SYLVANNOVELUST

FISH STORY

2012-02-16T09:27:00.003-05:00

Watching Japanese movies is an acquired taste, I suppose. Perhaps my willingness to do so and find pleasure in them goes back to my earliest television viewing, of Japanese-language shows when I was in kindergarten while my family was stationed in Hawaii. Nevertheless, I do often enjoy them. The toughest part for Americans I think is that the actors often seem artificial and robotic, the dialogue silly, even sometimes the scenes strangely amateurish. Despite some instances of this, FISH STORY (2009) is an enjoyable film about butterfly effect. It is hard to tell what happens without giving away too much, but if you manage to get through the early portions of the movie in which separate experiences are presented, everything will be tied together nicely. Basically, it is about how a pioneering Japanese punk band without a following produces an unusual song (a year before Sex Pistols came along), written partly through the chain of events explained in the end, that will have an impact in possibly saving the world from an impending crash of a comet. At times the movie has a low-budget feel, but some scenes are well done. I think some of the movie was intended to be a tonguein-cheek satire on doomsday preaching, but really it is about the price some artists pay for forward or unconventional thinking, about how small events can have repercussions. There are some storylines that are not fleshed out, and I think the actresses got short-shift for the most part, but overall I liked the movie.

ONCE (2006)

2012-02-14T21:39:00.003-05:00

Every once in a while a small low-key film, possibly foreign, sneaks into your life and takes your breath away. On this Valentine's Day, another in which I have no significant other, I picked up the Irish movie ONCE (2006), written and directed by John Carney, and was simply blown away, captured by its quiet strength, elegant simplicity, melancholy undertones, and homage to the pain and inspiration that comes from love, especially that of music. A broken-hearted Irish guitar-playing busker (played beautifully by Glen Hansard) finds attaction and inspiration from a single-mom immigrant Czech (also well acted by Marketa Irglova), and they form a quick partnership that sets both on a new path. The music (and I must get this soundtrack) is startlingly beautiful and each song seems to be placed aptly in the best spot. So much of this tale is about how potent and communicative lyrics can be for those who want to hear them. The last movie from this part of the world to affect me the same way was the grand BILLY ELLIOT. Both are about following your dreams, finding love in the arts, and persevering. I can't imagine anyone going away from this movie without liking it.

MARUGE

2012-02-13T23:07:00.004-05:00

Tonight I watched a delightful film based on a true story, from National Geographic, titled THE FIRST GRADER, about an 84-year-old ex-Mau Mau freedom fighter in Kenya who decides he wants to go to school and learn how to read, sparking resistance from the community and politicians, but at the same time inspiring fellow Kenyan adults and children to reach for education. After the government declares universal free education for all, a man who gave his life for freedom, saw his wife and children murdered by the British, and spent at least a dozen years in concentration camps, where he was brutally tortured to force him to renounce his allegiance to the rebellion, Muruge wins the ear and heart of a young, popular primary school teacher, who lets him into her class. Gradually his classmates come to love him, and respect him, and he becomes somewhat of a celebrity; some believe he is being paid off, but that is not the case. Both he and his teacher stubbornly fight for his right to learn. This is a nice movie about the power of reading, the willpower and determination of some to gain knowledge---no matter their age, the residual affects of colonialism and imperialist barbarism, continued tribal conflicts in Africa, and the bravery of many to continue to improve and help their country advance. There are many light-hearted headnods to Obama's eventual presidency (Kenyan roots, and all).

BLACK CIVIL WAR REFUGEES

2012-02-09T22:12:00.004-05:00

Attended an interesting lecture tonight at the University of South Carolina by Duke University professor Thavolia Glymph (who I served as a TA my first year at USC) who forcefully noted the glaring omission of scholarly attention given to the humanitarian disaster heaped upon refugee ex-slaves, especially women and children, during the Civil War, largely from gross negligence and racial (and cultural) blindness to the horrors of life in camps, particularly in the western theater. Many thousands of women and children died from malnutrition, disease, and maltreatment; were caught in the middle of fighting and shot to death or recaptured; were attacked by confederate raiders and slaughtered, while large numbers were often reenslaved. As black men were brought into the army or conscripted for manual labor, their women were often forced to deal with relocation and sought safety for themselves and their children, and they were left vulnerable both to the enemy and deprivations by the Union forces with whom they sought sanctuary. While many at the time criticized refugees who reported on these events as being crazy and untruthful, black freedpersons were well aware of the possibilities of death and reenslavement. Even the abolitionist and black press failed to highlight their plight, preferring instead to concentrate on the exploits of black troops (a trend carried on with movies such as Glory). Hundreds of thoudands of books have concentrated on military aspects of the conflict, and historians have spilled much ink on the plight of slaveholding women, but they have almost totally ignored black refugees, despite a wealth of information in official reports, letters, and other sources that have been openly used by scholars for years. Dr. Glymph, despite experiencing personal tragedy this week, soldiered on and delivered an inspiring talk, that should marshall many graduate students to uncover this and other hidden aspects of African American life during the war and reconstruction. I look forward to reading her book. I would love to be working with her on this subject right now, it sounds like a wonderful dissertation topic. I wonder too if any work has been done on ex-slaves who may have been kidnapped and sold southward to countries that kept the institution beyond emancipation on our shores. It was great to see her and chat, and show off my boys (who actually stayed and listened to the lecture, and were well behaved), and I hope the African American Studies program can continue to bring in noted scholars for their research grants as well as talks to students and the public (not just during this month). It was also nice to actually chat with Professors Donaldson and Littlefield, as well as several graduate students. I was a little surprised there were not a few more history professors in attendance.

DARTH KITTY

2012-02-04T16:02:00.003-05:00

I saw this on LOST AT E MINOR, an arts website, and I really liked it. Hope I don't get tracked down and beaten for posting it here, but it really made me laugh. So creative, people are. Weird, but creative.

A LINE I LIKE

2012-02-02T15:40:00.003-05:00

"They were not the hot, phosphorescent colors of India, but the cool, black-and-white stick drawings of winter trees against winter clouds, white geese flying across a gray mountain range in the snow." Bharati Mukherjee, Desirable Daughters

MAO'S LAST DANCER

2012-01-31T00:39:00.002-05:00

Tonight I watched the very nice movie, Mao's Last Dancer, a biopic about Chinese dancer Li Cunxin (based on his autobiography), who was trained in Communist China and later defected to the United States to dance with the Houston Ballet. Directed by Bruce Beresford, best known for Driving Miss Daisy and Breaker Morant, with screenplay by Jan Sardi, best known for Shine,, the film portrays the difficulty Li faced in achieving his desire to escape the rigid state-controlled Chinese dance in order to study, and then stay, in America, especially in light of the penalties heaped upon his family and the long years of not knowing about their welfare. Despite scenes and acting that reminds one of a Hallmark Classic, the film nonethless touches the heart; I will admit to tearing up several times. One of my favorite scenes is when young Li is given a contraband tape by his soon-to-be-banished teacher (for daring to insist on classical training) of Baryshnikov dancing, and the young Li's face lights up as he watches (and is inspired) as the star performs. The viewer roots for continued success for the dancer. Some of the ballet scenes are beautiful, especially the penultimate Rites of Spring, which I have never seen before. The cast did a credible job, and I love just about anything Joan Chen is in. Although the action officially takes place in Houston, most of the dancers are with Australian companies, and they are very good. Chi Cao, who portrays Li, is an exceptional dancer, and I loved his performce, especially in light of the fact that this apparently was his first tiem on the big screen. I encourage anyone who enjoys dance to see it.

KABEI

2012-01-23T00:26:00.003-05:00

Tonight I watched an excellent Japanese film, Kabei: Our Mother, about a mother of two girls whose scholar husband has been arrested by the militaristic government during the invasion of China, and then follows her efforts to provide for her children while remaining loyal to her man. She makes great sacrifices, and gets some help from a sister and a former student of her husband (who falls in love with her). It is a sad movie about the strength of a mother, undying love, the tough times the Japanese people had to suffer for their expansionist dreams, the perils of blind conformity, as well as the goodness and failing of many people. Based on Teruyo Nogami's memoirs, the film is lovingly presented by director Yoji Yamada. Sayuri Yoshinaga is wonderful in the main role, as are the two young actresses who play her daughters. The movie is a wonderful insight into the attitudes and culture of Tokyo during the war. I recommend it.

MIDNIGHT MASS 2011

2012-01-07T21:33:00.001-05:00

Iranian Music

2011-12-11T01:33:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLotJZoYF74&feature=player_embedded

BALLAD OF NARAYAMA

2011-12-05T10:09:00.003-05:00

Life was pretty rough in remote regions of Japan, especially for women and children, as well as everyone not the head-of-household, and communities often struggled to maintain a balance that threatened to collapse with poor harvests or difficult times. The plight of poor Japanese is well represented in Imamura’s The Ballad of Narayama (1983), an award-winning movie of heartrending insight and beautiful cinematography. Too many mouths to feed can result in infanticide (or a child being sold away, which I understand is still a common practice in places such as Thailand and Cambodia), and the aged (anyone making it to 70) are expected to take a pilgrimage to the sacred mountain where they are exposed to the elements and left to die (sometimes unwillingly). The social structure that privileged heads of household, left the young and female vulnerable, and relegated most everyone to inferior status. Younger brothers could only hope for hard work, deference, and occasional opportunities for happiness (for example, sex). Ballad is primarily about a grandmother, embarrassed by her good fortune in health, who is approaching her own trip to the mountainside (willingly) and is tying up loose ends and preparing a new daughter-in-law for her role as a matriarch. The movie pulls few punches and openly shows the realities of infanticide, patricide, violence, deviant sexuality, hardship, and misogyny. Yet, it also shows the high level of responsibility, sacrifice, cooperation, humor, and order that kept total destruction at bay.
For a foreign viewer or individual not well versed in Japanese culture (such as myself), this movie can be a troubling experience. The punishment of an entire family (being buried alive) for stealing is partially understandable in a society whose existence is so close to the edge, but it was extreme and cruel, especially to the innocent victims (as it seems the actions of one family member is applied to the entire clan). Women have little say in how they are sexually treated. Children, especially girls, are treated little better than calves (an opportunity to make money). The scene where the salt merchant is marching away a small group of children is emotionally heartrending. A widow forced to have sex with the lesser males in the community to atone for the sin of her husband is appalling. The film does show what the domestic life was like, unvarnished.
I am amazed that no one got frostbite in this film. I also thought it interesting that there seemed to be no official (ie, police or local government) presence portrayed. The photography is often beautifully done, though the interspersed nature scenes were roughly cut in, and there seemed to be a special interest in snakes (all seemingly trying to relate that what was going on in the village was just part of the natural order of things). The acting was excellent, especially Sumiko Sakamoto as grandmother Orin.

BROWNBACK SUCKS

2011-11-28T14:08:00.002-05:00

What’s up with Sam Brownback?
(another religious political hack!)
worried about a young girl’s tweet,
because she didn’t find him sweet,
he’s against gays, women, and freedom,
any threat to his misogynist kingdom,
I’m sure that he’s got a lot of fans,
all those damn Kansan Talibans!

ELSIE

2011-11-10T13:02:00.001-05:00

Herewith a picture of the little kitty, which I named Elsie, that we captured near the Greek church. She was so hungry. I think one of the people here is going to take her to his ranch.

CATFISH

2011-11-08T22:27:00.003-05:00

Watched a really amazing documentary called CATFISH, about how a young photographer in New York gets sucked into the elaborate Facebook fantasy of a middle-aged mother who passes herself off as several people, beginning with claiming to be a child prodigy in painting and eventually including a fake world populated by creative, beautiful, young people (one of which becomes the love interest of the photographer). Eventually his brother and a friend start producing a film about their relationship, but things really get interesting once they realize the ruse and start unravelling the real story, which is sad and fascinating in its own right. This woman (clearly slighted warped) gave up her dreams in her youth, and takes care of a large family in rural Michigan, which includes two physically and mentally-retarded boys (that she seems to do well with), as well as her daughter, but she loved her fantasy life and her fantasy romance with the young guy (which allowed her to dabble in the arts and feel special). Amazingly, she allowed the truth and story to be told through the documentary. It is a cautionary tale as well, about taking things onlien at face value.

MJB smile!

2011-11-07T14:35:00.003-05:00

Near the end of Will Ferguson's Happiness, a group of men tracking down an author visit the local library, where one of them asks the librarian if she has read a certain book, whereupon: "I don't read," she said firmly. "Book-reading is for idle minds." Matthew Bruccoli, may he rest in peace, would have smiled widely at that statement, seeing as he often considered many librarians "book-dopes."

