What are you reading now?

[Michael]

"From a Buick 8" by Stephen King.
I first read it about eight years ago. I buy everything that guy writes. Okay, he may be regarded as a pulp fictioner, but I venture to assert that he will be remembered when the Norman Mailers, the Philip Roths and the Calvin Bossetierres will be forgotten. His particular genre happens to be classified as "horror fiction" but he is much more than that. (Trust me - I am a Beethoven fan.) I discovered King in 1979. I hope you all know that he wrote the original novellas which were filmed as "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Stand By Me".
Oh, and "The Green Mile".

[Peter]

Back to Russia and Dostoevsky's 'The Idiot'.

[Sorrano]

Back to Russia and Dostoevsky's 'The Idiot'.

I didn't authorize my biography.

[Joy]

I didn't authorize my biography.

Ha! Ha!

[Michael]

I didn't authorize my biography.

And two more Ha Has!

[Megan]

Wars of the Roses again!

The White Queen, ( Elizabeth Woodville), by Philippa Gregory


1464 - Cousin is at war with with cousin, at the houses of York and Lancaster tear themselves apart...

[Bonn1827]

This article in today's "The Australian" about increasing public incivility. Enjoy!

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225981896164

[Michael]

Reading (or rather re-reading) "Beethoven's Critics - Aesthetic Dilemmas and Resolutions during the Composer's Lifetime" by Robin Wallace.
Despite its mouthful of a title, this is an intriguing work which sets out to destroy the myth that Beethoven's music was not well received by the contemporary press.
We are all used to the usual quotations such as the one describing the finale of the second symphony as "a hideously writhing wounded dragon that refuses to expire" and so on. Wallace claims that those quotes are not typical and that, on the contrary, Beethoven was almost at once, and universally, recognised as a composer of genius, and this recognition is reflected in practically everything that was written about him in his lifetime".

[Joy]

Reading (or rather re-reading) "Beethoven's Critics - Aesthetic Dilemmas and Resolutions during the Composer's Lifetime" by Robin Wallace.
Despite its mouthful of a title, this is an intriguing work which sets out to destroy the myth that Beethoven's music was not well received by the contemporary press.
We are all used to the usual quotations such as the one describing the finale of the second symphony as "a hideously writhing wounded dragon that refuses to expire" and so on. Wallace claims that those quotes are not typical and that, on the contrary, Beethoven was almost at once, and universally, recognised as a composer of genius, and this recognition is reflected in practically everything that was written about him in his lifetime".

So glad to hear that, Michael. Thanks for this posting as I too was under the immperssion that a lot of Beethoven's works were not (shall we say) appreciated during his lifetime.

[Michael]

So glad to hear that, Michael. Thanks for this posting as I too was under the immperssion that a lot of Beethoven's works were not (shall we say) appreciated during his lifetime.

Well,so far, the first chapter doesn't seem to bear out Wallace's claim. While the critics seemed to be aware of his genius, they didn't accept everything he turned out as a masterpiece. They were not afraid to question his work but they did give him more column space than the other composers.
Maybe by chapter two he'll be getting the respect he deserves. (I read this about fifteen years ago so I have forgotten most of it.)

[Michael]

I am reading Seumus Heaney's translation of "Beowulf" at the moment, courtesy of my son who says I should improve my mind a bit more, and cut down on ghost and horror stories.
So, I am enjoying this ancient masterpiece about a group of people huddling in fear in their king's hall as a huge misshapen monster smashes down their door as a prelude to ripping them all asunder.

Makes a change from Stephen King.

[Peter]

Reading the letters of Van Gogh having just watched Waldemar Januszczack's excellent documentary - he also did a great programme on Toulouse Lautrec.

[Preston]

Reading the letters of Van Gogh having just watched Waldemar Januszczack's excellent documentary - he also did a great programme on Toulouse Lautrec.

I have not seen the Van Gogh film you mention though may look into it. I read the letters of Van Gogh and his family (mostly Theo - of course) from time to time. I have seen two films about Van Gogh. One a movie and the other a documentary - I guess you would call it?

The first is called "Lust for Life" and the latter is titled "Vincent". The film Vincent is interesting because it has a talented voice actor (who actually would remind me of how Van Gogh sounded - I think, ) and he reads the letters of Van Gogh to Theo while showing paintings of Van Gogh's. The film Vincent is generally called an 'artistic film', I think.

Lust for Life is probably the best movie about Van Gogh, at least from what I have read. I enjoyed it not because it was accurate or perfect but because it was just interesting to watch. I thought it had some very interesting scenes.

Have you seen either of these?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049456/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094269/

[Michael]

I've always wondered why the "Van" is always present in referring to Van Gogh but not in the case of Beethoven. Van Gogh: so why not Van Beethoven?
And they both had ear problems.

[Peter]

I've always wondered why the "Van" is always present in referring to Van Gogh but not in the case of Beethoven. Van Gogh: so why not Van Beethoven?
And they both had ear problems.

Well Gogh doesn't really seem to work on its own!