Thursday, May 31, 2007
Lion and Blue- More on a Sunflower
Lion and Blue by Robert Varva; illustrations by Fleur CowlesFantasy; usually rated as juvenile but adults relate to it. A tale of mix-matched love, faithfulness and the ultimate reward for constancy. My favorite of this genre.
I created a sculpture of this jacket illustration. I wonder where it is. I don't recall giving it away; if it is in storage it is probably broken. Some parts, especially the lion's mane, were quite fragile. I am so sad about having to give up my house, sacrifice so many of my belongings and move in this overgrown closet of an apartment. I hate it but I endure . No other choice.
I found Lion and Blue on internet sites of booksellers. Some are omigod expensive. A few are cheap but lack Fleur Cowles listed as coauthor, so I wonder if the books are merely the story but without her beautiful illustrations. Her brilliant artwork with the clever cut- outs add so very much to the feeling of the book. From the wording of some of the descriptions I think some may have the illustrations but sans the cut-outs. Alibris has a number of copies available.
I love the little book. Looking at the current prices for used copies, I feel fortunate that I obtained mine in the mid- 70s, complete with Cowles' cut-out illustrations and the foreword by the Prince of Netherlands .
Labels: Lion and Blue - fantasy - juvenile
Bright Happy Faces
Blue Sky With Sunflowers
Jane Candia Coleman
YOU FIGHT IT. Your own voice
that covets sunflowers
streaming in the light
like a million butterflies.
Pick! Take all of them! it tells you,
greedy for windy splendor.
But who has room to keep a field,
a net to trap the whole September sky?
Instead you memorize the yellow flight,
then, bending, cup your hands
around the gaudy faces
of impossible desire.
>>>>>>>>>
Van Gogh loved their bright faces also.
Labels: Sunflowers
Brief R & Rs - Movies, Books and Blogs
I don't know if I still want another car or not! Since Jo has lent me the minivan, it seems like all I do is run, run, run and the old bod is TIRED! When all I had was my electric scooter and its limited range, I had to depend on someone to chauffeur me to appointments and errands. Now that I have wheels, I have to drive myself plus I find many calls on my time that I would not have if I was sans transportation. However, on the up side, I really do like the freedom and independence that a motor vehicle gives me.
I dash home for a day or two to recuperate, recharge my batteries, regroup - and veg out.
Finished the last of the O'Brien books that I purchased and am anxious to buy the rest. Re-read some of the Coleman's and briefly dipped into a few old favorites. My old eyes blur out too quickly, which annoys me exceedingly. Voracious reader that I am, the limitations are aggravating. My diabetic doctor questioned me about my vision and ordered a new appointment with the eye doc. Diabetes damages vision and even blinds, so I am concerned about that.
Have been watching some DVD movies too. Change of visual pace. Watched "Beowulf and Grendel", "The Taming of the Shrew" with Taylor and Burton, Lon Chaney's goldie oldie "Phantom of the Opera", Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" with Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank (so sad!), and re-watched for the umpteenth time "Master and Commander", paying close attention to the ship and the activities on it.
And ofcourse, some of the documentaries on TV. The new series about the Universe is good. Watched part of the documentary on the Khymer Rouge but couldn't stomach the sadism. I had seen it before and didn't want to see the rest again. The series "Lost" is at the end of this season and so is the "Meercat Manor" (love those little critters!) The summer re-runs have begun for most stations so TV is basically a wasteland.
Have been working on some of my personal blogs; am so far behind in completing some of the work on them. Ofcourse all are works in progress and they are for my personal enjoyment, so there is no urgency about posting. I am adding, or beginning to, a new artist's work to the "Masterpieces..." blog. A child prodigy and her work is incredible! Have been researching sites for "Lost Cradles of Civilization" to restore my posts on Petra that Blogger so sweetly deleted for me (all those hours of work lost, and all the photos downloaded gone!). Will add posts on other parts of the Fertile Crescent and early civilizations but it will take a LOT of time and reading.
Also researching sites for info on "...Science Controversies". Including the work of some of my favorite mavericks. Right or wrong, I love them! Gads but they stir up a firestorm among the mainstream academics, scholars and archeologists! Does them good to be shaken out of their complacent arrogance. I suppose I love mavericks like Gadfly loves conspiracy theories.