THE TROLLER

2011-11-02T11:18:00.002-04:00

I can’t reveal what I really feel
as I troll through Goodreads and Book.
Here’s a nice face, in this social space,
but smart is much better than look.
Not ready for any, and there are so many,
and I enjoy speculating and dream,
that an older bookworm, with a heart warm
will think I’m as nice as I seem.
Seldom reach out, so filled with deep doubt,
To any potential cute reader,
though once in a while, a comment I’ll style,
but I’ll run before I ever meet her.

LYREALISM

2011-11-02T11:13:00.002-04:00

There’s not much music in poetry now,
the poets have taken an austerity vow,
thread-bare lines, no rhythm or rhyme,
con-man words, artistic pantomime?
Lyricists shunned, unless rocking a mike,
It’s not what the Professors like!
Too confused by much now written,
Like abstract art, the critics smitten
by works that display very little skill,
I'd rather view Andrew Wyeth’s hill.

CAMPING ON MURRAY

2011-10-23T17:32:00.003-04:00

Spent the weekend with the boys and scouts camping on property at Lake Murray, practically in the center of the lake on an island owned by the Turbevilles. Although it was a bit chilly and windy on Friday night, with the leaves rattling as if being struck by rain, it was a delightful and enjoyable trip. The boys mostly fished and did a little hiking and such, but they all seemed to have a wonderful time. A few rough patches with them, but when isn't there when you are talking about a diverse group of boys. Chimo did very well, as basically an honorary member of the troop, and hopefully he will be able to work toward his arrow of light (sounds like a video game, no?) despite the pack he joined suddenly discovering it had no other boys his age, and another pack denying him entry (because he didn't attend the school where the pack met). If he could do it, he'd join the older boys in a second and would be off and running. Chimo will be a great scout, I think; when he arrived he was right to it setting up his tent, and although he was shunted off in many of the activities, he found a lot of fun things to do. It will be interesting to see the dynamic once Joey & Chimo are in the troop together. On Friday a racoon ate his late-night dinner next to my tent. No one believed me, and even mocked me; then on Saturday one of the boys saw the racoon. I felt vindicated. You could hear quite a number of birds. I placed my tent away from the rest of the group, right along the edge of the lake, and the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks was wonderful and soothing. The campsite was a bit on an incline, and I often felt as if I were slipping toward a watery doom, but I managed. Mostly I relaxed and chatted with the adults. I also got to read a little bit (Ishiguro) and even fished a while with the boys a while. No one was particularly successful with the fish, though we did observe turles. I instructed one boy on how to use a rapala lure, and I managed to do some cooking instruction with two of the boys. And I even whipped up a nice sauteed medley of vegetables for the dinner (the food was very good). I hope the others liked it. Joey and others who will likely be attending the upcoming jamboree did some sort of planning. We made a quick visit to a really well-done Halloween display at a nearby mansion. I hurt a little in the hip, but felt pretty well overall, despite sleeping outside. I was pretty cozy on Saturday night, thanks to the gift of an additional blanket.

CHIMO'S VIEW

2011-10-05T16:02:00.004-04:00

I came across this drawing by Chimo in my desk, that I am sure is about two or so years old, having been done when he was mid-third grade I am guessing. In it he draws his family, but note the clear separation between Mom and the three guys. He draws himself between his older brother and me (why he gave me a tie and no glasses, I am not sure). Next to his mom he places "Mad man" (Chris Rossi), looking every bit evil with the huge single eye, creepy grin, and wispy ponytail. And his mom, wearing a dress (she seldom did) is looking at him with tears in her eyes. And note too how carefully he draws a line between his mom and madman, writing in the corner that this is the "sukee side". (sucky side?)

WHO SHOULD LEAD?

2011-09-22T13:38:00.002-04:00

John McWhorter has it right when he writes: "The present-day Republican establishment, with its know-nothing ideology and blithe absence of concern for most American human beings, has become tragically similar to the famously inert, heartless Senate of the Gilded Age, which for decades killed almost all progressive legislation even when it had been carefully hammered out in the House." Do we really need another Republican leader of the Hoover mentality (which of course was after the GA)? I cannot abide for the anti-education, anti-regular folk, anti-freedom crowd that wants to push America back into some 1950s mentality.

AFGHAN STAR

2011-09-22T13:16:00.002-04:00

Just watched a nice documentary, Afghan Star, about a television music-contest show akin to American Idol, designed to reintroduce popular music to Afghanistanis after their long dark ages under Taliban rule. It basically follows the attempt by four young singers to capture the hearts (and cell phone votes) of enough of their countrymen to garner nationwide fame and a sizable chunk of cash (no telling how valuable $5000 would be to them). The production is one step above amateurish and the quality of performances not what I am used to, but the singers all garner fervent support (often based along ethnic lines), and the show is a hit throughout the country and with just about everyone except religious fundamentalists. I must say that a few performers, especially the young woman who danced on stage during her farewell performance and incensed just about everyone, were extremely brave in challenging the restrictions they have encounter in recent times. Heck, even the fans who clamored for seats at the live performance struck me as brave, considering the possibility of terrorist attack. The documentary does remind viewers about the cultural blind spots in Afghanistan, but also reveals a diversity of viewpoints and a hope that the country can eventually, perhaps, join the rest of the world in enjoyment of the arts. I was shocked by just how dirty many people appeared. And I was surprised and delighted by the beauty of some of the buildings, especially the mosques, and how they stood out from the mud-colored towns and neighborhoods.

OAK

2011-09-09T09:25:00.000-04:00

What I miss at this old age
is sitting high like some tree sage
in a stately southern oak
not thinking of being rich or broke.

DAD

2011-09-02T14:56:00.001-04:00

Dad sitting in our kitchen on Keystone; must have been late, cause Mom looks like she is about ready to hit the hay. I think this picture was taken after the wedding of my sister Beth, so they may have been pooped from all the activities of the day.

Dad, with my brother Paul (who is about fifteen in this pic) goofing behind him.

GRANDDAD

2011-09-02T14:47:00.001-04:00

My paternal grandfather Francis "Frank" Tidd. He was visiting the house on Keystone, probably around 1982 or so. He was professional caliber athlete (in tennis and golf) as a young man, and I believe he was a scratch golfer most of his life. WWII intervened and he trained for the D-Day invasion, but was pulled at the last moment to serve as an artillery instructor (much to his everlasting chagrin). For most of his working career, he was a Cadillac salesman in New Jersey, then retired with my grandmother to Clermont, Florida. He was a scary fellow---stern, taciturn---but I spent a few weeks with him not long before he died, and I liked him very much.

TIDD SCOUTS

2011-09-02T14:39:00.005-04:00

At my Eagle presentation, by HCSD Sergeant Beausoleil, Bill Athey, and myself. I had just turned 15 here.

Paul, Dad and I at Paul's Eagle ceremony, the picture taken outside at Brorein Scout Camp.

TIDD KIDS

2011-09-02T11:46:00.002-04:00

(l to r) James Francis Tidd Jr. (me); Barbara Morley Tidd (Martin); Elizabeth "Beth" Ann Tidd (Peterson); Paul Brook Tidd. Picture from around late 1965 or early 66. Probably taken in Hawaii, although more likely when we got back to Charleston.

DAD

2011-09-02T11:42:00.001-04:00

My Dad holding me at about age one (1961), probably in Connecticut or New Jersey, possibly on the way back from (or to) his sub training.

MOM & DAD

2011-09-02T11:39:00.003-04:00

Herewith a couple of pics of my parents, both from early 1980s:

LIFE IN LETTERS?

2011-09-01T09:43:00.002-04:00

One-year-old me embarking on a life of letters and editing?

FOOTBALL, OLD STYLE

2011-09-01T09:38:00.002-04:00

Here he is, in his second season (although first was a washout because we moved days before the start of the first game). #50, third-string center and backup defensive lineman, for Citrus Park Yellowjackets. Can you believe the blonde hair? This was in 1972.

UM

2011-08-18T16:57:00.002-04:00

Despite the assertions that the NCAA cannot hand out the Death Penalty to the University of Miami, I certainly hope that it does in response to the revelations of widespread rule breaking by the players, coaches, and administrators. I think a message needs to be set, and it needs to hurt pockets. Although many are guilty, UM is and has been blatant in its bad behavior for decades. Forget that it is Miami. Sadly, many of the players are already millionaires in the pros and cannot be touched, but I hope their reputations at least take a hit. I am tried of hearing about the need for players to be paid. . .the good ones get their paydays, and the lesser ones get their educations, free. Doing what they would be doing anyway. If money is a problem, they need to develop a minor league football arrangement akin to that in baseball and basketball, and let the players who want an education continue to play in college. Yes, I know. . .the schools make millions. But it will get far worse if players start getting paid.

NOTED

2011-08-01T10:41:00.002-04:00

This quote from conservative commentator David Frum: "The United States provides less assistance to the unemployed and the poor than almost any other democracy. It spends 60% more per person on health care than almost any other democracy -- and gets worse results. The problem is not that Americans use too much medicine. People in other countries use more. The problem is that Americans pay too much for the medicine they use. Go where the money is, cut where the waste is grossest."

In addition to that, I might add that we let the energy companies take far too much of a profit off resources everyone in the country owns. If you skimmed just a few billion off the top of the company profits, they would not be hurting (really) and it might help balance the budget.

DANCERS IN LIFE

2011-07-27T10:14:00.000-04:00

A great collection of photographs of dancers in everyday places, well done and interesting, beautiful, often sexy. Really nice.

http://www.jordanmatter.com/photography/dance-photography/dancers-among-us.php#

Obama Commentary I liked

2011-07-25T15:16:00.002-04:00

Darn good commentary by a CNN analyst, I though.

"Even though some Republicans have attempted to paint the president as a left-wing radical who is intent on bringing socialism to American shores, the reality is that Obama is very much a product of the 1980s and '90s era of liberalism, when numerous Democrats shifted to the center in an effort to stay relevant.

On economic policies, Obama has continually surrounded himself with moderate, market-oriented liberals such as Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner. The president has continued President George W. Bush's policies that shored up Wall Street following the financial meltdown of 2008.

Notwithstanding Republican rhetoric, his health care plan, which resembled then-Gov. Mitt Romney's program in Massachusetts, was far less government-centered than what previous Democrats had proposed. Indeed, in almost every area of domestic policy, Obama has stuck close to the center of the Democratic Party.

The problem for Democrats is that Republicans have been far more successful at playing the message wars. They have successfully depicted Obama, regardless of what he does or says, as far left."

Julian E. Zelizer, "Is Obama seizing the political center?", CNN.com, 25 July 2011.

thoughts

2011-07-20T10:01:00.003-04:00

In a quip attributed to Alaskan politician Andrew Halco, he said of Sarah Palin, "she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality." I wonder if Michelle Bachman took the same classes?

And while I am on it, as the corruption and blatant lying unravels Murdock's empire in England---because who can truly believe that he and his son were unaware of payouts and improper investigative tools, such as phone hacking, and that he didn't know about large sums of money paid to victims of his newspapers, or the considerable amounts that must have been paid to lawyers defending his assets---why is it that Americans condone the purchase of media outlets in the United States by foreign interests? If Americans want to read the opinions of the foreign press, they should purchase those papers and magazines; foreigners should not have the ability to financially (and ideologically)influence American reportage. Although I don't see it happening, nothing would make me happier than to see FOX crumble, or at least get a black eye and greater scrutiny for its "reportage," ahhheeemmm, I mean "editorializing" and "propagandizing."

GAMECOCKS

2011-06-29T00:16:00.002-04:00

I love my Gamecocks. How sweet it sounds to hear back-to-back national champs. Thank you Coach Tanner. Wingo deserved that MVP. Roth. . .he can forever say he was the winning pitcher in two USC championship games. Everyone contributed. A gritty, scrappy team. . .the personification of a fighting bantam!

Clinton and scandal

2011-06-13T13:49:00.001-04:00

"I for one am deeply glad that Bill Clinton did not resign; he was one of the best presidents of my lifetime and left the country in far better shape than he found it. His wife and daughter chose to forgive him and to preserve their family, which is their business, not ours. He also breached the public trust by lying, but in my view not to an extent that it affected his ability to govern successfully." (Anne-Marie Slaughter)

My sentiment, but just said a lot better than I could have done.

