by Jon Tuska
A fascinating work in two ways. The first is that Tuska tells the
intriguing life of the Kid in a clear, readable manner that is
engrossing and yet highly scholarly. The second is that, in the
remaining sections of the book, Tuska contrasts the Kid's image in
books, film and general legend with the historical facts. Much of this
section is a rather tiring litany of bad film plots, but it all comes
together when Tuska talks about the historian's responsibility to sift
the fact from the fiction when discussing legend (and he chastises many
scholars for failing to do this). The biography section was the most
interesting, however.
I learned about the Lincoln County War,
which I'd never heard of before, and that the Kid fought on the side of
those who battled some of the most disgusting political corruption on
record. I came away with a clear picture of the Kid's personality and
even some respect for him, although as Tuska says, he was no saint. (By
the way, Tuska is a genuine scholar: even this book, with its less than rarefied subject matter, had untranslated
Latin passages!)
four stars
Wednesday, June 14, 1995
Friday, May 26, 1995
Mexican And Central American Mythology
by Irene Nicholson
This is perhaps the most well written of the Hamlyn books I've read, and the author comes across as more of an expert than the others. Like the Egyptian one, this book had a thesis geared to dispelling popular misconceptions about the myth at hand: that Mexican theology was not centered around subjugation and the sacrifice of human hearts, but that such things came later with the Aztec conquest; before then, the Nahua and Mayan religions emphasized the self-sacrifice of the humble and the victory of the spiritual over the material or base urges. Unlike the Egyptian book, this one made a good case for the thesis, although Nicholson tends to over-explicate the various symbols in the myths to the point of stretching credibility. Other than its main thrust, the most interesting aspect of the book was its bewildering presentation of the amazingly accurate and complex Maya and Aztec calendar.
three stars
This is perhaps the most well written of the Hamlyn books I've read, and the author comes across as more of an expert than the others. Like the Egyptian one, this book had a thesis geared to dispelling popular misconceptions about the myth at hand: that Mexican theology was not centered around subjugation and the sacrifice of human hearts, but that such things came later with the Aztec conquest; before then, the Nahua and Mayan religions emphasized the self-sacrifice of the humble and the victory of the spiritual over the material or base urges. Unlike the Egyptian book, this one made a good case for the thesis, although Nicholson tends to over-explicate the various symbols in the myths to the point of stretching credibility. Other than its main thrust, the most interesting aspect of the book was its bewildering presentation of the amazingly accurate and complex Maya and Aztec calendar.
three stars
Sunday, May 21, 1995
Blandings Castle
by P.G. Wodehouse
1935
Containing six stories about Lord Elmsworth and his woes, a story with Bobbie Wickham ("Mr. Potter Takes a Rest Cure") and five tales of what really goes on in Hollywood, as told by a Mr. Mulliner to people he knows only by what they drink. The reading matter was very much Wodehouse, and made me laugh aloud several times, although somehow he never quite reaches the brilliance of the Bertie & Jeeves material when he writes about other characters. Tangled plots, young couples that are forbidden each other, young couples who have the all-clear but break up, dominant sisters, etc. I noted that the last story, "The Castaways," stood out as being very odd, much more fantastic than P.G.'s usual tone.
four stars
1935
Containing six stories about Lord Elmsworth and his woes, a story with Bobbie Wickham ("Mr. Potter Takes a Rest Cure") and five tales of what really goes on in Hollywood, as told by a Mr. Mulliner to people he knows only by what they drink. The reading matter was very much Wodehouse, and made me laugh aloud several times, although somehow he never quite reaches the brilliance of the Bertie & Jeeves material when he writes about other characters. Tangled plots, young couples that are forbidden each other, young couples who have the all-clear but break up, dominant sisters, etc. I noted that the last story, "The Castaways," stood out as being very odd, much more fantastic than P.G.'s usual tone.
four stars
Friday, May 19, 1995
In the Field with Teilhard de Chardin
by George Barbour
A book about the priest-archeologist. I was interested in the subject, but I don't feel it's a good book. First of all, Barbour included several letters from Teilhard in their entirety, but without explaining many of the references (such as the details of geological problems he was working on) or questions he had about friends or plans (which were never answered by Barbour in the text, so it was pointless to include them). Since there was rarely a context for his comments, I didn't really get a feel of how Teilhard thought and rarely got a sense of what Teilhard's objectives in the field were.
I enjoyed the anecdotes, such as the meaning of Teilhard's Chinese name, or what he said to someone who had undergone a tragedy and was thinking about becoming Catholic. As self-contained units of information, they really gave insight into Teilhard's world. It was too bad that there wasn't more commentary like the Epilogue on his thought, and the geological jargon certainly should have been explained for the layman.
two stars
A book about the priest-archeologist. I was interested in the subject, but I don't feel it's a good book. First of all, Barbour included several letters from Teilhard in their entirety, but without explaining many of the references (such as the details of geological problems he was working on) or questions he had about friends or plans (which were never answered by Barbour in the text, so it was pointless to include them). Since there was rarely a context for his comments, I didn't really get a feel of how Teilhard thought and rarely got a sense of what Teilhard's objectives in the field were.