Today will be a run-run day again.Have to take Jeannie to turn in her time at the agency (past downtown on #59 close to the Galleria), drop by Aunt Pearl's to pick up some things (way out near Intercontinental airport), dash to the post office to send Shera the books I've packaged for her, and get my bags packed for the reunion. Houston is such a huge, sprawling city, I can put several hundred miles on the car easily just running errands. It's an 80 mile round trip to Jeannie's in Nassau Bay, and nearly 100 mile round trip to Aunt Pearl's. If I have to take Chris home, that will be another 100 mile round trip.
Jo is taking me to the Reunion, thank goodness. She wants to leave by noon tomorrow. I want to go but dread that long drive. It will be worth it, though, to see and visit with the cousins and other relatives. Big Al and Eva have been emailing me and I want to exchange genealogical updates with Arlie. Lots of huggy-huggies and kissy-kissies and hours of talking, catching up on family news. It will be marvelous! It will take me a week to recuperate, then the round of June's medical appointments begin - Drat it!. Run, run, run again.
I dash home for a day or two to recuperate, recharge my batteries, regroup - and veg out.
Finished the last of the O'Brien books that I purchased and am anxious to buy the rest. Re-read some of the Coleman's and briefly dipped into a few old favorites. My old eyes blur out too quickly, which annoys me exceedingly. Voracious reader that I am, the limitations are aggravating. My diabetic doctor questioned me about my vision and ordered a new appointment with the eye doc. Diabetes damages vision and even blinds, so I am concerned about that.
Have been watching some DVD movies too. Change of visual pace. Watched "Beowulf and Grendel", "The Taming of the Shrew" with Taylor and Burton, Lon Chaney's goldie oldie "Phantom of the Opera", Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" with Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank (so sad!), and re-watched for the umpteenth time "Master and Commander", paying close attention to the ship and the activities on it.
And ofcourse, some of the documentaries on TV. The new series about the Universe is good. Watched part of the documentary on the Khymer Rouge but couldn't stomach the sadism. I had seen it before and didn't want to see the rest again. The series "Lost" is at the end of this season and so is the "Meercat Manor" (love those little critters!) The summer re-runs have begun for most stations so TV is basically a wasteland.
Have been working on some of my personal blogs; am so far behind in completing some of the work on them. Ofcourse all are works in progress and they are for my personal enjoyment, so there is no urgency about posting. I am adding, or beginning to, a new artist's work to the "Masterpieces..." blog. A child prodigy and her work is incredible! Have been researching sites for "Lost Cradles of Civilization" to restore my posts on Petra that Blogger so sweetly deleted for me (all those hours of work lost, and all the photos downloaded gone!). Will add posts on other parts of the Fertile Crescent and early civilizations but it will take a LOT of time and reading.
Also researching sites for info on "...Science Controversies". Including the work of some of my favorite mavericks. Right or wrong, I love them! Gads but they stir up a firestorm among the mainstream academics, scholars and archeologists! Does them good to be shaken out of their complacent arrogance. I suppose I love mavericks like Gadfly loves conspiracy theories.
Today will be a run-run day again.Have to take Jeannie to turn in her time at the agency (past downtown on #59 close to the Galleria), drop by Aunt Pearl's to pick up some things (way out near Intercontinental airport), dash to the post office to send Shera the books I've packaged for her, and get my bags packed for the reunion. Houston is such a huge, sprawling city, I can put several hundred miles on the car easily just running errands. It's an 80 mile round trip to Jeannie's in Nassau Bay, and nearly 100 mile round trip to Aunt Pearl's. If I have to take Chris home, that will be another 100 mile round trip.
Jo is taking me to the Reunion, thank goodness. She wants to leave by noon tomorrow. I want to go but dread that long drive. It will be worth it, though, to see and visit with the cousins and other relatives. Big Al and Eva have been emailing me and I want to exchange genealogical updates with Arlie. Lots of huggy-huggies and kissy-kissies and hours of talking, catching up on family news. It will be marvelous! It will take me a week to recuperate, then the round of June's medical appointments begin - Drat it!. Run, run, run again.