THWARTED

2011-06-08T09:30:00.003-04:00

They say that it’s smart and ultimately wise,
for many passwords a person to devise,
to protect access and block meddling hands,
stopping those e-thieves and other brigands.
So I make up code words, a vast array,
I must use one hundred during the day,
mostly at work and definitely home,
and with the laptop wherever I roam.
I use variations from all seven children,
brothers and sisters, nicknames and given,
combinations of numerals important to me,
one that included a grand forty-three.
In the gamerooms I’m studlymanone,
Though used awesomelovr for a short run.
Employed every pet name I’ve ever had,
Buttons, and Curly, and Slobberdogbad.
Some are so secret, I can’t tell you here,
and I change them, three times a year,
So now I’m safe and online protected,
any intrusion quickly detected,
But now I’m stalled like a morning commuter,
forgot the code to unlock my computer!

SWAMPLANDIA!

2011-05-23T23:36:00.003-04:00

How many times, while growing up in Florida, did lurid billboards hawking amazing spectacles awaiting at dozens of entertainment venues---ranging from alligator farms and mermaid grottoes of my younger self to strip-clubs with stunning beauties grinning down at my teenaged self---fall far short of supplying what had been promised? SWAMPLANDIA! beckoned in a similar fashion, glowing reviews garnering my interest, only to let me down like so many a tourist trap. Yes, there was entertainment to be had and not all was squandered, but I still felt like a country bumpkin when I put down the book, mildly amused and cheekishly embarrassed that I actually had a little fun. Now, don't get me wrong, I think the book was an interesting read, and despite the increasingly unsettling feeling I got as one trusting protagonist hooked up with a certain lowlife character and she wouldn't listen to my warnings to wise up and escape the quicksand she was headed into, I enjoyed much of the novel and cared about the travails of the Bigtree siblings---all dealing with the dislocating and damaging experience of having their world (cocoon really) torn asunder under the combined onslaught of losing their mother to cancer, their business (an alligator-wrestling emporium) to competition, their father to grief and depression, their grandfather to senility, as they all react in somewhat self-destructive manners. Without giving too much away, the two girls both seemed to slip into fantasy, making them easy prey to inner and outer demons, while the boy---intelligent and striving---chooses a different, but no less immature, path. In some ways, this mishmash of a novel was like reading a first attempt by some unnatural offspring of an unholy union of Neil Gaiman and Dorothy Allison, with a touch of George Saunders thrown in for good measure. I can only conclude that Russell was tapping into the situational depression the children were undergoing. Still there was so much promised: a compelling ghost story, a heroic odyssey, a humorous critique of religious entertainment. But the three story-lines never really pan out, and one feels somewhat duped. Russell's writing is often beautiful and quirky, but also a little too, well, MFAish, and the switching back-and-forth in narrative was jarring at times. This would have been a far better book, I feel, if she had written it in the manner of Louise Erdrich, taking up each story on its own from the perspective of the protagonist, and letting their stories interweave yet stand alone. Russell seems to want to thread three short stories into a novelistic narration, and it didn't work for me. And, I doubt the hardcore advocates of homeschooling will be putting this one on their children's to-read list. Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, in the end I liked the book, and will let the gaudy come-ons calling readers to this young writer's first offering continue to deceive, because in the end the trip to Swamplandia is still worth the price of admission.

ARNOLD

2011-05-23T16:19:00.002-04:00

I think about Arnold, and how he won the governorship, and was touted as a presidential candidate if only he had been born in American, blah, blah, blah. . .and I remember all the stories of his mistreatment of women and the conservative blowhards on t.v. screaming bloody murder that the liberals were just out to get another conservative. . .and I think to myself, here's another example of liberals who backed down (and common folk who buy into the FOX mentality) and not fighting for what they know is right because we are cowed by the Right. Of course, that is not true for all, because many liberals step up and confront conservative wackos---who are living in some kind of fantasy land of racist, class-based, fundamentalist, tea-lovin' looniness---but it isn't enough. We have to make sure that this country reflects the needs of all its citizens, the entire diversity of its population, the needs of the little guy. Maybe Maria will spill some juicy insider information that sinks a few of the Republican frontrunners, and marginalize some of the kooks. Have you seen how the Republican candidates and potential candidates sidestep questions (evolution, taxes, etc.) that might bother the pitch-fork, shotgun toting, anti-education crackers (especially here in SC)? Any of them who has even strayed into a moderate position has already been pilloried. Makes you want to pull out a bat. . .OK, now let me be careful stepping off my soapbox. I feel better now.

OBAMA

2011-05-10T00:15:00.001-04:00

Some nice photos and commentary on Obama that I felt I had to share with my friends. This blogger did an awesome job. http://livinginamorica.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-things.html

BARAN

2011-05-09T23:40:00.004-04:00

Watched tonight the Majid Majidi's movie about a young Iranian man (apparently Kurdish) who is a bit lazy and angry, who suddenly finds himself replaced from his somewhat cushy job as tea boy/messman by a younger Afghan boy who is more efficient and better liked by the construction crew to which he is attached. But he discovers it is a ruse, and the young boy is actually a girl, who is breaking cultural conventions to hide her identity and work alongside men in order to bring much-needed cash home. The Iranian boy matures as he keeps her identity hidden and falls in love, but this is no typical romance. It is also a commentary on the use of illegal labor (Afghans who had fled the Taliban in their homeland for a better opportunity), which mirrors that of illegal workers here, and provides insights into the boss/worker relationship in Iran. Much of the photography is gritty and gloomy, and one is surprised by the manual labor undertaken on the project, especially in modern times (the film was made in the late 1990s). One of the most poignant scenes is when he comes face-to-face with her, and they look into each other's eyes, and then she drops the chador over her head.The actors are very good. I really enjoyed it.

I wonder what happened to Zahra Bahrami (who plays the young girl). She is not listed as having acted in another movie. A woman with the same name, however, was executed this year in Iran for drug smuggling (although most people believe it was because of her support of reform). I hope they are not the same, though that does not diminish the tragedy of the woman's death.

Walter Inglis Anderson

2011-05-08T19:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I took the boys to the McKissik Museum on the campus of the University of South Carolina and luckily walked into the last day of an exhibition devoted to the Southern painter Walter Inglis Anderson. And I do mean lucky. Largely self taught, and mentally ill, he had a special bond with nature that required increasing amounts of isolation on his part, from his family and the world, and from this exile of a sorts he produced startling beautiful watercolors. Early in his career he provided artwork for his brother's ceramics, lovely designs. He was heavily influenced by ancient art, but his really amazing creations, I think, were his small watercolors, produced apparently in the thousands while he walked about an island off the coast of Mississippi (I think). Some of his frescoes survive. I kept looking at his paitings and thinking that they easily could be ceramic tiles reproduced for the fanciest restaurants and homes. Maybe the family will one day let them be produced in such a manner, because they are really special.

In addition to Anderson's work, there was a really wonderful exhibition in the opposing hall that featured molas from the San Blas islands. Odd that both art works presented at this time would be island-related. These colorful sewn creations were originally used as the bodice panels on the women's dresses (or like a blouse work above a skirt), but they morphed into an industry aimed at gaining money from the tourist trade. I collect molas too, and I was stunned by the collection. I encourage people in Columbia to take a break and check them out.

NO TIME FOR THIS

2011-04-20T13:06:00.001-04:00

I still look through young man’s, eyes though skin and bones are aging,
My mind’s eye disagrees with it, despite what mirrors are displaying.
How could I have these coltish thoughts, I should be out there playing,
Some say it’s time to pack it in, and spend more time with praying.
This cannot be, I shall not let, this existence be simply delaying,
the inevitable, the lonely slide, death’s scythe in tense belaying.
so off I go to enjoy some romp, though hair is quickly graying,
I’d rather spend my time in sowing than on the winter haying.

IF A DOG BARKS IN IRAN, CAN ANYONE HEAR IT?

2011-04-19T10:00:00.003-04:00

I saw today that Iran is proposing to outlaw the ownership of dogs. As they mull this measure, I can envision the squads of basij dogcatchers roaming through the suburbs in search of muslim mongrels. Apparently not only are clerical authorities concerned about the threat pets pose to the faith, but the keeping of dogs (and cats, I understand) is apparently deemed too Western for their tastes. No doubt there is a class element at work here as well (as wealthy Iranians supposedly took up the ownership of lap dogs). I can almost see in my mind the cartoons forming in the minds of political pundits and critics of this oppressive regime!! Immediately I envisioned a possible cartoon of an Iranian woman wearing a burkha walking down the street, with a little dog (also wearing a beaded veil) tucked under her arm, and a basij confronts her, and the caption reads: "But Brother, this is not a dog. . . " In America, next to even considering restricting any aspect of gun ownership, people would simply be apoplectic if someone proposed taking away our pups. People would rebel, they would fight. I wonder if this measure is also aimed at those who are not Muslim (will they be allowed to own dogs), or if this is another way to isolate the few that still live there. I don't quibble with someone of faith choosing not to own a dog, but to impose the restriction on everyone is exactly why I quibble with governments control by religious zealots. As long as one is not imposing on one's neighbor (say, their dog barked all night or deposited gifts in their yard), they should be left alone. I don't believe ownership of dogs is that widespread in Iran, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are 500,000 to 1,000,000, so will there be a terrible slaughter of animal innocents. Maybe a grandfather clause can be established that would allow dogs to live out their natural lives (yeah, can't see that happening, cause it would just give malcontents the opportunity to thumb their noses at the clerics). Personally, I think Allah will be bit irritated, as he stretches down and scratches the heads of his greyhounds.

SCOUTING WITH THE TIDDS

2011-04-14T21:20:00.002-04:00

NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS

2011-04-08T16:33:00.002-04:00

It is no wonder that Bahman Ghobadi’s award-winning (Cannes) and beautiful homage to the underground music scene in Tehran, No One Knows About Persian Cats, was banned from Iranian movie screens. If I were a fundamentalist cleric there, I too would fear the message this wonderful story about two young Iranians seeking to gather a band (Take It Easy Hospital) and obtain visas to play a concert in Europe (if not completely escape the oppression against the arts, and generally live a freer life). Ghobadi lovingly and humorously pokes fun at the truly terrible (and often frightening) realities of police and basij suppression of expression and freedom in Iran. Two scenes stand out: when Nader, the somewhat shifty, unreliable, yet enthusiatic music-lover and “fixer” who wants to be the manager of the group (played well by Hamed Behdad), is grilled by an official censor after thousands of dvds (and some alcohol) are confiscated from his apartment, and he humorously (and successfully) defends his case; and when the two protagonists, played by real-life artists Negar Shaghaghi and Ashkan Koshanejad, are stopped in their car because local thugs want to check the cleanliness of their pet dog (her yelp as the dog is dragged through the window was unnerving and totally convincing). Using a small crew and modern technology, Ghobadi followed the intrepid pair of aspiring musicians as they seek additions to their band. Their aspiring manager takes them to many secret locations—ranging from soundproofed cellars to ramshackle additions on rooftops, dairy barns to open fields—and in the process the viewer is introduced to a startling diversity of musical genres and sounds in the process (jazz, indie rock, heavy metal, traditional, even rap). I will try to buy the soundtrack cd, that's how impressed I was. I was stunned and pleased with the quality and variety of the music (perhaps I should have been embarrassed as well to not have expected there to be so many divergent voices). Since I am not an authority on Iranian music, I suspect some of these performers had some sanctions against them within Iran (and I wouldn't be surprised if many have alreeady fled); their appearances in the film must have come at a high level of bravery and danger to themselves. Another strong scene is when the pair is frustrated when they seek illegal assistance from a Mafia-looking pair who promise to provide them with fake official papers. What shines through most in this movie is the recognition that the urge to create (and this extends to the whole spectrum of artistic endeavors) cannot be contained by thugs in the end. What was also surprising, though, was the almost good natured way that victims of oppression accepted the challenges of playing their music and laughed in the face or danger. Thank God/Allah for rebellion. Thanks as well to brave movie makers and musicians who provided and entertaining, critical movie. I enthusiastically encourage people to check out this movie.

