Ersatz TLS discussion

(It's still the 22nd in my neck of the woods...)

Greetings, eTLS!

Anne is unavailable this week, so it's up to me to start the new thread.  I won't even try to compete with her excellence; here's my usual mish-mash...

First, a photo, yet another owl.  This photo comes from a dear friend, who visits with this owl on his daily walks. Isn't he beautiful?


Next, a book rec:  I just finished Fight Night by Miriam Toews. She's stunning, I can't recommend her enough.

Next, a quiz...https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And finally, some personal news and an open survey to our members:  I've signed a lease on my new home, and I'm madly organizing a relocation scheduled for January 1st.  Because I can't seem to do anything the easy way, I'm sorting a million details over the holiday season and during an pandemic.   I'm coordinating movement from 2 different storage locations, arranging a pod-transfer from a third, shopping for furniture, figuring out color schemes, prepping Mario, who is keenly aware that change is in the air.  I'm preparing an order to IKEA (and a subsequent IKEA assembly party), which leads to my survey:  

Bookshelves:  glass doors or open shelves?  

Open shelves, for me. Glass doors would make me feel they were just there for display, not to be touched - let alone read!

For fans of great Russian works - https://www.npr.org/2021/11/22/105705...

Francis Spufford’s Golden Hill is a splendid book, set in Eighteenth-Century New York, when the city was a sort of rustic town with an ample dockyard. A mysterious Englishman arrives with a bill he claims grants him a small fortune, and cheerfully declines to give any explanation of his origins or his business. The novel pays tribute to the style of famous English writers of the period such as Henry Fielding, giving lush descriptions of icy streets. I’m tempted to read Spufford’s more recent offering, Light Perpetual. Thank you to everyone who recommended Golden Hill, this was a great find.
Turning to Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh.

Definitely open shelves for me. Glass shelves would be head-butted out of existence 20 seconds post-installation in my house

Open shelves - you'd have to clean the glass every so often! The only glass-fronted bookshelf we have was originally intended for plates, etc. - a sort of built-in Welsh dresser - we have two, one on either side of the fireplace. On one side - plates; on the other - books.

Now if they were stained-glass doors one could have more prestigious books depicted on them, to disguise the cartloads of gothic romances, spy thrillers, and trashy Harold Robbins paperbacks that actually occupy the bulk of one's shelves - or perhaps even multiple sets of glass doors, to be changed according to the visitor or guest of the moment.

Lljones wrote: "(It's still the 22nd in my neck of the woods...)

Greetings, eTLS!

Anne is unavailable this week, so it's up to me to start the new thread.  I won't even try to compete with her excellence; here's..."


Thanks for the new thread Lisa, and the lovely photo of the owl.

I agree with the others - open shelves - no fingermarks, no shattering, and much more inviting.

Good luck with your house move, but is not 1st January a holiday in the States? You would get nothing done here in the UK on that date!

Thanks for starting us off Ll.
To add my vote for your books- like everyone else so far - open shelves!

When I enter a house for the first time I check on whether there are books, if they are few, if they are many; if they are too neatly arranged - which is a bad sign - or if they are all over the place - which is a good sign, and so on.

from Involuntary Witness by Gianrico Carofiglio
What do people think about the section in bold (highlighted by me)? Do you agree?

Gpfr wrote: "Thanks for starting us off Ll.
To add my vote for your books- like everyone else so far - open shelves!
When I enter a house for the first time I check on whether there are books, if they are few, ..."

Haha! Yes, indeed... I may have been the first to recommend Carofiglio on here - he feels like a kindred spirit!

scarletnoir wrote: "I may have been the first to recommend Carofiglio on here ..."

I think you were - I got the recommendation from you anyway, so thanks again! This is the 3rd of the Guido Guerrieri books I've read, though the 1st in the series.

Afternoon all, bit tardy as i had a dentists appointment with my Afrikaner dentist and the rugby chat took up 75% of the visit!

Cold snap for first time this autumn, barely 7c today but i like it and the shorter days

On the subject of "cagoule" Robert, in UK, cagoule can refer to a "term for a lightweight (usually without lining), weatherproof raincoat or anorak with a hood". ie. totally unsuitable for a scottish summer monsoon!