Labels: Veggin' Out
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Mother's Day Gift From Jo
"Hidden Truth Beneath the Mask" - Alex Levin
The shipment from Germany arrived just in time for Mother's Day. In addition to the large cuckoo clock that Jo purchased for herself, it included a gift for me, a magnificient music box bearing a reproduction of a painting by Alex Levin, "Hidden Truth Beneath the Mask". It is exquisite. I am extremely proud of it. Jo knows, ofcourse, of my collection of Pierot and Harlequin dolls and porcelain masks so she knew that the music box would be a perfect gift for me.
In addition to the music box, Jo treated me (for Mother's Day) and the Wild Child (for her birthday) to an luxuriant salon pedicure. Wild Child accepted a manicure also, but I declined as I had just clipped my long nails quite short. Later Jo prepared a special dinner for us - stuffed pork loin with honey mustard glaze, bowtie pasta salad, green beans, and angel food cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It was delicious!
>>
About Alex Levin:
Painting by Alex Levin. http://dart.fine-art.com/artListinginfo.asp?i=80367&nav=dg Bio follows:
Artist's Statement:The old saying in Venice says, “The long nose of the mask is the Venetian Symbol”.You put the mask on when you want to be different; to hide your feelings, your purposes, have your little intrigues and remain undiscovered.From the ancient times, Venetian masks were made to represent faces of mystical characters, never seen but believed to exist.The real masks were produced from leather and became a “second face” even giving people the ability to kiss.The Venice itself is the city in mask and through that mask that enchanted city is looking on the surrounding world.“Venice through the masks’ eyes” that is how the Artist, Alex Levin, named the series of work, where he is looking in the eyes of every one of his mask, and discovers for us the most sensitive places of the treasury of Venice.When the series of masks would be completed and brought together, we would see the gold of costumes and silver of laces and masks… masks… masks, and also the mirror reflection of the most breath taking performance in the world – the Venice Carnival.
Artist's Statement:The old saying in Venice says, “The long nose of the mask is the Venetian Symbol”.You put the mask on when you want to be different; to hide your feelings, your purposes, have your little intrigues and remain undiscovered.From the ancient times, Venetian masks were made to represent faces of mystical characters, never seen but believed to exist.The real masks were produced from leather and became a “second face” even giving people the ability to kiss.The Venice itself is the city in mask and through that mask that enchanted city is looking on the surrounding world.“Venice through the masks’ eyes” that is how the Artist, Alex Levin, named the series of work, where he is looking in the eyes of every one of his mask, and discovers for us the most sensitive places of the treasury of Venice.When the series of masks would be completed and brought together, we would see the gold of costumes and silver of laces and masks… masks… masks, and also the mirror reflection of the most breath taking performance in the world – the Venice Carnival.
Biography:Born in 1975, Kiev, Ukraine.At the age of six started painting and at the age of twelve entered the Art Academy, which graduated with awards.Immigrated to Israel in 1990.Since 1992 has been studying with Professor Baruch Elron (Chairman of Israel Artist Association).The main painting styles are Surrealism and Realism.Featuring a range of works in oil, acrylic, pencil, charcoal and tempera paints.The majority of the paintings are displayed in private and institutional collection of Israel, Belgium, USA, Australia and Russia and have been reproduced on the covers of the books and other printing materials.Practicing the original manner of 16th century technique, which happens to be multilayered use of tempera and oil (no brush strokes).After serving 3 years in Israel Army, in 1997 entered the industrial and web design program which was a great benefit for my art work.Since 1990 live in Israel and working as a full time freelance artist.Currently working on 2 series: Judaic and "Venice through the masks' eyes".The earlier paintings from "mask collection" were introduced in year 2002 at Bugno Art Gallery in Venice, Italy and where awarded with the scholarship to Venice Academy of Art to support artist’s continuing artistic development and enable him to devote substantial time to the creation of new work.
Labels: Mother's Day Gift
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Books:Favored Mavericks and Jane Candia Coleman
It is my wont to read several books at a time. My dimming vision and aged eyes blur out after awhile and I find that a change in print helps me to read a bit longer. I have a stack of books at my chairside that I delve into from time to time. One by Professor Ivan van Sertima is a very interesting theory regarding pre-Colombian Negroid Africans traveling to the Americas with fascinating archeological evidence to back the theory. It is very controversial, ofcourse, hotly disputed by mainstream archeologists and historians alike. In their views, only the superior white men had the intelligence and capabilities to sail the Atlantic; all people of color had to come via land bridges and certainly not negroes! One nay-sayer, unable to deny the physical evidence, theorized a no longer extant landbridge from Europe to the Americas over which the blacks must have walked!! Another called the very negroid heads merely "babies' heads". Personally, I tend to agree with the maverick.