A TIME FOR DRUNKEN HORSES

2011-04-02T00:13:00.002-04:00

Life was tough for Kurds living along the border between Iran and Iraq, especially during the war, as many men turn to smuggling from Iran into Iraq to make money. Humping supplies over snow-covered mountains on their backs or via mule, the smugglers had to avoid robbers, border patrols, and land mines in addition to dangerous terrain and dishonest brokers, as well as the side effects of giving the mules too much alcohol. The Iranian movie A Time for Drunken Horses follows the efforts of a group of orphaned children (the eldest girl about 15, the eldest boy 12) as they struggle to make money and try to save their crippled brother who desperately needs an operation in Iraq. It is a remarkable film, that reveals a different corner of the world and tells a compelling story. What is heartbreaking is the level of work expected of the kids, who often forgo education to pitch in; the jobs are tough and poorly paid, such as carrying loads. Despite the difficulties faced by this family, they sacrifice almost everything to save their brother, against incredible prognoses, and also a deep sense of love and family shines through. I encourage film lovers to give this movie a try.

Why?

2011-04-01T00:23:00.002-04:00

There is something seriously wrong with me, and there has been for a long time. My son, he can't handle transitions; me, I am deeply affected by endings. When I graduated from high school, I was damn near sick. Happy, but unable to handle the emotion of walking away from my comfortable world. Same thing when I leave a job. Down to just thinking about it at night (in which case I will not be able to sleep for several hours), to finishing of a television series I enjoyed: MASH,FIREFLY, ANGEL, BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA. Doesn't matter. If I invest some level of interest into the characters or storyline, I will suffer when it comes to an end. And so it is tonight, as I finish the finale episodes of DOLLHOUSE. I really enjoyed this Whedon series (which ones haven't I?). The second season was far superior to the first, and I loved the tender parts best. . .how Victor and Sierra kept loving and refinding each other no matter what. I loved the development of Topher. I am going to miss this ensemble, ever bit as much as I missed the FIREFLY/SERENITY crew (many of whom were in both shows). I'll just have to find some other show to give me that melancholy.

WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

2011-03-22T09:24:00.002-04:00

I have been musing a bit about the documentary WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, a downer of a film about problems in American education. Although there was much to like, it came off as a propaganda piece for charter schools (some of which are doing amazing things) and an attack on teacher unions. You fall in love with the kids who are striving to get into programs with limited enrollments and are crushed alongside them as their bids in the lotteries fall short (I've been there). Isn't it sad that our children have to rely on luck to get seats in good programs? (I purposely moved into a district with the best possible elementary school and high school for my boys). But a little part of you says that these kids are going to make it, no matter. They have the drive. And there is genuine criticism, accurately leveled, against the "failure factories." I've seen it, been subjected to it in my own education. I think my high school lost more than half of the kids who came in with me in the tenth grade. I had teachers who literally ignored me (because I did well), often to try and help students who need more attention. In senior-year English, for instance, I spent most of my time tutoring students who were years behind me, while I was denied entrance into an AP English class (for what reason, I still do not know), back when there were few AP classes. But I also know this film is biased. Many charter schools simply do not measure up to their promises. Many private schools are attempts by parents to keep their kids away from minorities. The filmmakers do not focus on children who are doomed by factors outside the classroom, and who are probably given more chances and opportunities by teachers than any other individuals in their lives. And I support unions, at least in their position of being an advocate for teachers and a protector against arbitrary decisions by political or bureaucratic overseers---who frankly have agendas that are not always to the benefit of children. I think unions would better serve their membership, however, if they took a reformed approach toward getting rid of poor teachers. I think union representation should be there to prevent unfair firings or dismissals, especially politically motivated ones, but unions would be a stronger force for good if they supported and implemented a system that better evaluated member-teachers and either removed or rehabilitated bad or lazy ones. That there are "holding tanks" of teachers who sit on their butts at full pay for multiple years is a crime (as well as is the system of shuttling poor teachers frm school to school). They should be utilized during their appeals as hall monitors, tutors---heck, even as janitors, if needed. Clerks, front-office people. . .something. But states and countries with strong unions also have the better school records, and comparing the American way against countries that have cradle-to-grave social systems (such as Japan, Finland, and China, with thier mandatory child-care, health, and food programs) is dishonest. We Americans don't have the conformist mentality of the asian students nor the nurturing socialistic attitude of the Europeans. We have to find a middle ground. And yes, money matters. Smaller classes, better assessment, structured learning, and other things are needed. I think that if all kids were forced to go to school together, meaning NO private education, the wealthy and influential would damn well make sure the whole system worked better. Teachers deserve good pay and better support, but have to consider their role as more than just getting a check (and I think most teachers want to save the world and do their best to do so).

JAPAN

2011-03-18T16:26:00.002-04:00

It is hard to watch the reports and video from the earthquake and devastating tsunami that crashed upon the north-eastern part of the Japanese islands, a crushing wall of mud, sea, and debris that swept nearly everything in front of it, as deep as six miles into the interior, right through numerous cities, towns, and farmland. How fragile we truly are. One haunting video was shot by an American who luckily drove through a doomed city and reached safety, but the images of townsfolk stepping out of their businesses and homes and looking off toward the sound that must have been the wave, when you know they have little hope in a very short time, really affected me. The sight of a stunned woman sitting with a towering pile of rubble behind her was heart-rending. I can't even think about all the people---especially children---suddenly engulfed in the tide. Surely, there are hundreds of heroic stories, many which will never be known, of individuals who sacrificed to save others. I am humbled by the capacity of the Japanese to absorb such a tragedy and yet remain calm and helpful. One knows that would not be the case here, for the most part. Of course, we have many selfless and heroic people who would step up in commendable ways, but I doubt it would be as impressive and universal as what I have seen from the Japanese. It is daunting to think about the effort it will take to clear that mess, to find the bodies, to locate the missing (hopefully to be reuntied alive, and if not, given proper final rites). Thankfully, all of the families of those friends of mine from Japan seem to have escaped. Now, if the authorities can just stop the meltdown.

RANGO

2011-03-06T20:42:00.004-05:00

Caught Rango with the boys this evening, and I really enjoyed it. Amazing animation. Good humor. I kept thinking, however, that the lead role would have gone to Don Knotts, had he been alive. Although Johnny Depp is a wonderful actor, his voice really isn't all that distinctive in this, something one really needs to stand out in the voice-actor field. No doubt the producers were interested in using his name recognition to put fannies in the seats, but he didn't really stand out, say, like Bill Nighy as Jake the Snake or Ned Beatty as the Mayor. The movie is a nice, humorous send up of the traditional Western, and it was a nice twist to have a Clint Eastwood character as the Spirit of the West. I would have to give this film a good rating.

Nice Line

2011-02-23T13:13:00.002-05:00

Harry Monroe, while talking to his prospective love, Catherine Wrag, in Barry Hannah's GERONIMO REX, says to her: "I'd be a boll of cotton if they made me into your dress." NICE!

IRAN

2011-02-22T13:27:00.000-05:00

Translate this, with beautiful smile,
emerald scarf tied in Iranian style,
chanting crowds in streets transgress,
yearn as well for freedom to express,
an inner truth, some future visions
no political martyrs in filthy prisons,
someday clerical grip will come loose,
corrupt will hang from tightened noose.

Poinsett

2011-02-21T13:19:00.005-05:00

Camped this weekend at Poinsett State Park, just outside of Sumter, South Carolina, closest to the town of Wedgefield and abutting the bombing range for aircraft from Sumter Air Force base. It is a charming place, with pines, oak, and laurel full of draped Spanish moss. Wide trails bend through the piney woods from the camping areas to the office alongside a small pond and mill race. A deceptive hill borders the pond. Built by Civilian Conservation Corp workers during the Great Depression, the park features much of the same architecture and design found in similar state parks, including Columbia's Sesqui. As has been my experience in South Carolina, the place was remarkably well-kept. South Carolina really should be proud of their parks. The group camping area, where I stayed with members of my son's troop, featured new, though spartan, bathrooms (a significant improvement according to scouts who had been there before). Apparently the place features horseback riding, though I neither saw nor heard any horses, as well as fishing, boating, and hiking. No swimming appeared to be allowed. Some of the shelters had well-mown and large grassy areas, though this weekend I saw none of the usual family gatherings one sees in the state parks. We hiked (and policed) two trails. I was surprised by how clean the Coquina route was, a short mile and a half route over a 100 foot or so hill that is rather appealing. We also hiked the Scout trail from which the boys trimmed out overhanging bushes and blockages along the wide path that meanders about two fairly flat miles. (So we hiked about 5.5 miles total). Although I lagged I managed to keep up a steady pace and finished not too badly behind the younger set. The park isn't as exciting as some in the state, but it is quiet and pleasant. The scouts did two other services while there: levelling two ash pits and performing flag-retirement ceremonies. The days were very comfortable, thought the nights were a bit colder than expected. I learned a few lessons, that will definitely be applied in future camping trips. I also learned that I cannot share a tent with my youngest: how someone that small can migrate his body back and forth simple amazed me, and that didn't even come close to the surprising range and diversity of sounds emitting from him in his sleep. He ended up being exile to the (albeit warmer) cab of our truck. My older son seemd to have weathered the cold night in comfort in his own tent amongst his compatriots. The food was good, the company enjoyable, the nature invigorating, and I also enjoyed a measure of peace. Looking forward to our next outing to Congaree National Swamp.

ALLOWED?

2011-02-07T14:33:00.003-05:00

Am I allowed, to fall in love?
To unshackle limbo-trapped spirit,
caught in convulsing confusion,
wrapped in responsibility and regret,
no time for individualism or peace,
or a hand held tight on a beach.

GO-GO GIRLS OF THE APOCALYPSE

2011-02-07T14:01:00.001-05:00

Road Warrior meets the Odyssey, with a hero a bit like wise-cracking, irreverent Harry of the Dredsen Files. Some may complain about sexism and violence, and we are not talking great literature here, but if you enjoy postapocalyptic fiction, then I suspect this book may be for you. There are glaring leaps in the storyline, and not a bit of implausibility, but overall it is a page-turning thrill that will satisfy anyone who likes shows such as The Walking Dead. Mortimer Tate ran away from divorce and fortuitously squirreled away supplies in a cave home that protected and isolated him during the destruction of the known world, only to emerge to see what calamity had wrought; a stash of booze and other items allows him entree into a privileged strata in the new reality. Along with two faithful companions (a gunslinging cowboy and tough young lady), he goes on a quest to find his ex-wife. The world is slowly knitting itself together against vicious, brutal overlords and cannibalistic tribes; the emerging society loosely forming around a string of go-go bars (somewhat like western brothels) that provide a sense of the familiar as well as an economic engine that encourages economic industriousness and community building. There are plenty of colorful characters, daring escapes, rough scenes, humorous banter, and even a little sex. One can only wonder why there hasn’t been a graphic novel and screen adaptations, although the book isn’t that old.

BALAT

2011-02-07T12:53:00.001-05:00

The struggle between traditional ways in the historical rice terraces of the Philippines and modernization, as represented by the desire for a new pair of shoes, as well as the generational conflict of a youth trying to find his way in the world, is the focus of the nice little movie Balat. A young man—loving brother, dutiful son, and generous friend—from a poor rice-farming family covets some footwear while dreaming of opportunities of the city, which has been robbing the village of its young and talented. Industrious and clever, every time he earns a little extra cash doing odd jobs ranging from porter to tourist guide, he ends up forking over his earnings for much needed rice or other domestic needs, especially while the father is off helping his grandfather repair his terraces. He discovers however that boots do not always solve all problems and that family and old ways are sometimes better. The film is somewhat slow (lots of walking scenes) and obvious, but the scenery is beautiful and the glimpses into local culture are interesting. The movie touches on the love of the land, traditional methods and religion, family relationships.

SORCERY AFOOT

2011-02-03T00:55:00.003-05:00

Although he apparently was not involved in the making of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, it seems to me that the writers channeled Jim Butcher (Dresden Files series) as they were constructing their movie. Of course, the timeline is much accelerated to fit the constraints of filmmaking, but in the end I thought this Disney film was an enjoyable romp. I fully expect there will be a second. After a millenium of searching for the Prime Merlenium, the only wizard capable of defeating the evil Morgana (fans of The Magical Treehouse series need to avoid this movie), one of the three original apprentices to Merlin finds a candidate for the role in the guise of a young New York City boy, and after a accidental interlude of ten years, tries to mold and develop him into a sorcerer able to challenge the evil sorceress. Dave, played well by Jay Baruchel, a geeky physics student, has love issues, though. Nicholas Cage is very good as Harry Dr. . .I mean Balthazar. There is a nice homage to the famous Mickey scene in Fantasia. The special effects are constrained and not over the top, which is nice, and the humor is good. It would be really awesome if they could find a way to keep Monica Belucci on the screen longer, should there be a next time. I will let my boys see it; I think Joey (who likes fantasy) will really enjoy it.