As for my reading:

I start with The Man Who Snapped his Fingers a europa editions novel by Fariba Hacthroudi(2014). References to Iran and its prisons abound with an interesting style of split narratives between torturer and the tortured. One seeking asylum in France, the other working as Farsi translator for the French Interior Ministry

Wolle's The Ideal World of Dictatorship is a thorough, witty and in-depth appraisal of the DDR between 1971 and 1989. There is so much to cover and i'm not even half way through as like all good non-fiction there is so much to digest and mull over

Wieland by Charles Brockdon Brown (1798) has started well, i am gripped by the strange events in this post-revolutionary American tale, set in Pennsylvania. Arguably the first great american novel after independence

Lastly Raymond Williams and his essays on Wales are a joy, he is an earnest forthright presence with articles selected from accross many, mostly left wing, journals and newspapers from the 1970s to 1990s. I must read some of his fiction soon.

oh and with bookshelves....open shelves all the way!

Gpfr wrote: "Thanks for starting us off Ll.
To add my vote for your books- like everyone else so far - open shelves!
When I enter a house for the first time I check on whether there are books, if they are few, ..."

One may be deceived about the number of books in a house. Someone coming here would see some cookery books and a small basket with some poetry but miss completely the couple of thousand upstairs and several hundred on electronic devices.

Open shelves for me, too although I do have a few specials carefully wrapped.

Berkley wrote: "Now if they were stained-glass doors one could have more prestigious books depicted on them, to disguise the cartloads of gothic romances, spy thrillers, and trashy Harold Robbins paperbacks that a..."

Great visual. 😉

giveusaclue wrote: "Good luck with your house move, but is not 1st January a holiday in the States? ..."

A holiday, yes. But management kindly allows me to have some furniture deliveries early, so I'll be able to get started on the 1st.

Make no mistake - I have a LOT of work ahead of me!

Lljones wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "Good luck with your house move, but is not 1st January a holiday in the States?"

A holiday, yes. But management kindly allows me to have some furniture deliveries early, so...


Thanks, all, for comments on glass doors. I've changed my order! :)

Alex Ross: New and recent books on music: "Kira Thurman's Singing Like Germans is my unhesitating choice for music book of the year."


https://www.therestisnoise.com/2021/1...

https://twitter.com/John_Banville/sta...

This is a very funny thread that might serve as a good whistlestop for anyone branching into Irish fiction.

Hope all well in the various parishes hereabouts.

Reen wrote: "https://twitter.com/John_Banville/sta...

This is a very funny thread that might serve as a good whistlestop for anyone branching into Irish fiction.

Hope all well in the vario..."

I've only heard of most of the names, haven't read many of them, but still funny. I don't suppose any of them would be likely to take offence at Banville's joke?

Superb anecdote in Wolle's book about the DDR between 1971 and 1989

West German Chancellor Schmidt was due to visit Gustrow in the East, the Stasi had analysed the townsfolk and predicted that maybe 600 or so may show a favourable reception to Schmidt and were horrified. So they removed the "troublesome"p opulation from the town, ordered many other residents to stay away from the town centre and then bussed in large numbers of party members and affiliated groups to pose as locals. (West German journalists noted many Saxon accents amid the fake locals)

Schmidt had a good if rather ghostly visit to the town, declining an offer to play the organ in the local church while the stasi and Honecker were happy to prevent any mass greetings for their "guest".

Bill wrote: "Alex Ross: New and recent books on music: "Kira Thurman's Singing Like Germans is my unhesitating choice for music book of the year."

[bookcover:Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land o..."

I have a copy of The Rest is Noise but not sure when I'll get around to starting it. I'm also considering Ross's book on pop music, Listen to This - have you ever thought about reading that one? I ask because of your lack of interest in the subject, if that makes any sense.

Berkley wrote: "Reen wrote: "https://twitter.com/John_Banville/sta...

This is a very funny thread that might serve as a good whistlestop for anyone branching into Irish fiction.

Hope all well..."

A lot of very good writers in there, well worth a read.

It's not the real JB so I don't suppose they'd hold it against him and, anyway, I think they'd see the funny side.

Berkley wrote: " I'm also considering Ross's book on pop music, Listen to This - have you ever thought about reading that one? I ask because of your lack of interest in the subject, if that makes any sense."