Olmecs
Do these gigantic, helmeted, sculpted heads in any way resemble any north, central or south american indians, babies or otherwise? They look remarkably like negroid Africans to me.
I like mavericks. My very favorite maverick is Immanuel Velikovsky. Gads! but he created a firestorm of hate and controversy when he published! In the light of modern scientific evidence, he was in error about some things; by the same new evidence, he was proven correct in others but ofcourse received no credit for his work. He is still roundly castigated by professionals in the various fields whose experts' toes he trampled upon and by their followers, most of whom never even read his books nor examined the evidence backing his theories. Oh, how I love his books and have read and re-read them over the decades. I am still disgruntled that he died before he completed other promised works. His estate promised to publish his partially completed manuscripts but I can find no record of such. Probably they were unable to get a publisher. Cowards.
Jane Candia Coleman is not a maverick but is one of my favorite female authors. I like her short stories - so true to life - but I especially like her poetry. Her book, "Wives and Lovers" is not one of my favorites although I like it well enough and how she reveals the ways of women. I prefer her Western stories and how they speak to me of my ancestors, my roots. I was not yet born during the eras of which she writes but country folk retain the old ways, the old customs and manner of speech much longer than city folk, so I am familiar with the people and the speech of her characters. They are a part of my childhood and youth.
In memory, I hear the old people chatting on the front porch, relaxing in the coolth of the evening after their strenuous labors of the day. "Time was..." one will begin a narrative, a tale of past days. Another will say, "I rec'lleck...". Or "Back in the winter of nineteen-ought-three...". My grandfather once referred to a man of low repute as a "roue". I smugly thought he was mispronouncing "rogue" in his country ignorance of proper English. Older and wiser, I found that he spoke correctly of a sensualist, a rake, old words no longer in common usage.
My grandparents were children born in the 1800s and they related tales of their parents and grandparents, of their times and lives, reaching back in time to the history of our family and the history of the common people.
My grandfather liked to tell the story of a by-gone relative who once shook the hand of Abraham Lincoln. Ever after, when meeting a new person he would exclaim, "Shake the hand of a man who shook the hand of Abe Lincoln!", his one claim to fame and proud of it. The stories heard at the old farmhouse are precious to me and in reading Coleman I sometimes am reminded of those stories and hear the long gone voices.
I relate to her Western stories and poems. Years ago I saw a magazine illustration of an Arizona or New Mexican landscape and underneath it was an excerpt from Coleman's "Sandhill Cranes" poem (she has a short story by the same title). I cut it out and framed it and it hangs on the wall by my desk, underneath the Van Gogh print of "Starry Night". The excerpt reads
"I tell her I have seen blackbirds
nesting in the cottonwoods,
heard the call of frogs
from the ruins by the river.
And she tells me the cranes flew over
crying long in the moonlight."
I relate to the whole of the poem, the city woman come to buy an old Indian woman's grandmother's clay bowl, and their visit. I am drawn to the above portion of the poem. I understand it, I know it, I've experienced it. Except for me it was not cranes but wild geese, still in flight after nightfall, flying across the moon in their irregular V shape, crying their lonesome cries.
Olmecs
Do these gigantic, helmeted, sculpted heads in any way resemble any north, central or south american indians, babies or otherwise? They look remarkably like negroid Africans to me.
I like mavericks. My very favorite maverick is Immanuel Velikovsky. Gads! but he created a firestorm of hate and controversy when he published! In the light of modern scientific evidence, he was in error about some things; by the same new evidence, he was proven correct in others but ofcourse received no credit for his work. He is still roundly castigated by professionals in the various fields whose experts' toes he trampled upon and by their followers, most of whom never even read his books nor examined the evidence backing his theories. Oh, how I love his books and have read and re-read them over the decades. I am still disgruntled that he died before he completed other promised works. His estate promised to publish his partially completed manuscripts but I can find no record of such. Probably they were unable to get a publisher. Cowards.
