Favorite books

Some book quotes that amuse me

A few Amazon book reviews

Favorite music

Favorite 80’s albums

Latest interests

I like to read aloud and David tolerates my foisting upon him of amusing or intriguing literature. So “we” recently finished Bryon’s book, one section at a time each night. Other than that I’ve been reading or re-reading (for a while now) several very interesting non-fiction books.

The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language by John McWhorter
Don’t Know Much About The Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book but Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (a history and exploration of science, more tongue in cheek narrative than in depth educational)
A Hope in the Unseen by Ron Suskind. David read this inner-city-kid-transitions- to-Ivy-League book years ago and it has languished on my shelf. Now it’s compelling bedtime reading.

Rarely do I hear and like multiple songs by the same artist and I’ve fallen prey to too many one-hit wonders. Thus I’ve not purchased any new albums in a while. There are groups and songs that show tremendous promise, though, and some older albums I’d love to get or have and am listening to frequently these days.

Gillian Welch is a country-folk singer with a wonderful voice and simple songs
The White Stripes are fantastic in their retro-punk-pop-rock creations
The New Tuesday Weld’s I, Lucifer is a dark-pop concept album that makes me tingle with joy; unfortunately I couldn’t find it in Beaumont.
Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse’s music is great fun for dancing and on the road.
 

Book quotes

“With an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny, he invented chlorofluorcarbons, or CFCs.” --discussing Thomas Midgley Jr.s follow-up to the invention and worldwide implementation of leaded gasoline. From Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything (p. 151)

Some of Michelle’s favorite literature

Book Reviews

Revel in the Phrasing: Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

A retired professor, confined to a wheelchair in his family home in northern California, collects notes to write his grandmother's life story and ends up telling his own. There is no raucous action, no grand finale, no hysterical laughter. The book's strength comes not from the plot but from the way the words are set out. Many characters float in and out of this exploration of life in the West but it is Lyman Ward, the modern narrator, whose tale binds the entire work. And Lyman Ward is dying. Having sensed tragedy on several levels and enraptured by the language, I was in no hurry to finish Angle of Repose. At times I put the book down, uninterested in finding out how the characters' often miserable lives turned out. The ending is a blur. But all of those reservations are overshadowed by detailed recollections of life in the mining towns of New Almaden, Colorado, Idaho, and Grass Valley, and stunning descriptions of desolation, heartbreak, love, and trust. I loved how the story shifted from then to "now" and back again, sometimes leaving you wondering about time and space for a page or two. I grew up around many of the places Stegner includes in the book and I am grateful for his descriptions of life before the shopping centers, highways, and relatively easy living came to strip away the raw nature and risk involved in living there. Controversy surrounding Stegner's un-acknowledged use of the Foote letters as basis for Susan Ward's writings does not detract from the best parts of the book (and there are so many of them). His writing is rich and luscious beyond (my) words. Even if you don't finish it, read some of this book and revel in the phrasing.

Ups and Downs of Late 80's Travel in PRC: Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux

I was assigned this book for a class in modern Asian history. The professor was deadly dull, but I'm glad I took the class because it led me to Paul Theroux. In RtIR I found some of the funniest and most memorable bits of nonfiction in my life. (I’ve since gone on to read a great deal more non-fiction and have loved it, so this book holds a special place in my heart.) China is a truly unique place and Theroux seems very well suited to its mysteries. The author has made a career out of sharing the wit and wisdom of his travels in the world (fiction as well as non). As in all Theroux’s travel tales, he points out everything odd and fascinating along the route to and through the area he's focused on, including meaningful chunks of local history, literature, and cultural background. This is very literate travel writing and, taken with a grain of salt, can be highly educational though parts are a bit dated now. You'll learn nearly as much about Theroux (or the character of Theroux, travel writer) as you do about the place. There is no story here: this is travel writing and you must go with the flow or put the book down. But the payoffs are tremendous; there tend to be dozens of "I gotta read this to somebody" passages in travel literature. This one is no exception. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in modern China and some humor.