I looked up Listen to This after I finished The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, but it’s described as a collection of Ross’ New Yorker columns – which I wasn’t too interested in (I have 4 volumes of Andrew Porter’s collected columns for the magazine – but I kind of ran out of steam on them somewhere in the second tome). I see from descriptions and reviews on Goodreads that it includes pieces on Dylan, Bjork, and Radiohead, but isn’t exclusively about pop music.

I did read John Rockwell’s All American Music, another highbrow music critic’s mix of pieces on a wide range of music genres, some years ago when it was new. Though I borrowed the book from friend who was strictly a classical listener and player, it contained pieces on music another friend of mine had expressed enthusiasm for – Talking Heads and Ornette Coleman (their combined influences was the reason I went to see Stop Making Sense). Rockwell was not successful in converting me to these artists, nor to Philip Glass, on whom he lavished his most rapturous prose. (I just recalled that I never bothered to listen to Glass' alternative soundtrack on my DVD of Dracula.) Nor did the book get me any closer than my pre-existing somewhat-greater-than-arm’s-length appreciation of John Cage and Milton Babbitt.

Berkley wrote: "I've only heard of most of the names, haven't read many of them"

Colin Barrett's Young Skins is one of my favourite books of recent years.

Bill wrote: "I looked up Listen to This after I finished The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, but it’s described as a collection of Ross’ New Yorker columns – which I wasn’t too interested in (I have 4 volumes of Andrew Porter’s collected columns for the magazine – but I kind of ran out of steam on them somewhere in the second tome). I see from descriptions and reviews on Goodreads that it includes pieces on Dylan, Bjork, and Radiohead, but isn’t exclusively about pop music.

I did read John Rockwell’s All American Music, another highbrow music critic’s mix of pieces on a wide range of music genres, some years ago when it was new. Though I borrowed the book from friend who was strictly a classical listener and player, it contained pieces on music another friend of mine had expressed enthusiasm for – Talking Heads and Ornette Coleman (their combined influences was the reason I went to see Stop Making Sense). Rockwell was not successful in converting me to these artists, nor to Philip Glass, on whom he lavished his most rapturous prose. (I just recalled that I never bothered to listen to Glass' alternative soundtrack on my DVD of Dracula.) Nor did the book get me any closer than my pre-existing somewhat-greater-than-arm’s-length appreciation of John Cage and Milton Babbitt."

I like the bits of Philip Glass that I've heard - the Koyannisqatsi (sp?) soundtrack, a few other things. I always assumed he was considered more of a classical (albeit experimental) than a pop composer, but I'm really not up on these things.

The idea of this niche or sub-genre of classical music critics writing about pop music appeals to me for some reason, so I might have a look for the Rockwell book, though over half the names listed on the front cover are unfamiliar to me. Maybe the Ross as well, though I'll read The Rest is Noise first and see what I think of that one.

SydneyH wrote: "Berkley wrote: "I've only heard of most of the names, haven't read many of them"

Colin Barrett's Young Skins is one of my favourite books of recent years."

Hadn't heard about Barrett until now, will keep the name in mind for when I get into some more recent writing.

Berkley wrote: "Hadn't heard about Barrett until now, will keep the name in mind"

Big 'like'.

Reen wrote: "https://twitter.com/John_Banville/

This is a very funny thread that might serve as a good whistlestop for anyone branching into Irish fiction.."

Very amusing! And was pleased after a bit to see some writers I've read.

Further to all the great owl photos people have been posting, I was amused yesterday to see that Stanfords has 2 owl calendars this year, one big, one small:
https://www.stanfords.co.uk/Owls-2022...
https://www.stanfords.co.uk/Audubon-L...

Gpfr wrote: "Further to all the great owl photos people have been posting, I was amused yesterday to see that Stanfords has 2 owl calendars this year, one big, one small:
https://www.stanfords.co.uk/Owls-2022-W..."

its been a good year for owls. my father spent about 3 years placing owl boxes in odd locations(i helped with one on a sweltering day in a tin shelter, sweaty,very sweaty) and in June he spotted a barn owl had nested in one of them and produced owlets. On many quiet visits at a distance, he observed the owls quartering the fields in the mid summer twilight, they were gone by mid August

Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering but is now a widow and four boys are without their grandfather.They were both vehemently anti- vaxx and refused to wear masks, for what spurious reason I do not know, very sad really.
Things have settled down a little now however and I was able to enjoy my 70th birthday - quietly- on Monday.
So books; I have started reading The Trojan Women by Pat Barker, Pyrrhos and the chosen Greeks are waiting in the wooden horse; to be continued..