BOOTLEG FILM

2011-01-26T11:15:00.003-05:00

Masahiro Kobayashi's Bootleg Film (1999) is an interesting, if not completely satisfying, movie about two old friends (one an older yakuza gangster, the other a former policeman) who are travelling by car to attend the funeral of a woman (the gents' lover and wife, respectively). In many ways a cheap fascimile of Tarantino films (which the director repeatedly makes homage to, as well as several other famous American movies), the almost slapstick, bumbling pair argue almost incessantly about the woman and her true affections. Complicating matters further is the prescence of the yakuza's brother (murdered by his older sibling) in the trunk, and the discovery of this fact by a hapless couple that arrive at a rest stop at the same time as the protagonists. The film is in black & white, and most of the scenes sparse and cold (possibly reflecting the budget), but it works well visually. Unfortunately, the humor was often lost on me, proabably due to translation, though often the acting was too, well, excitable (?). Some portions were simply inexplicable (though they may have had some symbolism to Japanese viewers). Overall it was a decent film, but not first rate.

LIFECHANCE 2011

2011-01-24T09:49:00.004-05:00

As Radenko Pavlovich and the Columbia Classical Ballet have done for fifteen years, on Saturday night they reprised community favorite LifeChance (International Gala of the Stars), combining the presentation of a variety of styles which benefit both local dance followers and charity, in this case Big Brothers Big Sisters. The interesting dichotomy of classic performances and modern renditions were much appreciated by the large crowd, which was bigger than I have remembered. Almost all of the performers have danced here before. I wish there had been more dances, but we are so lucky to have this wonderful event every year. The crowd also reflected the fact that LifeChance (as are most CCB shows) is accessible to a wide range of patrons, from the well-heeled to families and students.

Most attendees, it seems, come especially to see hometown favorite Brooklyn Mack, presently of the Washington (D.C.) Ballet, who again did not disappoint with his athleticism, grace, and energy. The capitol crowd is lucky to have him up there; I could easily watch him dance all night. His selection from Lacrymosa was beautiful and inspiring, and elicited the usual enthusiastic response from the audience. Although my memory may be off, I remember seeing him dance the selection from Don Quixote before, but it was still great, especially his soaring, powerful leaps behind his beautiful partner, Maki Onuki, who is lovely and enjoyable to watch as well (sue me, cause I am a sucker for the Japanese ballerinas). Yet, despite my admiration and love of his work, I think Brooklyn seemed just a bit off, maybe a little tired, in some of his performace.

The show, however, belonged this year to the energetic dancing of Chanel DaSilva and Dylan G-Bowley, who especially wowed the crowd with Surrender. Last year I thought DaSilva slightly outshone her partner, but this time they were equally matched and highly entertaining. I remember seeing Wild Sweet Love last year, but it was likewise a crowd favorite. Their style is brisk, funny, and athletic; it reminds me of watching swing dancers from Harlem. Also returning to Columbia were Lia Cirio and James Whiteside, of the Boston Ballet, who combined traditional dance in La Bayadere with a little lighted flash in Indestructible (which my boys called Tron). I really enjoyed the elegant Lauren Ciobanu (with Joseph Walsh) in the selection from Madame Butterfly. Jeffrey Cirio (brother to Lia) was very good in Fleeting. Great Galloping Gottschalk by USC dancers Ashley Johannsen, McCree O’Kelley, and Ryan Thomas, was interesting, but in the choreography the guys didn’t seem to have much to do.

The CCB corps presented two nice dances, Essence and You Don’t Own Me. I thought both were well done, though not as spectacular as they could have been. Perhaps the outfits in the first dance could have been a little more exciting, but I loved the red on black of the second. Lauren Frere and Ivan Popov were featured in Essence, as well as in a piece of their own, Manon, which was theatrical. I thought the company did a good job, especially despite being robbed of practice time due to bad weather. Thanks to Myra for remembering me and the boys. My favorite memory of the night was watching Joey react to the dancers, occasionally turning to me and critiquing, “that was really nice” or “she didn’t seem to be trying too hard on that one.”

Black Swan SNL style

2011-01-11T23:46:00.002-05:00

Jim Carrey and SNL crew do Black Swan: wonderfully
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live//video/Black-Swan/1268821

ECLIPSE

2010-12-27T23:51:00.003-05:00

No doubt a few movie watchers stumbled accidentally upon the Irish movie The Eclipse, in expectation of seeing romantic vampires and teenaged angst, but they would have been misled. Hopefully though, they stayed with the film, which does have a supernatural element, because it is a wonderful production with fine acting and beautiful scenery. Although partly a ghost story, and even a romance, as well as a commentary on literary festivals and boorish writers, it is primarily about grief and letting go. I was a bit confused about one ghost, or I guess more correctly a pre-ghost, of a elderly man dealing with the loss of his daughter from cancer, bitterness at his lot in life, and anger at his son-in-law. Ciaran Hinds is awesome as the widower, dealing with his two children after the loss of his loved wife, as he also continues his teaching duties and his volunteer work at the annual literary festival, where he comes in contact with a beautiful writer of stories about ghosts just as he starts having visitations. Added into the mix is her being stalked by a smitten, pretentious, drunkard (ugly American?) brutish author (played well by Aiden Quinn). There are beautiful shots of Ireland. Although it is rated R, for language and some disturbing scenes, older teens could certainly handle it. The banshee cries are unnerving, however. I heartily recommend the movie, if you don't mind a few scary parts.

BLIND MOUNTAIN

2010-12-20T10:26:00.002-05:00

When one thinks of China, even in the late twentieth century, one often contemplates the economic giant, modernizing and dominating the Asian theatre if not the entire world; one thinks of huge, bustling cities and tough governmental control. But there are many seamy undersides, one of which is portrayed in Blind Mountain (2007). In the last decade of the twentieth century, a college-educated woman is kidnapped from a big city by flesh peddlers and is forced into marriage in a remote northern village. Stubbornly and persistently she resists her enslavement, despite brutal beatings and rapes, isolation and constant surveillance, repeatedly trying to escape or contact outside help. Members of the family use every tactic at their disposal to control her, from participating in her initial rape to attempting to draw her in through inducements and talks with women similarly betrothed, and the family eventually celebrates the pregnancy that develops. The entire community, in fact, accepts and embraces wife stealing, from top authorities on down---a rigid system that forces women into compliance and blocks any outside interference, even from national police authorities. The misogynistic families will do anything to win sons, but their destruction of female offspring leads to a large male population needing brides. The very attractive Huang Lu plays the determined, angry Bai Xuemei, who despite her brutalization, still finds time to help educate the young boys in the village. She is caught up in an affair (partly in hopes of using it to escape her captivity), but it is ferreted out by the family, and the man is driven from the village (seemingly more for having broken the strict system than actually cuckolding Bai’s husband. Each disappointment ratchets up her determination to escape, leading to a desperate conclusion. As disheartening and maddening as the film is for those rooting for Bai (reminding me a lot of how I felt at the injustice portrayed in the Iranian movie The Stoning of Soroya M.), there are lovely film sequences and beautiful backdrops, and the acting is pretty good. Some sections are a bit lengthy. One wonders how Chinese authorities reacted to the film (as officially such treatment of women is forbidden) and if this condition still exists. There are small insights as well, such as the payments expected for medical treatment (which I was surprised about since I thought medicine was socialist there), to the willingness of so many people to turn a blind eye. It is a film worth watching, but it will leave the viewer angry.

Prez O

2010-12-16T14:08:00.001-05:00

I kind of like Robert DeNiro's assessment of the prez in a recent issue of Esquire:

"Everybody can criticize. But at the end of the day, you know Obama's intentions are in the right place."

MA

2010-12-13T15:59:00.001-05:00

Quiet hovers round building bend,
a presence missing, no sad portend,
furtive angels do what they will,
note from harp string fluttered still,
this biting wind, too cold to bear,
cheek scarred with a crystalline tear,
Magdalena’s gone, my token joyage,
thoughts are on your silent voyage.

MAGGIE

2010-12-08T16:27:00.003-05:00

Outside of one's relationships to family and close friends, most friendships are little more that fleeting acquaintances, ships passing by. If one's world is like a fragrant meadow, we would often be little more than butterflies visiting different flowers and occasionally scraping wings in pursuit of life’s nectars. But there are always favored flowers, petals that irresistibly invite, a kind smile and little compliment that brightens each day. If I were a butterfly, then it was I who over the last few years found myself frequently gravitating to a lovely flower named Magdalena Agosto. I always took the same path to the No Name Deli in hopes that I would catch her taking a break from her duties at the neighboring medical clinic, standing there with her cigarette, or eating a quick meal, or catching up on a page or two in her books, often fantasy romances. Maggie was from Puerto Rico, and she always called me Papi, and we chatted about books, children, and other topics that struck our fancy. She had a fairy’s laugh and always a twinkle in her eye, a devilish smile, and she almost always mentioned her daughter. She loved butterflies, and occasionally I would find something with one on it, or a piece of Puerto Rican painted pottery, and she was always delighted with them. I still remember how excited she was when I found spanish translations of the Twilight series. She was the same age as I am, and we connected. She never failed to put a smile on my face.

Today, one of the nurses came out from the clinic and told me that Maggie was gone. Aneurism. I am still struck dumb. It is amazing how such a small friendship, when it is gone, can leave a scar in the heart. I have felt like crying all day. I am going to miss her so much. A corner of my meadow has gone dark and it will be with heavy wings that I pass by it. I wish well to her family, her son and daughter, and grandchildren (I think there are two), and her many sisters and brothers. Descanse en paz, Maggie. This old butterfly will never forget you.

NUTCRACKER 2010

2010-12-07T10:04:00.001-05:00

The Friday night production of Columbia Classical Ballet's annual Nutcracker at the Koger Center for the Arts delivered a sweet present to holiday dance lovers. It was full of change, and most of it for the better. The company, which appeared a bit smaller and younger this year, put on a delightful production that was sharp, colorful, and filled with more motion that I can remember seeing in past presentations. Artistic director Radenko Pavlovich introduced many new scenes and faces; alas, there were many missing as well. I missed seeing my favorite Japanese ballerinas, Akira Manabe and Kaori Yanagida, as well as my Brazilian friends, Renata and Waldelei. And the biggest absence, for me, was not seeing my son Joey up on stage, but he decided he wanted a sabbatical this year. I also missed working behind-the-scenes, especially watching the dancers from the wings, which I always find interesting (though I didn't necessarily miss children-sitting duties); but Joey got to see the performance in its entirety for the first time in years and he enjoyed it. Unlike past performances, there weren't the frequent clothing mishaps of last year---in fact, the new costumes were colorful and well put together. It seemed to me that the men, this year, outshone the women; I liked that Radenko put men in scenes that I can't recall them being a part of before. There were far fewer children involved, who at times gummed things up (probably to the chagrin of many parents, who naturally want to see more of their little darlings).

The majority of changes were to the first two sections, starting with the opening scene featuring ice skaters cavorting and fighting. Radenko did away with the well-trod former opening scene (that had featured a string of dancers crossing the stage to attend the party). The new scene was more riveting and enjoyable, and I hope he keeps it in. I also loved that he finally got rid of those darn giant bat heads and went instead with masks. Returning dancer DeeDee Rosner stole the entire show with her portrayal of grandmother in the party scene. She absolutely nailed it, and the crowd loved her. I wonder if she has considered musical stage. Usually Larry Payne, as Mother Ginger, gets the laughs from the audience, but DeeDee outdid him this year for comedy. I wasn't thrilled with the rat/soldier portion as compared to past shows. Joey didn't like it all, especially that the rats had the guns and the soldiers kept marching into the fire with swords.

Many returning dancers---Zolton Boros, Edward Persondek, Lauren Frere, Aoi Anraku, Oleksander Vykhrest, Saif Wilkes-Davis, and others---reprised former roles or took on new ones, and they all did a good job. Individual dancers were better than others, and there was the occasional slip, but they seemed energized and as if they were enjoying themselves.

I was impressed with two additions to the company. I really enjoyed Russian Ivan Popov, who danced for a while with the San Francisco Ballet, and Brazilian Jose Pereira.

The second half was not so different from past performances, and didn't quite live up to the promise of the first half, but it was still enjoyable. I didn't care for the costume worn by Ryosuke Ogura, a new member, in the Chinese dance. That one could stand some revision as well. The Arabian scene was not as well danced as in the past.

