connoisseur series500

It's an idiom, Jim. An idiom.

I love Friedrich's work so much that I bought a couple of books so I could look at his pictures. Penguin books used a Friedrich painting on the cover of Neitzche's "Ecce Homo." Great Romantic painter. I'm surprised that his work isn't found in many of the great museums of the world. Is most of his stuff in German museums? Perhaps the curators and trust committees just dropped the ball when his paintings were on sale. Interesting to know.

Which jazz artist or cd do you find very spiritual? John Coltrane's music would be an obvious example, but what of others? I found Salim Washington's "Love in Exile" to be a beautiful spiritual experience. I also think that much of Andrew Hill's music is very spiritual. Any other ideas?

I don't drink any soft drinks nor any liquid with sugar in it. Sugar is all over the solid foods I eat, so I put my foot down when it comes to liquids! Just hot tea without sugar, and plain old water. I do, however, eat bad things, so I'm not a gastronomic saint by any means.

Sorry to hear about your mishaps, Alex. Seems like you handled it the best you could. You obviously didn't take advantage of his drunken state to level him, but that was probably wise. Hmm, maybe better keep away from the proletariat masses next time, Alex Good news that your daughter will be fine.

sorry for getting this off topic. I should check out the reading thread. Good stuff you're reading.

And I'm focusing on my chess studies. Sorry, Joe. Wish I could. Mny, what Russians you reading? I've read a lot of Russian literature though it has been a long time.

How much you pay for a gig like that? $8

Can't improve much on GOM's comments. I highly recommend "Confessions of Nat Turner" (riveting) and his book of essays which I've forgotten the name of. Sounds like GOM has read more of Styron than I have.

Well, I got my own little party going on here accompanied by Jimmy Smith on the organ and Kenny Burrell on guitar and Grady Tate on drums. We're having a high old time!

Looks like you and I are the only two who are awake right now, Mny! Maybe everyone else is drunk or something.

Happy July 4th, everyone! :rsmile: B)

Okay, I managed to dig up a few books. Here is a good quote from "Wild Palms:" "I found out some time back that it's idleness breeds all our virtues, our most bearable qualities-contemplation, equableness, laziness, letting other people alone; good digestion mental and physical: the wisdom to concentrate on fleshly pleasures--eating and evacuating and fornication and sitting in the sun--than which there is nothing better, nothing to match, nothing else in all this world but to live for the short time you are loaned breath, to be alive and know it--oh, yes, she taught me that; she has marked me too for ever--nothing, nothing. But it was only recently I have clearly seen, followed out the logical conclusion, that is is one of what we call the prime virtues--thrift, industry, independence--that breeds all the vices--fanaticism, smugness, meddling, rear, and worst of all, respectability. Us, for instance. Because of the fact that for the first we were solvent, knew for certain where tomorrow's food was coming from (the damned money, too much of it; at night we would lie awake and plan how to get it spent..."

She's a big name, but somehow I missed her in my readings. Tell us more, Moose.

Flannery O' Connor is a brilliant writer. Her sense of humor is amazing, but there is always a very dark side to her stories. Her work is also deeply disturbing. The critics like to talk about her Christian view of life. In the end, Faulkner is the greater writer. He probed deeper into the mysteries of life, I think, and in such beautiful prose. I still have to dig up my copies of his novels... Another Southern writer who couldn't quite escape the Faulkner influence is William Styron. It's hard for any Southern writer to escape the Faulkner shadow.

Also, speaking of Hemingway; this also from Blotner's bio: "Poor bloke, to have to marry three times to find out that marriage is a failure, and the only way to get any peace out of it is (if you are fool enough to marry at all) keep the first one and stay as far away from her as much as you can, with the hope of some day outliving her. At least you will be safe then from any other one marrying you--which is bound to happen if you ever divorce her."

The Blotner bio is very good. As a famous man after winning the Nobel Prize, he once said to a class of students at a University: "I'm inclined to think that the only peace man knows is--he says, Why good gracious yesterday I was happy...That maybe peace is only a condition in retrospect, when the subconscious had got rid of the gnats and the tacks and the broken glass in experience and has left only the peaceful pleasant things--that was peace. Maybe peace is not is, but was." Beautiful!