Lljones wrote: "(It's still the 22nd in my neck of the woods...)

Greetings, eTLS!

Anne is unavailable this week, so it's up to me to start the new thread.  I won't even try to compete with her excellence; here's..."
Open shelves, despite the need for regular dusting.
What a beautiful owl in the photo by the way :)

Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering bu..."

Sorry to hear about your daughter-in-law's parents. It's very frustrating to see people who won't take simple precautions (even though of course these don't give 100% protection).
i'm glad you were able to enjoy your birthday.

Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering bu..."
Sorry to hear this Greenfairy, but glad to see you here again. A belated Happy Birthday to you.

Gpfr wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."

Thanks Gpfr 😊

CCCubbon wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."

CCCubbon wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."
Thanks CC, it's good to be in touch again ☺

Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering bu..."

Too late to wish you a happy birthday, so I wish you all the best and many happy returns!

I find it more and more difficult to deal with anti-vaxxers, mentally and emotionally.
Being ignorant, or even stupid, is not a character fault. So an anti-vaxxer can easily be a genuinely nice and loveable person. That is the leash I (have to) resolutely pull on when the "serves them right" thought enters my head.
Yet I find my compassion is a finite resource. Better spent on you and your family who didn't ask for that distress, and those who die because they had the misfortune to come too close to anti-vaxxers.
And then I start again with the "being ignorant...is not.....

Berkley wrote: "The idea of this niche or sub-genre of classical music critics writing about pop music appeals to me for some reason, so I might have a look for the Rockwell book, though over half the names listed on the front cover are unfamiliar to me. "

Glass is considered a classical composer, though one with “crossover” appeal. He may, in fact, appeal more to pop listeners than classical, but that perception may be the result of statistics: there are many more of the former than the latter. Glass’ “Heroes” Symphony is, I understand, based on a David Bowie album; it is probably unnecessary to say I have heard neither one.

My friend who liked Talking Heads and Ornette Coleman was also a fairly avid classical listener and chorister. He liked Glass (though I don't think he ever sung him) and went to see Satyagraha and a staging of Einstein on the Beach, events I would likely attend only at gunpoint.

Beyond Rockwell, I don’t recall that I’ve read any classical critics on pop music, nor am I aware of many beyond those already named. I know that Adorno, who himself composed some (to my ears) Webern-esque music, was critical of jazz; he saw it as some kind of capitalist plot, I believe.

Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering bu..."

very sad, the anti-mask /anti-vaxx stance seems a conduit for the misguided and the selfish

Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, she is recovering bu..."

My sympathies to the family, seems such a waste. And a belated many happy returns for Monday.

I have just finished reading



I did enjoy it although I thought on occasion she was a little longwinded, but I shall look forward the reading the next in the trilogy The House With The Golden Door to find out what happens to the heroine now (view spoiler)[that Pliny Snr has bought her freedom for her and supplied a house for her to live in (hide spoiler)]. It isn't due out until next May so in the meantime.... I have started on



Which is quite a tome, fortunately for my hands I am reading the ebook!

Excellent essay by Clair Wills in LRB on Netherne Hospital, her mothers work there as a nurse and the nature of institutions and the innmates, of systems that were so different in the 1940s and 1950s. Lobotomies, abortions, lithium treatment etc

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v43/n...

Despite having been an avid reader of Marvel comics in my youth, when I see "Hawkeye" trending on Twitter, my first association is with the M*A*S*H surgeon, and my second with the James Fenimore Cooper character.

Georg wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."

My eldest grandson struggled with the fact that his grandfather was being so stubborn, and then when he died, the poor lad felt quite guilty, he has resolved his confusion now, and is doing his best to comfort his little brother. I spent some time being exasperated with that couple but never wished them any harm.
Thanks for the Happy Returns😄

giveusaclue wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."

giveusaclue wrote: "Greenfairy wrote: "Hello group,I hope everyone is well, it has been hard to concentrate on books lately as my daughter - in law's father has died from covid, his wife was on a ventilator as well, s..."
Thanks for the symathies and the greetings Georg.