The beginning of an obsession for some: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Like others, I came to this novel after years of it being pushed upon me like a drug. "Read it, you'll love it!" It took several starts and a snowy winter far from home to finally render the book's period drama elements understandable. As a student and fan of history, particularly women's history, I was initially drawn in not by the plot of the story (though it is what soon carries you through to the delicious conclusion) but by the fascination of viewing family life in another time. While reading it I began exploring life in England in the early 1800's. As with any period piece, geographical, political, and mannerly allusions are lost without some historical understanding of the time. Having taught literature, I realize that not every great book is for every person. The Bennett family are immediately presented in an amusing light but you'll see it only if you get into the language and manners of the time period. The book is very much a romance and you must be willing and able to romanticize to truly appreciate the heroine's struggle and change of heart. So don't feel you must read it just because others tell you to. But if you find yourself in a wistful mood, ready to be immersed in another world, give this one a try. Chances are, it will lead you to a minor obsession with Jane Austen.

Music

Some favorite musicians/groups

A few good albums released in the 80’s

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me ~ The Cure
Gothic new wave band (moody electronic music). Other Cure fans might poo-poo this largely upbeat album, but it's pure dark delight to me.

Indigo Girls ~ Indigo Girls
Female folk duo. Beautifully harmonized songs feel like a sitting-close-around-
the-fire gathering, recorded just for you.

Genesis ~ Genesis
The first cassette tape I owned, this album took me from childhood to adolescence with its balance of radio-friendly pop and un-radio-friendly long musical explorations.

Beat This: The Best of the English Beat ~ English Beat
Beat created every tune with a message and a wink. Just try and sit still.

Valley Girl: Music From The Soundtrack ~ Various Artists
One of my favorite movies and it's my favorite soundtrack. Three great Plimsouls tunes plus amusing assortment of new wave music.

The Whole Story ~ Kate Bush
Kate's music is atmospheric, quirky, and mostly timeless all the same.

Violent Femmes ~ Violent Femmes
A bass-heavy rock band. You'll know all the words on your second listen. Not dancing music, this is amusing sing-along stuff.

The Lion and the Cobra ~ Sinead O'Connor
Politics and public persona aside, Sinead is a great singer who injects intriguing melodies with raw emotion.

Eurythmics - Greatest Hits ~ Eurythmics
Ballads to bass lines, pop to odd, Annie and Dave have got it all.

Avalon ~ Roxy Music
Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music's moody, smooth pop at its best.

Uh-Huh ~ John Cougar Mellencamp
Old-fashioned feel and thoughtful lyrics made Mellencamp's down home rock palatable even to music snobs.

Graceland ~ Paul Simon
South African rhythms. I grew up on Simon and Garfunkel folk and Simon's 70's pop. Graceland was my transition to adulthood. Troubling, amusing, solid.

Moving Pictures ~ Rush
Largely instrumental rock (songs run five minutes or more) with thoughtful lyrics. Rush is crafted, pensive metal at its finest.

Life’s Rich Pageant ~ R.E.M.
I know there may be better-liked songs or albums by REM out there, but from beginning to end this album keeps my interest like no other.

The Joshua Tree ~ U2
Like the REM album in terms of one-among-many, this one just sucks me in. One of those albums I ended up with on vinyl, tape, and CD.

5150 ~ Van Halen
This is heading-to-the-beach-with-your-best-friend music. It's Van Hagar synth-pop-rock and it's fun.

Purple Rain ~ Prince
A societal gap closer if ever I saw one, this blend of pop, rock, and soul could inspire and please almost any music fan. Soundtrack to movie of same name.

Like, Omigod! The '80s Pop Culture Box (Totally) [BOX SET]
Okay, it's a collection and not an album, per se, but if you're interested in 80's music then you gotta check this box set out. Rounds out rock of the 80's with pop of the 80's.

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