An excellent first one to read, in my opinion. "Light in August" is very readable. Another good one to start with, which no one seems to mention is "Wild Palms/Old Man." Beautiful story. I'll see if I can search my boxes to find it and offer a few beautiful quotes.

Aww c'mon, Mny! I want a Cliff Notes summary up front! No, seriously, everyone. Faulkner's books are so involved that a short plot summary does no harm whatsoever.

Nice giving key points of the book away!! Remind me not to read a thread on books or movies where you post!! It's OK, Shrugs, nothing has been ruined. Mny's commentary looks like it came directly from one of the websites he quoted Come on Mny! Nothing has been ruined. There's so much in the book that it isn't funny. Mny's short summary can only help you as it is actually very difficult to follow the plot upon first reading. It actually helps to get a little help up front before picking up the book. There is so much richness in there that knowing a basic outline of the plot does not hurt. No need to jump on Mny. This is a well known book and we haven't revealed much at all. I was just waiting for others to comment before really bringing up other detailed aspects of the book. BTW, feel free to reveal details about Absalom, Absalom. I will happily use whatever help up front before actually reading the book.

I've managed to accumulate six of the Three Sounds sessions, but it isn't easy. I can think of no other BN artist(s) where such a high proportion of their dates are out of print. It's very frustrating for us other "fanatics," Dan.

Not only have I read "Sound and the Fury," but I've read it around five times!! I once used it as one of the assigned novels when I taught an American Novel course in Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok when I worked there for three years. Imagine young proper Thai coeds reading that book when English is not their main language! I handled it by reading the book aloud sentence by sentence and tried to explicate every sentence along the way. Can you believe that? God, that book is a masterpiece. I don't know if the young Thai coeds identified with Cady at all. Her ways would appear so foreign to them (unless there was a secret naughty side!) I taught this course about 18 years ago, so I have forgotten much. I've got two bios of Faulkner, one by Blotner and the other by a guy named, Karl, I believe. I read the Blotner bio. "Sound and the Fury" is divided into four main sections. The first is told by Benjy in his idiot language; the second is a nihilistic and existential discourse by Quentin as he prepares to kill himself (I think.) The third section is both a shocking and humorous section told by Jason, and the final section is told by the black maid, Dilsey, who is the most rational and normal character. The story comes together in pieces and is repeated at times through the prism of the various characters. Brilliantly done. This brings up a point...I remember Jimmie Baldwin criticizing Faulkner's view of the Civil Rights Movement, but I cannot recall what he thought of Faulkner's books. I wonder what black Americans think of Faulkner's negro characters. He was a Southerner and held many Southern views, but he was also an accurate judge of character. Anyone know anything about that?

I know that Joe Xmas is a Faulkner fan. Any others out there? Faulkner was one of America's greatest writers. I find many of his works to be flawed, which should not be surprising given the chances he took in his writings. I have been disappointed by books like "Sanctuary," "As I lay Dying," which is a real bore, and much of his later stuff. On the other hand, "Sound and the Fury" is an undoubted masterpiece; and "Light in August," "Wild Palms/Old Man," and many of his stories are virtual masterpieces as well. I haven't read all of his work, but I've read much of it. One notable exception would be "Absalom, Absalom." Never read it and I think I was frightened away by its reputed difficulty. I've also read a biography of the great man. He was catankerous but what an artist! OK, your turn Joe. Tell us about your favorites.

BTW, I should also mention that even if you receive a call from a telemarketer who happens to be calling from one of the industries who are exempt from the Do Not Call List, such as long distance telephone companies, insurers, banks and credit unions, airlines, etc, you can STILL request to be placed on that company's own Do Not Call List, and that request has to be honored. Each company has its own Do Not Call List as well. It's more time consuming as you have to make this request for every company that calls you, but if you really don't want to be called, that's what you have to do. I get most of my calls from credit card people and long distance telephone companies. Please note that credit card people are not exempt from the list. Banks are and they rarely call (they don't have to: they've already got their target market trapped as customers!), so you should no longer get calls from those guys if you register for the list. I'll register myself, but will wait for the rush to cool off a bit first.

From this list of British people I voted for George Washington, who was easily one of our greatest presidents. Not only was he personally beyond reproach, but he set the tone for the presidency. He made sure that the office would not mimic royalty and was determined to step down after serving his time. He was a very average general but an outstanding politician and leader. A great great British err American!