Bill wrote: "Berkley wrote: "The idea of this niche or sub-genre of classical music critics writing about pop music appeals to me for some reason, so I might have a look for the Rockwell book, though over half ..."

Bill wrote: "Berkley wrote: "The idea of this niche or sub-genre of classical music critics writing about pop music appeals to me for some reason, so I might have a look for the Rockwell book, though over half ..."

Bill wrote: "Berkley wrote: "The idea of this niche or sub-genre of classical music critics writing about pop music appeals to me for some reason, so I might have a look for the Rockwell book, though over half ..."
I think that there may be quite a bit of crossover between musicians recently .
A few years ago now I went to a Paul Simon concert, The keyboard player in his band was quite a virtuoso and his "day job" was working with Philip Glass. It's a good thing that snobbery between genres is becoming a thing of the past ?

It is so sad when this happens to someone. I don’t know much about the reasons for refusing the vaccine, know some are on religious grounds, some influenced by social media, but they must feel strongly that they are right.
Of course, if they do not fall victim then, to them, point proved. From the viewpoint of someone vaccinated it seems very selfish to refuse and consequently be likely to pass the virus to others who may become very ill.
I would like to see young people given more lessons in critical thinking, learning to consider problems from all angles for I feel that this awareness is lacking in many sections of society today. I remain convinced that it is one of the reasons that this country is behind many others in numeracy and mathematics and this shortcoming, lack of critical awareness is responsible for people deciding against the vaccine.
I shall climb down from the soapbox!

It is always wise to remind people that they should look carefully at where their information is coming from but right -wing governments don't like being questioned.
My turn to make room on the soap box ☺

Bill wrote: "Glass’ “Heroes” Symphony is, I understand, based on a David Bowie album; it is probably unnecessary to say I have heard neither one."

Bowie's 'Heroes' provides the soundtrack to one of my favourite videos of all time - which I used annually to explain to my students how NOT to light a bonfire!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQF57...

CCCubbon wrote: "I would like to see young people given more lessons in critical thinking, learning to consider problems from all angles for I feel that this awareness is lacking in many sections of society today."

Unfortunately I have to agree with Jonathan Swift, whose (adapted) comment was:

“You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place.”

It's not that I disagree with you - I do, of course - but often with certain people 'reason' and 'logic' have absolutely nothing with the way they reach their (received) opinions. I use the quote to describe Brexiters who simply deny the slow-motion car-crash which is ongoing, and insist that everything in the garden is lovely - or if it isn't, it's the fault of the EU! It doesn't help that they usually read papers which give a lot of space to proven liars to make their points (no names mentioned here).

I'd like to add my condolences to Greenfairy and her family... and to reinforce the point that vaccination is not just for oneself, but for the good of others. Not all of us can produce an adequate antibody response even after vaccination, so what others do matters in a very direct way.

Bill wrote: "

Glass is considered a classical composer, though one with “crossover” appeal. He may, in fact, appeal more to pop listeners than classical, but that perception may be the result of statistics: there are many more of the former than the latter. Glass’ “Heroes” Symphony is, I understand, based on a David Bowie album; it is probably unnecessary to say I have heard neither one.

My friend who liked Talking Heads and Ornette Coleman was also a fairly avid classical listener and chorister. He liked Glass (though I don't think he ever sung him) and went to see Satyagraha and a staging of Einstein on the Beach, events I would likely attend only at gunpoint.

Beyond Rockwell, I don’t recall that I’ve read any classical critics on pop music, nor am I aware of many beyond those already named. I know that Adorno, who himself composed some (to my ears) Webern-esque music, was critical of jazz; he saw it as some kind of capitalist plot, I believe."

I've heard of Glass's two Bowie-based works but haven't listened to them. I'm a big fan of the two Bowie albums in question, though, Low and Heroes.

Adorno and the Frankfurt School in general are on my reading list but I think it'll be some years yet before I get to them. I'm curious about his musical writing, including his opinions on jazz, which I've listened to only very sporadically. Coleman, for instance, is someone I've only heard of, though I have a cd compilation of some kind that I should dig out next time I'm reading something from his hey-day (late 1950s?).