Jane Candia Coleman is not a maverick but is one of my favorite female authors. I like her short stories - so true to life - but I especially like her poetry. Her book, "Wives and Lovers" is not one of my favorites although I like it well enough and how she reveals the ways of women. I prefer her Western stories and how they speak to me of my ancestors, my roots. I was not yet born during the eras of which she writes but country folk retain the old ways, the old customs and manner of speech much longer than city folk, so I am familiar with the people and the speech of her characters. They are a part of my childhood and youth.
In memory, I hear the old people chatting on the front porch, relaxing in the coolth of the evening after their strenuous labors of the day. "Time was..." one will begin a narrative, a tale of past days. Another will say, "I rec'lleck...". Or "Back in the winter of nineteen-ought-three...". My grandfather once referred to a man of low repute as a "roue". I smugly thought he was mispronouncing "rogue" in his country ignorance of proper English. Older and wiser, I found that he spoke correctly of a sensualist, a rake, old words no longer in common usage.
My grandparents were children born in the 1800s and they related tales of their parents and grandparents, of their times and lives, reaching back in time to the history of our family and the history of the common people.
My grandfather liked to tell the story of a by-gone relative who once shook the hand of Abraham Lincoln. Ever after, when meeting a new person he would exclaim, "Shake the hand of a man who shook the hand of Abe Lincoln!", his one claim to fame and proud of it. The stories heard at the old farmhouse are precious to me and in reading Coleman I sometimes am reminded of those stories and hear the long gone voices.
I relate to her Western stories and poems. Years ago I saw a magazine illustration of an Arizona or New Mexican landscape and underneath it was an excerpt from Coleman's "Sandhill Cranes" poem (she has a short story by the same title). I cut it out and framed it and it hangs on the wall by my desk, underneath the Van Gogh print of "Starry Night". The excerpt reads
"I tell her I have seen blackbirds
nesting in the cottonwoods,
heard the call of frogs
from the ruins by the river.
And she tells me the cranes flew over
crying long in the moonlight."
I relate to the whole of the poem, the city woman come to buy an old Indian woman's grandmother's clay bowl, and their visit. I am drawn to the above portion of the poem. I understand it, I know it, I've experienced it. Except for me it was not cranes but wild geese, still in flight after nightfall, flying across the moon in their irregular V shape, crying their lonesome cries.
Labels: Books -Mavericks - Coleman
Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin Books
During my various out of town forays, I have to return home for a day or two to recuperate, unlax, and regain my strength and sanity. The old woman doesn't have the stamina and resilience she once had; I become exhausted too readily. I excuse my returns by saying I have to check on my cat, which I do, but also to escape for some peace and quiet. I cannot face politics at this time so Is America Burning goes begging for awhile. I do check my emails and favorite blogs but that's about all.
Upon one of my home-comings, I re-watched "Master and Commander". This viewing rekindled my long-ago interest in the historical era of the Napoleonic Wars , specifically the quarrel between France and England, so I checked out that history. From there I became interested in the naval warfare of the time, the manning and operation of the sailing ships in addition to the politics. It has always amazed me how the ancestors entrusted their lives to the dangers and vagaries of the sea to such fragile vessels. Even modern ships get sunk now and then in spite of powerful engines and much improved construction. I admire the braveness of those long ago men and women who sailed the seas.
(My admiration is no doubt intensified by my own personal fears of deep water or any waters of which I cannot see the bottom, and the astonishing depth of the oceans fill me with horror. The only time I have ever been out in blue water was off the coast of Australia on the yacht of a friend. The entire time I kept an eagle eye out for the tiny islands that dotted the expanse, judging their distance from the boat and assessing my ability to swim to them should misfortune arise. My anxiety was exacerbated by the knowledge that the Great White Sharks inhabited those waters and my husband's attempts at humor by teasing me about what a tasty, plump morsel I would make for a hungry shark. I was not amused, although, in truth, I did enjoy the cruise. Except when the men landed a 5 or 6 foot shark, I looked into its evil eyes and gaping, teeth filled mouth, fled to the cabins and refused to come out until they had dumped it overboard. )
The DVD has extra features including documentaries re: the making of it, comments by the director and producers, actors, etc. Finding that the movie is based upon books by Patrick O'Brien, I did a search on him. He proved to be an author well versed in history, politics, sailing ships and nautical lore and with great reviews. He has over 65 books but 20 involve the same characters, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, upon whom the movie is based. I enjoyed the reviews of those books so ordered 11 of them and put the remainder on a "wish list" which I will order later, including 2 naval tomes that lay the groundwork for the novels. For economy's sake, I ordered used books in good condition and found them to be almost like new. Son Terry gifted me with $2oo for Mother's Day, so I may order the other books soon. Joy!
