the work has been done(well most of it anyway)and it is time to enjoy. Now all that remains to be done is to consume or give them away. Thenroot the babies(tops of the fruits) and plant them. This time things are a little different as they all must be checked for Fire ants. These are tiny red ants that have a potent sting which have invaded since the last crop. So each fruit must be checked and maybe sprayed with water .We probably have 70 to 80 fruits but they will be gone in no time .
I am still slogging through the Pausanis book ,although I am almost finished. Throughout this book and
others that I have read from the same time period I am astounded by the horribly cruel things that occasionally occur.
I tend to want to imagine life then as being noble and civil but keep encountering examples
like the one above. I guess some things never change.
I have been eying this Beatles box for months now but have been hesitant to buy it because of its
hefty price tag. Finally because it recently was my 64th birthday I gave in and and bought it. It
was expensive but what a package . Not only are their 13 major (UK) albums included , they are all remastered. Each CD is packed in a replica of the original album and includes a small documentary book.
Each CD also includes a mini documentary that can be played on a computer. There is also a collection of single recordings . To compete the package there are two DVDS one with all the mini documentaries on each album and another general documentary. This is an amazing magi (cal mystery tour) collection because you can not play this music and not feel good.
Continuing with my Beer Guide theme ,each entry has a short description of the Pub's features and some have websites so I thought it might be fun to contact some of them .So far I have contacted one and gotten a warm response . As I said before there are 4,500 Pubs listed but thank goodness only a fraction of them Have internet presence.
Ever since my first trip to the United Kingdom I have found Pub names interesting.
Even more so are Town names. Above are a few Town/pub name combination's in
Bedforshire county taken from the Good Beer Guide 2010 edition. There are 4,500
of the best Pubs in the U K listed in this book so it should be fun.
I am getting most adept at selecting challenging books. I think I have said before I started