I enjoyed the anecdotes, such as the meaning of Teilhard's Chinese name, or what he said to someone who had undergone a tragedy and was thinking about becoming Catholic. As self-contained units of information, they really gave insight into Teilhard's world. It was too bad that there wasn't more commentary like the Epilogue on his thought, and the geological jargon certainly should have been explained for the layman.
two stars
Saturday, May 6, 1995
A Sense Of Detachment
by John Osborne
John Osborne is a writer totally unknown to me. This drama was a very weird, and not very admirable, example of his work. It begins with the characters talking to the audience, Pirandello-like. They have nothing but contempt for the play, the audience, and each other. There are two plants in the audience who help ridicule the cast, and the cast note that the plants are "tired plot devices." The second part takes off: while the Grandmother reads very graphic descriptions of porn films from a brochure, the rest of the characters recite eloquent and dated love poetry. Then the Chap and the Girl, both denying love and falling in love, embrace each other. That's about it. I'm sure the play would be better visually, as there are very specific notes as to what is to be played on the screen behind the players and what music is to be played. It's interesting that the stage notes, in mentioning the audience, say twice "if there are any left." Well, it's a different play, if not that original, which this kind of thing really should be.
two stars
John Osborne is a writer totally unknown to me. This drama was a very weird, and not very admirable, example of his work. It begins with the characters talking to the audience, Pirandello-like. They have nothing but contempt for the play, the audience, and each other. There are two plants in the audience who help ridicule the cast, and the cast note that the plants are "tired plot devices." The second part takes off: while the Grandmother reads very graphic descriptions of porn films from a brochure, the rest of the characters recite eloquent and dated love poetry. Then the Chap and the Girl, both denying love and falling in love, embrace each other. That's about it. I'm sure the play would be better visually, as there are very specific notes as to what is to be played on the screen behind the players and what music is to be played. It's interesting that the stage notes, in mentioning the audience, say twice "if there are any left." Well, it's a different play, if not that original, which this kind of thing really should be.
two stars
Sunday, April 30, 1995
Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You & The Actor's Nightmare
by Christopher Durang
"Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You": I'm hesitant to call it only my second reading, since I was in it at 12 and probably read it dozens of times, but for simplicity's sake I will. Coming back to it after a decade, I see that this is a very brave play, poking fun at the long-standing traditions of some fairly humorless people. It flings homosexuality, abortion and single mothers into the fray, almost as a sidebar to the main controversy, rape and cancer in a world which a good God is supposed to rule. Of course, it is a comedy, and it's very funny too, although much less so after the appearance of Diane and the others. Sister Mary shooting Diane is absurd, but not that comic (the shooting of Gary, on the other hand – "I've sent him to Heaven!" – manages to be funny). This is one of the best black comedies ever, guaranteed to offend: the best kind.
"The Actor's Nightmare": I found a lot more meaning to this play this time than my first reading (and viewing) at age 12. I had thought of it as just a surreal, extremely funny play, which it is, but there's also the fact that George has deep guilt about not going to a monastery, which figures into his torment. In addition to being a send-up of the trappings of the theater and actors' airs, it's a comment on the Catholic Church's use of guilt as a power tool. Mainly, though, it was a great comedy. I laughed out loud reading it.
[Read twice – actually, heard and performed in dozens of times]
"Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You": I'm hesitant to call it only my second reading, since I was in it at 12 and probably read it dozens of times, but for simplicity's sake I will. Coming back to it after a decade, I see that this is a very brave play, poking fun at the long-standing traditions of some fairly humorless people. It flings homosexuality, abortion and single mothers into the fray, almost as a sidebar to the main controversy, rape and cancer in a world which a good God is supposed to rule. Of course, it is a comedy, and it's very funny too, although much less so after the appearance of Diane and the others. Sister Mary shooting Diane is absurd, but not that comic (the shooting of Gary, on the other hand – "I've sent him to Heaven!" – manages to be funny). This is one of the best black comedies ever, guaranteed to offend: the best kind.
"The Actor's Nightmare": I found a lot more meaning to this play this time than my first reading (and viewing) at age 12. I had thought of it as just a surreal, extremely funny play, which it is, but there's also the fact that George has deep guilt about not going to a monastery, which figures into his torment. In addition to being a send-up of the trappings of the theater and actors' airs, it's a comment on the Catholic Church's use of guilt as a power tool. Mainly, though, it was a great comedy. I laughed out loud reading it.
[Read twice – actually, heard and performed in dozens of times]
Saturday, April 29, 1995
Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture
by Carol Padden
This book argues that Deaf people (capitalized in the original to show a community rather than to describe a condition) need to have and create their own culture; no argument here. To illustrate their point, the authors show examples of Deaf folktales, shared Deaf experience in school and in hearing society, and so on. I especially enjoyed the part about translating "Jabberwocky" into ASL.
One new thing I learned was that Deaf people do not live in total silence. Sound, though not in the way hearing people use it with specific meaning, plays a large part in their lives. The stories of Deaf kids roaring through the halls, banging walls and windows just to get a feel for sound and to use it in their games, brought out this point well. This book was a good basic introduction on Deaf culture in America (although my girlfriend had told me a lot of the most basic stuff already, it was still quite interesting).
three stars
This book argues that Deaf people (capitalized in the original to show a community rather than to describe a condition) need to have and create their own culture; no argument here. To illustrate their point, the authors show examples of Deaf folktales, shared Deaf experience in school and in hearing society, and so on. I especially enjoyed the part about translating "Jabberwocky" into ASL.
One new thing I learned was that Deaf people do not live in total silence. Sound, though not in the way hearing people use it with specific meaning, plays a large part in their lives. The stories of Deaf kids roaring through the halls, banging walls and windows just to get a feel for sound and to use it in their games, brought out this point well. This book was a good basic introduction on Deaf culture in America (although my girlfriend had told me a lot of the most basic stuff already, it was still quite interesting).
three stars
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)