Now reading...

[GA Russell]

On 5/29/2024 at 4:10 PM, jazzbo said:

I'll be prepared to feel tiresome then as it was Allhof I picked up.

Lon, I forgot about the first one I read, Volume 2 of the Cardigan stories by Frederick Nebel.  I liked these stories more than the others.

[jazzbo]

40 minutes ago, GA Russell said:

Lon, I forgot about the first one I read, Volume 2 of the Cardigan stories by Frederick Nebel.  I liked these stories more than the others.

Thanks!

[HutchFan]

After recently seeing George Clinton & P-Funk in concert -- an astounding experience -- I started reading this:

[sidewinder]

Recently bought a copy of Ben Markley's 'Cedar - The Life and Music of Cedar Walton' - currently in the pending pile after I have finished the 3 extensive volumes of James Lees-Milne's diaries.

[Ken Dryden]

[JSngry]

On 6/5/2024 at 2:59 PM, HutchFan said:

After recently seeing George Clinton & P-Funk in concert -- an astounding experience -- I started reading this:

Whaddya' think?

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Whaddya' think?

So far, so good.   I haven't made it very into it yet, though.  

 

[JSngry]

Wonder if it was going to be sociological, musicological, biographicological, or a little bit of all of that.

[HutchFan]

It focuses mostly on the music -- but there's also some biographical and sociological aspects too.

[GA Russell]

The author was the engineer, and sometimes also the producer, of a number of very popular rock albums between 1965 and 1974.

Tons of name dropping.  Few stories would be interesting to the reader who was unfamiliar with the musicians or the albums.

Not informative regarding the actions of an engineer or a producer.

[JSngry]

18 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

It focuses mostly on the music -- but there's also some biographical and sociological aspects too.

Music, like technically aware, or music, like records and stuff?

Hate to keep asking, but this music is substantial enough that a really knowing, insightful book about both the music and the people and the business is something for which I would go all in.

A "fan overview", not so much.

[HutchFan]

Jim, as far as my own assessment: I don't feel like I've read enough of the book yet to give you a meaningful answer. I'll check back in after I've read more. At that point, I can give an informed thumbs up or down.

That said, it's an ASCAP-Deems Taylor award-winning book, so I think it's safe to assume that it's not simply a "fan overview."

Also, FWIW, George Clinton wrote the foreward and he gives the book his seal of approval. 

 

[JSngry]

Well, George, I'm sure, has his price. LOL.

I'm just weary of music books that surf on the surface or even worse, use a lot of adjectives and not enough nouns. 

One of the best purely analytical expositions of "the one" was in that book about Herbie's Meandishi music. Kinda dry, but accurate and truthful.

I'd hope for that type of truth with a more...soulful? telling.

That, and talk to the players. They're dying off (or are already dead). A lot of people have their generic interview stories, but that's because they keep getting generic interview questions.

Fred Wesley's autobiography is a really good read, actually.

[rostasi]

In Conversation: Nicholas Day and Chris Raschka

[ghost of miles]

A fascinating account of W.E.B.  Du Bois’ unfinished book about Black soldiers in WW1:

 

NY Times book review

Edited June 17, 2024 by ghost of miles

[Ken Dryden]

This in depth look at the various weapons, documents and other tools developed by the OSS for use by their agents and also local underground saboteurs is fascinating.

[rostasi]

[rostasi]

[jlhoots]

Morgan Talty: Fire Exit

[rostasi]

[rostasi]

[Referentzhunter]

Tolstoy- Anna Karenina

Very boring, unnecessary passages, repetitions, clichés, couldn't connect with any of the characters.

It's simply a cliched soap i couldn't enjoy.

 

Edited July 8, 2024 by Referentzhunter

[Brad]

18 hours ago, Referentzhunter said:

Tolstoy- Anna Karenina

Very boring, unnecessary passages, repetitions, clichés, couldn't connect with any of the characters.

It's simply a cliched soap i couldn't enjoy.

Good thing; it's coherent, orderly

Did you ever read War and Peace?

[Referentzhunter]

9 hours ago, Brad said:

Did you ever read War and Peace?

I am thinking of skipping it. Do you recommend it ? 

[GA Russell]

Very good, but some of the chapters were unnecessarily confusing.