Overall, it was a nice night of dance. The boys were very good and Joey was riveted. I hope it gets him back in the company soon.

CONROY'S READING LIFE

2010-11-22T14:24:00.002-05:00

Curse you, Pat Conroy! Another night and most of a day immersed in one of his offerings, My Reading Life; so often have I been consumed by his words and mesmerized by how he retroactively tickled hidden ivories of my own life. And he is wrong when he asserts he never taught after his experience on Daufuskie; perhaps he did not stand before a gaggle of students, but his books entertained and instructed me from the start, a gripping sojourn begun with The Lords of Discipline, a gift from my mother. I tracked down The Boo and The Water Is Wide, and devoured them too, and have swept through all his remaining books (though, I haven’t been able to force myself to read the cookbook). I have many literary loves now, but Lords will remain one of my all-time favorites. I remember quivering outside a USC auditorium, lucky to listen in as he spoke about James Dickey (a speech reproduced in a chapter here), eager to get a glimpse of him, laughing as he told the river story, understanding his impressions of Dickey firsthand (whom I met several times, but did not like); and then he emerged, surrounded by a flock of adoring fans, and I managed to squeeze through and offer my hand, which he took. He looked as if he expected me to ask for his autograph, but I just stared (no doubt with a shit-eating grin) and said, “I just wanted to shake your hand.” I love that my former boss and mentor (in many ways) Matthew Bruccoli allowed me the opportunity to attend, even if I was there to work.

My Reading Life is less a list of important reads, although it is that too, than a memoir of people and places, family and friends, who instructed and influenced his writing. Anyone who loves his stuff will revel in the chapters that flesh out what they already know, because his books have already revealed many of his personal demons. Yet this book is by no means depressing or difficult; the stories are painted with humor and love, and maybe even a little comeuppance, and a dose of humility (possibly forced, as he must know how good he really is). It is also a call to writers, especially younger ones, to read voraciously, experience vicariously and personally, and, it seems, to blaze a path no matter what others say or how they criticize. He sends love letters to some of his favorite authors---Mitchell, Wolfe, Tolstoy, Dickey, among others----as well as explains the importance (and flaws) of people such as teacher Gene Norris, librarian Eileen Hunter, bookseller Cliff Graubart, bookman Norman Berg, and a cast of other colorful characters. I loved his passing relationship with a Japanese man while both were in Paris, as his breakfasting partner asserts in response to the arrogant waiters that Japan should have passed over Pearl Harbor and attacked France. If you love Conroy, you will feel as if you are listening in his parlor, and hopefully it may bring new readers to his novels.

Ballet

2010-11-15T13:20:00.000-05:00

A review from Slate of a new book on ballet that is worth reading.

http://www.slate.com/id/2274746/

CHAMPS

2010-11-14T00:40:00.003-05:00

Gamecocks win SEC East chamnpionship for the first time, while defeating the Gators in the Swamp for the first time as well. Awesome victory, well-played game, the team played hard and within themselves. Now to greater challenges.

I AGREE

2010-11-05T14:35:00.001-04:00

William Saletin said it well:

"Politicians have tried and failed for decades to enact universal health care. This time, they succeeded. In 2008, Democrats won the presidency and both houses of Congress, and by the thinnest of margins, they rammed a bill through. They weren't going to get another opportunity for a very long time. It cost them their majority, and it was worth it.

And that's not counting financial regulation, economic stimulus, college lending reform, and all the other bills that became law under Pelosi. So spare me the tears and gloating about her so-called failure. If John Boehner is speaker of the House for the next 20 years, he'll be lucky to match her achievements."

OBAMA

2010-10-26T11:57:00.002-04:00

"The contradictory characterizations of him as fascist or socialist only serve to confirm the truth—--he's a raging moderate. And satirists don't do well with moderates, especially thoughtful ones. In addition, Obama rarely makes gaffes and has no salient physical or temperamental features. And sinking popularity isn't a critique. Even SNL's main rap on him is his unflappability, hardly a vice in a world leader."---Garry Trudeau

CRAZY

2010-10-19T14:26:00.001-04:00

Who but a brazen crazy person would go one-on-one with blank paper or canvas armed with nothing but ideas?

---Mark Vonnegut,Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness, Only More So: A Memoir (2010).

DEPARTURES

2010-10-12T00:58:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I watched a beautiful Japanese movie, Departures, (2008) by Yojiro Takita. A cellist (played by Masahiro Motoki), forced to make a career change, stumbles into the profession of preparing the deceased for their cremation. It is simply a wonderful film with great, well-performed roles that speaks to dignity, forgiveness, honor, love, and regret; the Japanese way of honoring their dead is absolutely lovely and perfect. I was greatly impressed. I cried at least four times. The story is also about finding your place in the world and a profession that suits you and then taking pride in doing that job right; accepting and supporting the ones you love, and coming to grips with past wrongs; honoring the people who helped you; community; and accepting the step at the end of life that is a gateway to another existence. Ryoko Hirosue and Tsutomu Yamazaki were wonderful in their parts. Kimiko Yo, who plays the secretary, was very good too. Not only were depictions of the ceremonies portrayed beautifully, but the scenery was breathtaking as well. I really encourage people to watch this movie; I am certain you will not be disappointed.

MLK

2010-10-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?"
Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?"
And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?"
But Conscience asks the question, "Is it right?"
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular,
but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

EXCITED

2010-10-09T23:41:00.001-04:00

GAMECOCKS WIN! GAMECOCKS WIN! ALABAMA #1 goes down. First time for the garnet. Am I excited. You betcha.

FIRST TIME ON FRONT COVER

2010-10-04T11:12:00.000-04:00

errors

2010-10-01T08:39:00.002-04:00

M. A. Orthofer, expressed a sentiment in his blog Literary Salon about publishing houses that I have believed for a while now, when seeing too many egregious errors in books I have read over the last year or so:

Is there a production manager/ copy editor/ editor left at any of these houses ?
Is there anyone who bothers reading the books any longer ?

Recent Reading

2010-09-30T14:33:00.001-04:00

An eclectic group of books I have attempted recently, so I thought I would present some thoughts about them. Kind of like a mini-review. Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea is an excellent and well-written account of an American mountaineer’s obsession with providing schools and community development projects for the mountainous, isolated northern portions of Pakistan. It is a good introduction to life in this region, and sheds light on many of the diverse customs and attitudes of the tribal peoples. It should be taken as a manual of how charitable (and even governmental) assistance should be provided to needy areas, as well as a primer on how to temper that anti-Western anger. We need more Mortensons. In honor of my friend Cheryl, trapped in Wyoming, and who is the baseline by which I have come to judge Canadians, generally (and favorably, cause she is a really nice person), I read Will Ferguson’s Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, a delightful collection of short accounts of his many trips to different parts of Canada, humorously told. I like Ferguson’s work, in addition to the comedy, for its emphasis on history. Milton Murayama’s Five Years on a Rock was an interesting fictionalized account of a Japanese picture bride in early twentieth-century Hawaii. Lewis Owens’ Bone Game and Stewart O’Nan’s Last Night at the Lobster novellas were a quick change of pace. In Bone Game we have a murder mystery wrapped in Native American academic culture; in Lobster, we follow the thoughts and actions of a manager as he closes down for the last time the Red Lobster he has been employed at while dealing with a semi-mutinous crew and a former girlfriend on the staff. Kinsella’s Dance Me Outside was a small collection of funny stories about Canadian Native Americans, though I was troubled with the voice, as it seemed to present a skewed and somewhat negative portrayal of the culture. Ok, I’ll admit it. . .I read Mitch Albom’s For One More Day, which was a nice bit of caramel corn. If you have children in third to fourth, you may want to add How To Scratch a Wombat, a followup to the children’s favorite, Diary of a Wombat, which I found delightful.

TEHRAN-22

2010-09-14T09:46:00.002-04:00

If it were not for the fact that the great Joseph Heller didn’t die until just before the turn of the century, I would swear that he (or some portion of him) was reincarnated into Iranian-born writer Shariar Mandanipour, because his Censoring an Iranian Love Story was as weirdly enjoyable to me as was Catch-22. Mandanipour tells a story of a writer trying to craft a romance while having to deal with the oppressive censorship of a fundamentalist Islamic bureaucrat. The writing is witty, funny, critical, sarcastic, and ironic. The author frequently becomes part of the story itself, revealing a little of the troubles experienced by all writers who become intimately connected to their characters, but he mostly uses the love story as a baseline in which to critique modern Iranian society. I frequently laughed out loud at his jabs, but the book also tells an underlying chilling tale, and reveals for readers the high level of hypocrisy, idiocy, misogyny, and oppression currently rampant in Iran (a country he may not feel comfortable living in, but one that he clearly loves). For anyone interested in Iran, I heartily recommend this book. He criticizes the deporable treatment of women, the atomic program, censorship, social restrictions, brutality, stalinistic watchdogs, and other aspects of life there. “Every day became days groups of people were killed for freedom.” One wonders how many people in Iran have disappeared or been incarcerated. But many of Mandanipour’s comments are universal as well: “my father was absolutely right, and that is why I disagreed with him.”
The author does, however, seem to fall into the trap many foreign-born literature majors who become writers seem to: he wants to show the readers just how widely read he is, by dropping illusions at almost every turn to well-known (and lesser known) works. Some of this is ok, but at times it seemed a bit of a stretch.

KORAN-KRAZED KOOKS (KKK?)

2010-09-10T16:05:00.006-04:00

It is amazing (and also frustratingly angering) that recent actions of the clearly crazy Terry Jones, pastor of a miniscule evangelical Florida church (who was out to garner attention), set off worldwide protests and absorbed so much domestic attention (all the way up to the White House and amongst the presidential-wannabes). If a kook chooses to do idiotic things, is it absolutely necessary that reporters cover it? If all the media types decided not to pay attention to this ridiculous representative of religion, would his actions have resulted in anything other than a small pile of ashes and nary a ripple of impact on the world stage? Here again we have a situation where a small segment of society has pushed the (hopefully) more-sane majority into a reaction (can we say Tea Party?). Jones does not represent most evangelicals, and certainly not most Christians (although, yes, there is much anti-Islamic sentiment in American society), no more than does Al Qaida represent most Muslims. When are people going to accept that Christianity, Islam, Judiasm, Buddhism and every other religion (as well as national, racial, and cultural classifications) seldom are monolithic in belief and teaching (seems to me they argue among themselves all the time)? I know it is human to classify, often in simplistic terms, but I wish people would think more clearly, especially those whose reactions and statements can set off violence and discord. Can I get an "Amen" on that?

STONING IN IRAN

2010-08-30T15:09:00.001-04:00

The stoning of a human to death, even if the crime being punished is horrendous, is one of the most inhumane, barbaric, dehumanizing, and cruel tortures that can be inflicted upon a person, especially if the community carrying out the sentence knows the victim. The horror is magnified when the person is innocent of the crime they are accused of. Stoning still exists in Iran, and its use there is but one criticism the world hurtles (justifiably) at the fundamentalist state. While some feel little sympathy for criminals, the punishment can also be carried out against those accused of adultery, a heavy penalty for an all too human sin. But in Iran some victims are most vulnerable to this terrible fate---women. Recently the case of Sakineh Ashtiani (a forty-three year old woman who apparently may have been coerced into admitting wrongdoing and also had language problems) has garnered international attention and condemnation. It is within this atmosphere that the movie The Stoning of Soroya M. vividly demonstrates not only the horrors of stoning, but also the misogynistic state of affairs in Iran. Based on a true story, it recounts the heroic efforts of Zahra (beautifully played by the lovely and husky voiced Shohreh Aghdashloo), wilfull and determined, who tries to protect her niece (the mother of four children) from the machinations of her spouse Ali (effectively and menacingly played by Navid Negahban), who wants to obtain a divorce on the cheap in order to marry a fourteen year old. Ali is a greedy, corrupt, manipulative, and brutal man, who terrorizes his family. Yet he has powerful allies in his little village (a mullah with questionable past and a weak mayor), and after weakening her position financially, and then actively soliciting her help to aid a newly widowed man and his son, they use false claims of adultery (as well as strong-arm tactics against the widower) to railroad Soroya straight into a hole and a rain of stones. Zahra then makes it her mission that she will not allow the story (and her niece’s bravery) to go unreported, and she enlists a French/Iranian journalist’s help. The movie pulls few punches and is vivid and direct, and emotionally draining. It is a heavy indictment against radical fundamentalism, woman-hatred, poor education, and male-dominated dictatorship. Although some scenes are very difficult to stomach, I encourage everyone to see it.

