What are intellectuals good for?

An interesting article on intellectuals, and the joy of stumbling across great writers. Continuing with the theme, another engaging article on Bernard-Henri Levi and French intellectual interventionism. Is France the only country in the world where les intellos are still held in such high regard?
Enjoy.

Ummmm, awesome.

Awesome people reading.
That is all.

Annals of Commencement

The always entertaining David Sedaris.
The only problem I find with his writing is that I have read almost everything he's written. Please sir, may I have some more!
Enjoy.

Surrender?

What a beautifully uplifting article from NPR about cultural consumption. What I immediately thought: I need to read some Ginsberg.
Enjoy.

His belly full of unconditional love.

Here's David Sedaris reading from his new book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.
He always has me laughing out loud.
Enjoy.

The internet is evil.

A great article about the changes occuring in our brains as a result of the internet, and how it's opposite is found in the novel.

Fantastic

A fantastic idea! Love the jibe at the end of this post about real books. I am still undecided about the e-reader vs real book phenomenon (can't we all just get along?)

Happy Boxing Day

Hope you had a nice Christmas, whether you celebrate it or not. I ate tooo much food both for breakfast and for lunch...then had my mother's amazing cauliflower and crab soup for dnner, because, you know, its Christmas. This was washed down with two bottles of champagne - Cattier and Bolinger (only la france knows how to make champagne!)

The only thing I missed was the morning paper, although I compensated this morning with the Saturday papers and two cups of coffee (I believe I had made mention of my excitement at reading The Guardian next year).
Thats about it for the Christmas rundown - lots of The Office and laying about  a la the kitten above, reading the next 50 Popular Penguins which was a complete surprise and joy to receive; first on the list: Austen's Persuasion.
...so thats it.

oh, and I leave for the UK in ONE WEEK!

Book Review

Bryan Appleyard on John Gray on religion.
Good stuff.

American Journeys

I have finally read Don Watson's American Journeys which lived up to - nay, exceeded - my (substantial) expectations.
Amusing, clever, insightful and as another of my favourite writers David Sedaris concludes on the book's cover: "the best book written by an outsider about America". Somehow, it acheives what I think is a sign of truly great writers; an ability to perfectly encapsulate the indescribable.

" Something at the centre of the American spirit cannot tolerate human insignificance. There can be no defeat, spiritual or temporal. Americans are geared to believe in themselves: and if that is not possible, they must believe in Jesus risen, or Elvis risen, or the president, or sports stars, or movie stars, or a brand of motor vehicle or soft drink, or the United States itself, or any other surrogate for the imperfect self. No other culture is so disinclined to believe in the futility of existence. The cross, the high-five  and the facelift all express the same conviction that life is winnable. For the outsider, at first this feels unnaturally positive: but in time the same radical notion takes hold, and he finds himself wondering if the really unnatural thing is to think life lacks meaning and death always wins. He thus regains his innocence and becomes and American in spirit."

There you have it, the paradox of the American psyche explained in a paragraph.


More to go on the reading list: Reappraisals by Tony Judt.

Books that changed the world

A great, great article on books that helped to change the world.
Enjoy.

Reading

Yet another book to add to my reading list

The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins.

A great, bonfire-burning rage against what I must admit, is a viewpoint I have little time for: creationism.

Essential reading for the holiday christmas party season

Food for thought

An interesting article about journalism and philosophy.
I very much like the idea of the newspaper as a morning prayer; its the closest I come to worship!
I'm especially excited for the Saturday papers tomorrow.