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.

Bloodlands

Here's a great review of Timonthy Snyder's book Bloodlands.
Surely, a unit on the history of twentieth century Europe next semester can justify this purchase?
Enjoy.

The pursuit of happiness

A great review from the New York Review of books featuring Exploring Happiness and The Politics of Happiness - written by a husband and wife!
Enjoy.

What can you do in twenty five words?

I can post the link to the New Yorker's review of  “Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer”. That's about it.
Enjoy.

Review

This book look great!
Combines history, politics, French intellectualism and China - all interesting topics in my opinion.
Am very much looking forward to catching up with my reading over the holidays.

Does this make you laugh?

...And does it want to make you read The Interrogative Mood: A Novel?
The review in the Guardian is, as with Padgett Powell's novel, written entirely in questions. You can tell, I think, that reviewer Stephen Poole is enjoying himself:
"Am I halfway through this review yet? Is it getting difficult to keep asking questions? Is it getting difficult to keep reading them? Would you like me to stop? Have you, in a curious way, almost forgotten what a simple declarative statement sounds like in your head, its comfortingly parabolic music? Do you feel as though you are talking to a teenager? Or are you fully acclimatised, by now, to the interrogative mood? Do you even like it?"
After reading this, it seems to only proper way to respond to such a book. Perhaps a reminder that often its not the answers we love, but the questions.
Read the full review here.
Enjoy (?)

Four Ate Five

This looks like a good breakfast place to try when I get back to Sydney.
I just don't think you can beat a good "brekkie"...including coffee and papers, of course.

The Twisted art of the Documentary

One more fascinating article from the New York Review of Books, this time about the documentary as an art form. This made me think of the recently released The Arbour, a film which blends fact and fiction to explore the life of playwright Andrea Dunbar. Despite the reviewers comment that it "blazes a trail to nowhere", I am still eager to see it. I also enjoyed the comments berating the reviewer.
Enjoy.

Decison Points

A handy guide to George W. Bush's just-released memoir Decision Points courtesy of The Daily Beast. I have to admit I am now curious to read it myself - something I never thought I would admit.
Enjoy.

A great review of Philip Roth's new novel Nemesis.
I love the opening, in which Edward Docx admits "its my belief that Philip Roth...can write whatever the hell he likes". Admissions such as this make run-of-the-mill criticism so much more interesting.
Enjoy.

Although of course you end up becoming yourself

A review of a great looking book about David Foster Wallace.
Enjoy.

"Dinner parties are mere formalities; but you invite a man to breakfast because you want to see him."

This is a great blog that reviews breakfast places in London.

I have a breakfast date with a friend who I haven't seen for months on Sunday morning and can't wait!
...and to read while you have brekkie: London Caff's.

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.

An Education

I recently (finally) saw An Education. Great film with rich sets and a killer soundtrack; and no overacted characters.

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.