JAPANESE CATS

2010-08-28T00:45:00.003-04:00

Just watched a nice documentary titled The Cats of Mirikitani, about Jimmy Mirikitani, a scrappy, independent eighty-year old Japanese-American artist who was living on the streets of New York City and doing his paintings and drawings (staying at this time at night in the enclosed plastic flower display area owned by a Korean shopkeeper), until the filmmaker happens upon him and ends up taking him home and assisting him to get into better housing (initially as a result of the results of the 9/11 disaster that happened as she was filming him nearby), while recording his work and memories. He was born in Sacramento and interned at Tule Lake during WWII, and that experience heavily influenced his art. He was separated from his family and apparently had not communicated to any of them (most of his mother's family were killed at Hiroshima) for more than 50 years, as he moved east (first somewhat forced to work on a farm, and then to New York, where he claimed to have cooked for Jackson Pollack and served as a chauffeur in NYC). The film is a loving portrait of an artist and tough man, and in the end he forgives his anger after visiting Tule and reconnecting with his sister. His art is amazing (and one wonders how great he could have been if he had been allowed freedom and wasn't discriminated against).

THE VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE

2010-08-25T14:07:00.002-04:00

Bich Minh Nguyen's Stealing Buddha's Dinner is a very nice memoir of one Vietnamese girl's experience growing up as a refugee immigrant in Grand Rapids, Michigan; her family's hurried escape from Vietnam as the communists won; and her view of life as an outsider within American society (mostly school), as well as her role in an unusual family. It is a sad story, in many ways, especially as the truth of her family in revealed and the pain that can be inflicted by intolerance. Food is a unifying theme throughout the story (and also literature). My favorite members of the family are her grandmother Noi (serene, loving, unperturbable, devout) and, oddly enough, her stepmother Rosa (who reminded me much of my mother, with a slightly more activist bent, who seemed to keep that family together, and deserved more creidt and love [at least from my perspective]). Some of the author's troubles resulted from the kind of person she was: shy, studious, middle child, self-critical. Much of her story resonated for me, as I was not an immigrant (although my mother came from Ukraine when she was about sixteen) and I didn't look ethnically different than most of my classmates, but because many of her feelings are universal. Her story made me think about my family who were caught in the post WWII diaspora, some of whom made it to America, many of whom I have never met or only barely met when I was very little. (I also have a large family on my Dad's side that I didn't even know about until a few years back, and I have never met, but that's another story). Although my childhood was roughly a year before her's, I still connected to the cultural landmarks she mentions (music, tv shows). But I felt that she was truly blessed to be raised by members of her family and near people of similar background---my ex-wife is Vietnamese, but she was orphaned (and adopted at age 2 by a white family in northeastern South Carolina) and grew up with few connections to Vietnamese culture, but she experienced many of the struggles and challenges of being different (or being treated as different). Of course, every person's experience is different, no matter their background, and growing up is a challenge for most of us, but it is interesting to see how others dealth with their worlds, or remembered how they did so. This is a good addition to the growing body of literature of the immigrant experience.

JAPAN FOLLIES

2010-08-23T14:19:00.000-04:00

For anyone who enjoys the humor-laced travelogues of British writer Michael Palin or American Bill Bryson, I heartily recommend adding the work of Canadian Will Ferguson to your list. Although this recommendation is based solely on the highly entertaining Hitching Rides with Buddha, I suspect that I will be delving into his other books soon in hopes they are as good as this effort. Ferguson, who taught English in Japan and is workably fluent in Japanese, decides to hitchhike from the southern end of the island(s) country to its northern –most point, roughly corresponding with the seasonal flowering of the sakura (cherry trees). Largely comprised of small vignettes covering successive rides or stays in different locations, Ferguson deftly lays bare (nay---punctures) many of the myths and attitudes held by Japanese about their country, people, and standing in the world, as well as their fascination/disgust/fear of the outside world, especially America. What emerges is a land of diversity; of people with enormous generosity, friendliness, wonder, balanced by narrow-mindedness, racist-thinking, and over-inflated egos. No doubt there will be some in Japan who will call for his passport to be permanently confiscated and his carcass banned from reentry (what would he care! He stole his wife from them already) because of his often less-than-flattering portrayal, but it seems to me that he has a great deal of affection and respect for the people, even while puncturing their contradictions and egomanias. The Japanese come off often as something akin to enthusiastic, cautious, conformist plowhorses with their blinders firmly affixed. While the author has penned standard travel-guide material, this account will keep you laughing, while at the same time open your eyes to a wonderful and contradictory nation.

OBASAN

2010-08-18T14:38:00.002-04:00

In this time of bubbling racism and bigotry that percolates from the murky depths of hatred and narrow-mindedness, blinding Americans to the constitutional rights of citizenship and freedom of religion, it is a good thing to read of past mistreatment of minorities in this country (and in other countries as well). The forced internment of loyal Japanese Americans from western states is a terrible blight on American history, and it is fairly familiar to most schoolchildren, largely because of books such as Houston’s Farewell to Manzanar.

But the mistreatment of citizens of Japanese descent also occurred in Canada---in some ways parallel to that experienced in the United States, in other ways more severe and long-lasting. Along the western coastline, their property was confiscated (if not outright looted) and the victims were forced into holding facilities or to locations in the interior. Some could argue that it was necessary for wartime protection, but what happened thereafter was an even greater crime, as they were forbidden to return to their homes and farms following the war, and were made to disperse throughout the country or return to Japan. This story is forcefully and beautifully recounted in Joy Kogawa’s Obasan (more a memoir than a piece of fiction), which has become her best-known work.

Kogawa’s primary skill is poetry, and it shows in her prose. She lovingly, yet firmly, portrays the plight and resilience of a family as it deals with separation and loss, both of individuals and community (not once, but twice). An example of her prose is, “The dust, light-winged as soot, is swarming thickly across the flashlight beam. . . everything, I suppose, turns to dust eventually. A man’s memories end up in some attic or in a Salvation Army bin. His name becomes a fleeting statistic and his face is lost in fading photographs, the clothing quaint, the anecdotes gone. . . Potent and pervasive as a prairie dust storm, memories and dreams seep and mingle through cracks, settling on furniture and into upholstery. . .” Kogawa frequently shifts from the narrative into sidebars of near poetry.

The story is told through the eyes of Naomi, a kindergarten-aged child, as she struggles to understand the loss of her parents (father was a doctor) and grandparents [as well as her encounter with a pedophiliac neighbor before the war], as her aunt (and later uncle) and neighbors are relocated to Slocum. The mystery of her mother’s fate, trapped in Japan when she goes just before the outbreak of hostilties to care for her sick parent and never returns, is slowly revealed. Her father manages to return, for a short while, but then likewise disappears from their lives. She is forced to live in a small home nestled near a mountainside, but at least they still have a community. After the war this community is destroyed and dispersed, and (as if they are being punished for their heritage) they are forced to labor on a beet farm (“perhaps some genealogist [sic?] of the future will come across this patch of bones and wonder why so many fishermen died on the prairies.”). Luckily, she has the loving care of her Obasan (aunt) and uncle (a master boatbuilder and carpenter), as well as her music-loving brother (determined to ignore his Japanese roots as much as possible). Although the story is sad, heartrending, there is also much beauty and love in it. I will likely try the sequel, Itsuka.

BURMA

2010-08-10T00:07:00.003-04:00

Tonight I watched two documentaries about Myrnmar (Burma) and the democracy movement against the brutal military dictatorship there. The first, BURMA VJ, follows the efforts of a small group of underground reporters with handheld video cameras as they attempt to document a 2007 uprising led by the monks. The people are suffering from famine, ethnic cleansing, poor medical access, no freedoms, political repression, torture, and worse. The second, CROSSING MIDNIGHT, focuses on the plight of ethnic minorities (one-third of the nation) as they flee from military oppression (mostly in the countryside), and the efforts of a small group of doctors and teachers who have established a medical/social-servive compound in Thailand and who cross the border to provide medical care (often via backpacking) and other social and educational services. Both documentaries are riveting and heartrending, and they open a small window into the internal affairs of a terrible regime. I heartily recommend these films to anyone interested in international affairs, and more specifically, the plight of the Burmese people. I am lucky to have about a dozen Burmese living near me. I talked with one today (I think he was ex-military) who has been my neighbor for about three years, and he said they were very truthful.

READING

2010-08-09T16:40:00.001-04:00

When will my days of joyfull reading cease?
Not til I can't make another spine crease!

PALINISMS

2010-08-06T10:39:00.001-04:00

"Bushisms, which I collected for many years, often hinged on a single grammatical or factual error. Palinisms, by contrast, consist of a unitary stream of patriotic, populist blather. It's like Fox News without the punctuation." [Jacob Weisberg, A Grand Unified Theory of Palinisms, SLATE, 6 Aug 2010)

FLITTER

2010-08-05T10:25:00.001-04:00

Flap of wings, so lightly dusted,
this withdrawal barely trusted
sweet nectar to her now-furl'd lip
into the breezes wings do slip,
off she goes, toward other bliss
receding wave from a beach kiss,
and like a setting sun is stilled
the early eve is quickly chilled.

GLASS RAINBOW

2010-07-29T18:49:00.000-04:00

James Lee Burke’s latest contribution to the Dave Robicheaux/Clete Purcell series, The Glass Rainbow, is largely a familiar romp across the swampy, over-fished storyline that fans of these books have come to love and expect. One gets comfortable with Dave and Clete, knows how they will react to each other. You know that one or both of the intrepid crusaders is going to be shot at (and most likely wounded), will chase despicable villains (both domestic and foreign), battle criminals and local law enforcement, experience betrayal, suffer hallucinations, and visit brutality in full measure on miscreants of every stripe. Both men will put their feet in their mouths. Clete is going to corner a bad guy in a bathroom and dunk his head in a toilet; he is going to bust someone up in anger and spend time cooling off in a jail cell. You just know it is going to happen. Burke’s writing, though, will carry along the reader, interspersed with short lectures on the history of Louisiana, evils of power and corruption, struggles of addiction, power of friendship, beauty of the bayou land, and resiliency of the people. Once you’ve become addicted to the travails of the Bobbsey twins from homicide, you know you are going to jump in the boat for the ride.

However, there was something a little more off than normal in this volume. While Burke is guilty frequently of repetition and unimaginative dialogue, he often counterbalances it with beautiful, detailed, colorful description and face-paced style. [And both people who actually read my reviews will recall my past complaints. J] But things got worse this time, almost as if the book didn’t have an editor to reign in Burke’s writing; as if Burke couldn’t recall what he wrote a day or two earlier. There is the familiar habit of giving different characters the exact same idiomatic language---one knows there will be the inevitable mention of piss (or spit) in someone’s mouth or a punch bowl, for instance, or someone will be brusquely requested to “get the [insert a variety of items, from grits to unmentionables] out of your mouth “. It isn’t so bad when it happens from book to book, because, well, they are the same characters and you expect a measure of consistency in their speech, but it happened several times too often in this book. Burke must have used “taken off the board” a half dozen times. He used the full name of the characters, nearly all of them, ad nauseum. He mentions certain facts repeatedly (such as Alafair’s rescue from the plane wreck). How many times did we have to hear mention of “the grotto that had been built as a shrine to the mother of Jesus,” in almost exact wording? I suppose that it may not bother most readers, and I might be overly sensitive to it, but it does bother me, and I think it takes away from Burke’s good passages.

Does this complain mean I will forgo reading the next installment, should there be one? Heck, no! Bring ‘em on!

RUSH TO JUDGEMENT (PUN INTENDED)

2010-07-21T16:40:00.004-04:00

Recent events have pointed out serious problems with modern media---or, more correctly, propagandists---and how people react to and use information on the net. The firing of Shirley Sherrod for allegedly making a statement seen as reversely discriminatory was unjust and knee-jerk; the original report that lead to her dismaissal was downright dishonest and inflammatory. Although I believe idiots such as Andrew Breitbart have a right to post opinion and rant anywhere they wish, they should be held accountable when purposely and premediatively issuing false information and altering media to inflame passions and adversely affect a person's private life. Especially someone whose record of helping people was considered rather sterling.

What makes all this even worse is that Breitbart admitted that he falsified his material (both in misidentifying her position at the time of the recalled incident, taking the sound bite clearly out of context to stain her reputation) in order to attack the NAACP, with no regard to the adverse effect it might have on Sherrod. He said he did so because the NAACP pointed out the rather obvious and blatant racism of some members of the Tea Party. Well, only the blind of heart (or racist individuals themselves) could fail to interpret many images held by Tea Partiers at their rallies as anything less than patently racist and offensive.