Since then I have immersed myself in the O'Brien books, exposed to far more nautical information about sailing ships and warfare than I can absorb, the politics , customs and medical practises of the era as well as well written adventure stories. I carry one with me to medical appointment to fill my time during the interminable waits, to Jo's, and read when I am relaxing at home. I am always eager to get to the next volume as soon as I complete one. I am safely on land but mentally sail the seas and experience a by-gone era. Politics were as scummy in those days as they are now. Greedy, selfish, money grubbing, power mad men were the same then, nothing has changed in that respect. The medical practises are particularly interesting to me.
Upon one of my home-comings, I re-watched "Master and Commander". This viewing rekindled my long-ago interest in the historical era of the Napoleonic Wars , specifically the quarrel between France and England, so I checked out that history. From there I became interested in the naval warfare of the time, the manning and operation of the sailing ships in addition to the politics. It has always amazed me how the ancestors entrusted their lives to the dangers and vagaries of the sea to such fragile vessels. Even modern ships get sunk now and then in spite of powerful engines and much improved construction. I admire the braveness of those long ago men and women who sailed the seas.
(My admiration is no doubt intensified by my own personal fears of deep water or any waters of which I cannot see the bottom, and the astonishing depth of the oceans fill me with horror. The only time I have ever been out in blue water was off the coast of Australia on the yacht of a friend. The entire time I kept an eagle eye out for the tiny islands that dotted the expanse, judging their distance from the boat and assessing my ability to swim to them should misfortune arise. My anxiety was exacerbated by the knowledge that the Great White Sharks inhabited those waters and my husband's attempts at humor by teasing me about what a tasty, plump morsel I would make for a hungry shark. I was not amused, although, in truth, I did enjoy the cruise. Except when the men landed a 5 or 6 foot shark, I looked into its evil eyes and gaping, teeth filled mouth, fled to the cabins and refused to come out until they had dumped it overboard. )
The DVD has extra features including documentaries re: the making of it, comments by the director and producers, actors, etc. Finding that the movie is based upon books by Patrick O'Brien, I did a search on him. He proved to be an author well versed in history, politics, sailing ships and nautical lore and with great reviews. He has over 65 books but 20 involve the same characters, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, upon whom the movie is based. I enjoyed the reviews of those books so ordered 11 of them and put the remainder on a "wish list" which I will order later, including 2 naval tomes that lay the groundwork for the novels. For economy's sake, I ordered used books in good condition and found them to be almost like new. Son Terry gifted me with $2oo for Mother's Day, so I may order the other books soon. Joy!
Since then I have immersed myself in the O'Brien books, exposed to far more nautical information about sailing ships and warfare than I can absorb, the politics , customs and medical practises of the era as well as well written adventure stories. I carry one with me to medical appointment to fill my time during the interminable waits, to Jo's, and read when I am relaxing at home. I am always eager to get to the next volume as soon as I complete one. I am safely on land but mentally sail the seas and experience a by-gone era. Politics were as scummy in those days as they are now. Greedy, selfish, money grubbing, power mad men were the same then, nothing has changed in that respect. The medical practises are particularly interesting to me.
The following positive reviews tell about the books much better than I can. I deleted the one negative review.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/wais/ztopics/week020105/france_050201
_napoleonnavalwarsobrien.htm (this url had to be divided in order not to extend into sidebar.)
