Brian Jay Jones's Blog, page 28

Irving in the Christian Science Monitor

I was delighted to see Washington Irving win one of the Christian Science Monitor's "Reader's Picks", a feature where Monitor readers can share their favorite books.   My thanks to Joyce Miller Bean, of Evanston, Illinois, for her really kind words.  I appreciate it.

You can see Irving over on the Monitor's website right here.

Silver Rain Was Falling Down

It's a misty, rainy morning here in the English countryside, and the British appear to need the rain just as badly as we do back in Maryland.  We're staying at a lovely country estate near Cockspur, a place that appears to be straight out of an Agatha Christie novel, all the way down to the tall windows that you can step in and out of, spacious sitting rooms, and gravel paths winding through the lawns. It's almost a shame we have to leave here this afternoon to head home.

We had a fantastic...

A (Not So) Grim, Grinning Ghost?

Here's a fun story, courtesy of Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch, about a ghost sighting at Sunnyside, Washington Irving's Tarrytown home.

While visiting Sunnyside in late June, 14-year-old aspiring writer Rachel Lambert took a number of photos of the exterior of the house, and took a quick shot of Irving's upstairs bedroom window.  Looking at the photo later on her computer, she believes she caught a peek of Irving through the window, hunched over writing.  Here's a video Rachel posted on...

If It's Friday, This Must Be London…

…and so it is.  We actually arrived here at our hotel here on Montague Street late Wednesday night, and while Barb attended meetings all day Thursday, I ran off to some of the remote parts of London to explore a few sites associated with Project Blue Harvest.  I was thwarted at one location, as a site I'd hoped was open to the public actually wasn't, and no amount of pleading or begging was going to get me inside, but I did have better luck tromping around another spot at a different...

Swiss Cheesiness

Well, hello there.  Sorry to be away so long, but lots has been going on behind the scenes — including some exciting news regarding Project Blue Harvest, which I promise — promise! — to reveal shortly.  Hang in there.

In the meantime, I'm coming to you from the Hotel Royal in Geneva, Switzerland, where the clocks all say 8 in the morning, but my body, despite my best efforts, is still trying to say it's 2 am.  Barb is here for meetings at the World Health Organization (an intimidating marble s...

R.I.P. Senator Robert C. Byrd (1917-2010)

I was saddened this morning to learn of the death of Senator Robert C. Byrd — not only the longest serving Senator in history, but perhaps the only member who can fairly be said to be the historical memory and conscience of the U.S. Senate itself.

I can't say much more about Byrd than I did in this entry from last year — except to add that the Senate, West Virginia, and American politics will long feel his absence. You'll be missed, you crusty fellow, you.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Ever listened to an audiobook and thought, "Reading a book out loud seems pretty cool.  I could totally do that, if only someone would give me an opportunity.  And man, I could so go for some pie right about now." 

Except for the pie part, you've got your chance during the American Library Association's annual conference here in Washington, DC.  Random House Audio will be setting up a recording studio inside OverDrive's Digital Bookmobile — which will be parked right across the street from...

R.I.P. Martin Gardner (1914-2010)

I apologize for being late to the game on this one, but I only just learned this morning that Martin Gardner died back in late May at age 95.  Gardner was a math and science writer, a creator of math and logic puzzles, and a famous debunker of pseudoscience–but what earned him my respect and admiration was his work on one of his fellow mathematicians who also happens to be one of my all-time favorite writers: Lewis Carroll.

Gardner is considered perhaps the authority on the writings of Lewis C...

Reviews in Brief: Funny, Peculiar: The True Story of Benny Hill (Mark Lewisohn)

Beatles expert Mark Lewisohn brings the same pop culture awareness and spry writing style he lavishes on the Boys to Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill, one of England's most watched and — in public, at least – least admired comedians. You'll quickly find that Lewisohn's surtitle — Funny, Peculiar — is entirely appropriate, for what an odd, complicated, and interesting life it is, full of conflict, sadness, success, unrequited love, stage fright, a little luck, and quite a bit of genius.

You'll...

Rolling Stone Picks The 500 Greatest Rock Songs

The newly-released issue of Rolling Stone names what its editors believe to be the top 500 rock and roll songs of all time — an ambitious task that's certain to provoke debate and fistfights.  Lord knows I disagree with their choice for the greatest song ever — "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan – but disagreements are part of what makes these kinds of lists so much fun to begin with. (Here's the top five.)

While I might quibble with their pick for number one, I'm thrilled that the group...