There really is no standard governing what passes as journalism and opinion today. Anyone---and I include myself---can say whatever they wish, pretty much, and get away with it. That FOX used Breitbart's blog to report on and condemn Sherrod, and others, is nothing new (Rush pioneered in that realm decades ago); I do not consider FOX reputable at all.

What also bothered me was how quickly mainstream media, the NAACP, and many individuals, all the way up the political chain, failed to ask questions and didn't allow Sherrod to truly defend herself. To their credit the WH, USDA, and NAACP quickly apologized for their too-quick judgements. Even FOX, or at least some commentators, reversed their criticism, except Breitbart. I hope he is banned from appearing on FOX programs, is sued heavily by Sherrod (isn't knowingly publishing false information liable?), and has a much-more-skeptical lens placed on every report he delivers in the future. He is a reactionary provoceteur---not a journalist---and should be treated and recognized as such. Even by FOX.

MOVIES

2010-07-20T13:55:00.004-04:00

Some thoughts on recent movies, both at the theaters and on dvd:

Predators: Predictable; follows along the original story path. I enjoyed it, although it isn't great. Adrien Brody was ok, and It is wonderful to see another Braga on the big screen. Some of the characters and dialogue was weak. It could have been a bit more scary or intense.

From Paris With Love: Overall, not very satisfying. It was as if the writer or director couldn't dcide if it should be a comedy along the lines of a Jackie Chan farce or something like a Bourne Identity. Travolta simply was miscasat, adn the sidekick was weak. Some of the action was decent. The writign was terrible, not much better than a highschooler coul have done, as far as I am concerned.

Book of Eli: Although reviews were generally disappointing concerning this movie, I actually like it. I thought Denzel Washington did a credible job, Gary Oldman is always pretty good, and Mila Kunis was fairly good. Ray Stevenson was solid, and I didn't even realize that Oldman's wife in the film was Jennifer Beals. Kudos to the set designers and location planners (or whatever they call them). Some aspects of the film were weak, but overall, I guess because of my liking for postapocalyptic stuff, I enjoyed it.

The Messenger: Solid, sad movie. Woody Harrelson was excellent.

Edge of Darkness: This title easily applies to Mel Gibson's personal life right now. The movie was ok, nothing outstanding, but not bad. Gibson is an older detective whose daughter is killed in front of him and everyone assumes that he was the target, but he starts discovering that she had secrets and had tried to expose the darker, sinister inner workings of her weapons research company. Kind of Lethal Weapon meets Silkwood meets Sixth Sense.

Robin Hood: Pleasantly surprised by the modern version of the prestory, though it was sappy at times. The boys resisted going, but in the end they seemed to like it. I enjoyed Cate Blanchett's Marion. Most of the cast was decent, in fact.

Daybreakers: Vampires rule. . literally. Decent movie.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Halle Berry and Del Torio were very good. Depressing, slow film, but very good.

TOKYO SONATA

2010-07-18T12:20:00.003-04:00

The disintegration of a family is never easy to witness, and it seems even more disturbing when it is a Japanese family (well hinted at in the opening scene as a storm rolls in), because of the rigid need to maintain authority and keep up appearances. One of the benefits of watching foreign films is hopefully getting a glimpse into the workings of the world, and I was distrubed and interested by Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Tokyo Sonata (2008), as the viewer watchs a newly downsized middle-manager struggle to control his household and find employment commesurate with what he had once held. Although homelessness and unemployment are fairly well known in America, it somehow comes as a small shock when you see its portrayal in Japan. But several aspects of the film left me cold, and, even angry. The main character (played by Teruyuki Kagawa) is not a likeable fellow, and I don't think he was likable even before he lost his job. I certainly did not like the way he treated his wife, almost indifferently (one of the best and moving scenes is when she asks of help getting up from a couch, and yet her husband is so self-absorbed that he has already walked away), though she struggles to maintain a beautiful home and provide all the motherly responsibilities to him and their two sons. Taking into account some of the violence against his youngest son is partly a result of his emotional implosion from having to take demeaning (for him) employment (which I applauded actually, because he was willing to do it for his family, even if it hurt, rather than take an easier, more permananet, way out), he still does not seem one who could handle any threat to his authority. In fact, while not directly stated, I think he lost his job partly because he would not accept a downward position, which I know can be hard for anyone. His two sons both seem to have little real respect for him, want to get away from him. One decides to join the US military and the other attempts to play piano, despite dad's expressed refusal to alllow it on both counts. The younger one is especially bright and will fight against unchecked, overbearing authority, either by his teacher or father. The mother (played by a very lovely Kyoko Koizumi) is faithful and stalwart in keeping the family runnign along, even whne she knows her husband is lying to her. She maintains his authority and doesn't challenge him (can it truly be like that, or is she a weak character?), even when she could have blunted or even stopped him from certain of his decisions. The filmmaker, im think, tries to show that the father has redeeming qualities, such as his taking the poorer job, standing in handout lines, and givign back lost cash he has found, but it never really works, even the part in many western films where the father grudgingly acknowledges some special talent one of his offspring has exhibited. Basically, I just didn't like the guy. Even the piano teacher (Haruka Igawa), who should have been a more likeable character, just doesn't seem to pull it off. In the end, I enjoyed the movie for the most part, but I wouldn't place it in the highest rank. I wonder how my Japanese friends reacted to it, as I am sure there were cultural clues that simply went over my head.

GAMECOCKS

2010-06-30T00:28:00.004-04:00

I have been waiting for this---National Champs in a major sport for the Gamecocks men---for more than twenty years, and I know the Gamecock nation has been waiting even longer. And what a great game it was. My hat is off to the great team we face. . .the Bruins of UCLA. They fought like champions and gave it their all, and it makes the USC accomplishment all the more sweet. And not only did USC finally reach the pinnacle, they stepped on Clemson a couple of times in order to get there. You couldn't ask for a more perfect tourney. The Cocks simply refused to give up, scrapped and scrapped, and got a few nice breaks. Major party tonight! Here is video of the winning hit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZruQAikOrw

KAFKA ON THE SHORE

2010-05-18T15:13:00.002-04:00

Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore is like a beautiful piece of jazz---enticing, almost mesmerizing, and slightly unnerving. And no doubt, like many pieces of music, there will be those who passionately hate or love this book. I fall somewhere in the middle, though I really enjoyed the magical fantasy and was drawn along with the storylines. One is the tale of fifteen-year-old Kafka Tamura as he escapes an unhappy home in search of a mother and sister who left him with his artist father when the little boy was four (and whose dad creepily predicts an Oedipal experience). Kafka (a name he gave himself) is drawn to a strange supporting cast, among others, that includes a beautiful older woman who cannot forget her long-dead lover and a sexually conflicted (no offense to anyone) librarian who helps him mature and achieve some focus for his future. The other is about a delightful and kind old man, Nakata, struck somewhat mentally challenged by a mysterious event that occurred on an outing when he was in elementary school during World War II, who has acquired the talent of finding lost felines (because he has learned to talk with them). He is drawn on a quest to complete a mysterious task, and gains a willing assistant along the way, in the hope of attaining a measure of normality. A murder helps propel the protagonists toward their entwined destinies, and the book can easily be seen as a search for closure. There is much to delight readers. . .spirits who take the guise of pop culture icons, conversational cats, time warps, unnatural events. . .and the characters and stories are compelling enough to keep one’s attention. Yet, there are facets that make one take pause (such as incestuous connotations and animal cruelty). I am still bothered by Murakami’s insistence that his characters (all of them) be well versed in or drawn to western music and literature (rather than at least pulling in some Japanese themes or culture), and his occasional repetitiveness (even from other books, such as his fixation on bayonets, penises, and cats, for instance). One does have to make many leaps of faith. The book will also, I think, invite literary critics and scholars to find connections with many other writers (such as Salinger, Gaiman, Baum, Lewis Carrol). Still, in the end, for me it was a satisfying read.

ALEXANDRA

2010-05-12T22:29:00.002-04:00

Tonight I watched an interesting Russian film, Alexandra, by director Alexander Sohurov. In this slow, but touching, film an elderly grandmother visits her officer grandson at his remote base in the Caucasus Mountains (Chechnya, I think), a dusty patch of frontier in a troubled corner of the Russian empire. She is a tough lady, who wants to see what is going on and even leaves the base by herself at one point to go to the nearby market, where she interacts with some of the local population. In many ways she is a typical matron, criticizing her grandson's appearance and lack of wife, notices his work feet and scraped knuckles (from disciplining a soldier) but she also is never dainty or restrained from doing what she wants to do. The film seems to be making judgments about the war through her eyes and experiences: the youthfulness of the troops, the tough discipline, the poor equipment and supplies. The men, for the most part, are amazed and smitten by the presence of the old lady at their base, and treat her with respect and almost a longing for their own families. There may be a bit of a message about the destruction the Russians have laid upon the region, but it is not heavy handed. The film, instead, tries to (I think) focus on the humantiy of all people, that despite differences, individuals can get along. If you are looking for an upbeat, action-packed thriller, this movie is not for you, but it is interesting and worthwhile. Obvioulsy much of the subtleness is lost on me, as I don't speak Russian, but I think I understood the movie fairly well.

PRAYER TO THE GARDENER

2010-05-12T14:34:00.000-04:00

PRAYER TO THE GARDENER

I know the garden is left untended
to flower and die as you intended
an occasional trip down a row, maybe

Pulling a weed or planting a seed,
but I need a visit very badly indeed,
for I am dying at the root, you’ll see.

Earth is so dry, and I’m really trampled
foulest disappointment I have sampled,
but my pain is naught compared to others.

My core has shriveled, I’m barely a weed,
and perhaps I could lose even my seed,
don’t deserve help, but I’ve got my brother’s,

And my sisters too, they all have pitched in
have forgiven my wrongs, each and every sin
but only you can renew this field, to invigorate.

Just a tear from your eye could water the ground,
and soothe the root-pain, though I’ll still be bound,
I hope you can come soon, or it may be too late.

Murakami's Wind-Up Bird Chronicles

2010-05-06T15:25:00.002-04:00

Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a wonderful, almost Alice In Wonderland tale, of a young newly unemployed legal asssitant from Tokyo whose wife walks off and disappears (apparently for another man) and who struggles to find and rescue her, even as he slips into an increasingly surreal world populated, among others, by ex-Japanese soldiers with dark secrets; a prophetic sister team; a mysterious mother-and-son psychic-healing duo; an evil politician (his hated rival and brother-in-law); and a troubled, smart, teenager who seems to have a special bond and relationship with her older friend, as well as a mysterious plot of land. Some people might even compare Murakami to Vonnegut, with his mix of historical events, humor, and unusual events. The strongest parts of the book, I feel, are the stories told by Mamiya and Hondo, and the enjoyable letters from young May. I don’t ant to go into the story, which follows a lot of different paths, and unfortunately, does not tie up all the loose ends. I know some people don’t like that. But it is an intriguing and enjoyable story to follow, nonetheless. I do not want to give away too much of the story.

The book struck many chords with me, which gave it even more punch. I sympathized with Toru after his wife left, and he struggled to understand why she had gone to the one individual that she could never have expected her to. Murakami masterfully details Toru’s confusion and hurt, and it brought up painful feelings for me. The author also touches on historical events that, to the best of my knowledge, are little discussed and (from what I heard from many Japanese students) not taught about Japanese activities in Manchuria during World War II (shades of Slaughterhouse 5?) and the trials of Japanese POWs in Russian Siberia. There is a sweetness in the relationship between the older man and younger woman. Murakami also mixes in a little erotica, a dash of mystery, dreamlike sequences, odd behavior, and brutal imagery.

Murakami is a great writer, but some things confuse me. I can’t tell if he is writing the books for a Western audience or just includes what he enjoys about Western culture. Although the story takes place in Japan and the characters are all Japanese, you get the feeling that it could just have easily been located in the Midwest. Surely some of the characters would have liked something of Japanese culture? Do all Japanese drink, smoke, and wear western items, and listen to western music? Murakami is constantly inserting references to western literature (is he showing off that he is well read?). It does not take away from the story in any fashion, but it made me wonder. I also at times feel that he is a bit too repetitious, too frequently reminding his readers of events that they should be fully aware of. Despite this qualm, I really enjoy his storytelling.