FRANCE: Napoleon's naval wars and Patrick OBrien
Cameron Sawyer says: Speaking of the Napoleonic Wars, have any WAISers read the historical novels of Patrick O'Brian concerning the naval part of these wars?I don't really like historical fiction, preferring the real thing. A friend of mine in Nashville, a semi-famous writer, spent one entire year in the 1980's reading and rereading the couple of dozen novels in this series, but I resisted his recommendations (I thought that writer's block had driven him crazy). For years after that, I ignored the advice of other friends, and even my own father, to read them. Then one day I was on a week-long sailing trip and found that I had forgotten the bag I had packed with reading material. One or another of O'Brian's novels was all I could find on board to read, so I had no choice. And from that moment I was hooked.
These works so far transcend the genre of historical fiction that I can hardly find words. The scrupulously researched historical facts and the perfect historical details (in language, dress, naval tactics, naval customs, politics, medicine, science, even music, you name it -- O'Brian was a perfect polymath) are merely a vehicle for what is, in essence, truly great literature. I can't really think of any finer characterizations in literature, or any better portrayal of a complicated friendship between the most unlikely of characters (the main characters in all of these books is an English Navy captain, the gruff, Protestant, anti-intellectual Aubrey, and a ship's surgeon cum naturalist cum spy, the half-Basque, half-Irish, Catholic, opium-addicted Maturin). I'll bet Christopher has read these. I do not think any WAISer would regret trying one of these (you will thank me later). Many of you will probably reread them over and over again, as I have.
Robert Crow writes: I have just finished reading the thirteenth of O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels and may not read another piece of fiction until I have completed the rest (seven or so). Cameron Sawyer's assessment is right on target, in my opinion. "Dragged along" is an appropriate description of my own delightful plight: when I start reading one of these stories, I have trouble doing much else until I am finished; and I am thirsty for the next one. Small quibble: Maturin is half-Catalan, not half-Basque -- not much of a difference in the U.S. but a big one in Spain.
Labels: Books - O'Brien
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Sequel to "Disaster With Plants"
I received a belated birthday card from nephew Glen and wife Rosie that contained a very welcome amount of $$$. They are so sweet to me and always remember me on my birthday, Mother's Day, and at Christmas with a card and $$$. The card was lovely and expressed very tender sentiments that I appreciate more than I can say.
My first impulse was to apply the money to living expenses; however, I thought "it's my birthday gift and I will splurge on ME!" and I did so. I hied myself to Loew's garden department and splurged indeed. Came home with fertilizer for blooming plants to help the ailing ones recover and set blooms more quickly, some hardware, a lovely cascading hedra helix Ivy Millennium for my kitchen to replace the sad Pothos, and 2 more blooming Geraniums for the living room window. One is covered with numerous blossoms and buds of screaming red. The other sports double blossoms of bright pink. They are beautiful in my window and give me much pleasure.
One small problem. I now have too many plants needing light and insufficient space for all. Some of the hardware I purchased were extra hanging brackets which son Terry will have to mount for me. In the meantime, I stretched a broom handle from one existing bracket to another and hung a basket from there. I moved the little palm tree to the bedroom window to share with the massengea in order that an ailing Hibiscus could take its place in the light. Two Hibicus crowd together on one of the tables but they are good neighbors.
When the ailing ones recover and set blooms, I anticipate a glorious garden of blooms in my double windows.
Go, Me!
My first impulse was to apply the money to living expenses; however, I thought "it's my birthday gift and I will splurge on ME!" and I did so. I hied myself to Loew's garden department and splurged indeed. Came home with fertilizer for blooming plants to help the ailing ones recover and set blooms more quickly, some hardware, a lovely cascading hedra helix Ivy Millennium for my kitchen to replace the sad Pothos, and 2 more blooming Geraniums for the living room window. One is covered with numerous blossoms and buds of screaming red. The other sports double blossoms of bright pink. They are beautiful in my window and give me much pleasure.
One small problem. I now have too many plants needing light and insufficient space for all. Some of the hardware I purchased were extra hanging brackets which son Terry will have to mount for me. In the meantime, I stretched a broom handle from one existing bracket to another and hung a basket from there. I moved the little palm tree to the bedroom window to share with the massengea in order that an ailing Hibiscus could take its place in the light. Two Hibicus crowd together on one of the tables but they are good neighbors.
When the ailing ones recover and set blooms, I anticipate a glorious garden of blooms in my double windows.
Go, Me!
Labels: More blooming plants
