John D. Rateliff's Blog, page 166
January 31, 2013
Books That Go With Other Books
So, one of the definite keepers from the book-sort is IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELLER by Italo Calvino [1979; tr. 1981]. I've read this at least twice (three times, I think) and will no doubt at some point read it again. In short, I like this book. So while some other books of his (which I only got because I liked this one and have never gotten around to reading in the quarter-century since) are likely to go out the door, this one's a keeper.
For those who haven't ever read it, it's the story of a man who wants to read a book called IF, ON A WINTER'S NIGHT, A TRAVELLER but who finds events conspire against his reading more than a single chapter at a time. And that furthermore each time he tries again he winds up reading a different opening chapter (different copy, different setting, different plot, different characters, different genre), obviously from some other book. It's a surreal reflection on books and reading, both thoughtful and a hoot. Here's one bit from early on, in which the reader is entering a bookstore to buy Calvino's new book, If on a winter's night a traveler ("Good for you" the author interjects). But first, the reader must navigate past the many categories of books that stand in the way:
Books You Haven't ReadBooks You Needn't ReadBooks Made For Purposes Other Than ReadingBooks Read Even Before You Open Them Since They Belong To The Category Of Books Read Before Being Written
Books That If You Had More Than One Life You Would Certainly Read But Unfortunately Your Days Are NumberedBooks You Mean To Read But There Are Others You Must Read FirstBooks Too Expensive Now And You'll Wait Till They're RemainderedBooks ditto When They Come Out In PaperbackBooks You Can Borrow From SomebodyBooks That Everybody's Read So It's As If You Had Read Them, Too
Books You've Been Planning To Read For AgesBooks You've Been Hunting For Years Without SuccessBooks Dealing With Something You're Working On At The MomentBooks You Want To Own So They'll Be Handy Just In CaseBooks You Could Put Aside Maybe To Read This SummerBooks You Need to Go With Other Books On Your ShelvesBooks That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity, Not Easily Justified
Books Read Long Ago Which It's Now Time To RereadBooks You've Always Pretended To Have Read And Now It's Time To Sit Down And Really Read ThemNew Books Whose Author Or Subject Appeals To YouNew Books By Authors Or On Subjects Not NewNew Books By Authors Or On Subjects Completely Unknown (at least to you)
Of these, I have to admit the following particularly spoke to me:
—Books That If You Had More Than One Life You Would Certainly Read But Unfortunately Your Days Are Numbered (ain't it the truth?)
—Books You Mean To Read But There Are Others You Must Read First (I'm actually pretty good about passing these by)
—Books You Want To Own So They'll Be Handy Just In Case (previously the source of many books now in boxes; getting better on this one)
—Books That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity, Not Easily Justified (does Calvino know his audience or what? the true impulse buy: just because)
—Books Read Long Ago Which It's Now Time To Reread (a major category which only grows with time, alas)
There's also a major category I've recently become aware played a large role in overfilling on our shelves: the idea that, if I like a book by writer X, I shd buy more books by writer X (sometimes many more), which I then don't get around to reading for years on end. Sometimes just about everything by a writer is good (or at least worth reading), sometimes a writer only has one or two good books in him (or her). This is where a lot of the current slow purge is underway.
Of course, for those who are hardcore overbuyers, there's always BIBLIOHOLISM: THE LITERARY ADDICTION, by Tom Raabe (1991)
--John R.current reading: BRIDE OF THE RAT-GOD by Barbara Hambly (which is far better than its title wd suggest) and GREEN SUNS AND FAERIE by Verlyn Flieger (which is by Verlyn Flieger, who just seems to get better and better).
For those who haven't ever read it, it's the story of a man who wants to read a book called IF, ON A WINTER'S NIGHT, A TRAVELLER but who finds events conspire against his reading more than a single chapter at a time. And that furthermore each time he tries again he winds up reading a different opening chapter (different copy, different setting, different plot, different characters, different genre), obviously from some other book. It's a surreal reflection on books and reading, both thoughtful and a hoot. Here's one bit from early on, in which the reader is entering a bookstore to buy Calvino's new book, If on a winter's night a traveler ("Good for you" the author interjects). But first, the reader must navigate past the many categories of books that stand in the way:
Books You Haven't ReadBooks You Needn't ReadBooks Made For Purposes Other Than ReadingBooks Read Even Before You Open Them Since They Belong To The Category Of Books Read Before Being Written
Books That If You Had More Than One Life You Would Certainly Read But Unfortunately Your Days Are NumberedBooks You Mean To Read But There Are Others You Must Read FirstBooks Too Expensive Now And You'll Wait Till They're RemainderedBooks ditto When They Come Out In PaperbackBooks You Can Borrow From SomebodyBooks That Everybody's Read So It's As If You Had Read Them, Too
Books You've Been Planning To Read For AgesBooks You've Been Hunting For Years Without SuccessBooks Dealing With Something You're Working On At The MomentBooks You Want To Own So They'll Be Handy Just In CaseBooks You Could Put Aside Maybe To Read This SummerBooks You Need to Go With Other Books On Your ShelvesBooks That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity, Not Easily Justified
Books Read Long Ago Which It's Now Time To RereadBooks You've Always Pretended To Have Read And Now It's Time To Sit Down And Really Read ThemNew Books Whose Author Or Subject Appeals To YouNew Books By Authors Or On Subjects Not NewNew Books By Authors Or On Subjects Completely Unknown (at least to you)
Of these, I have to admit the following particularly spoke to me:
—Books That If You Had More Than One Life You Would Certainly Read But Unfortunately Your Days Are Numbered (ain't it the truth?)
—Books You Mean To Read But There Are Others You Must Read First (I'm actually pretty good about passing these by)
—Books You Want To Own So They'll Be Handy Just In Case (previously the source of many books now in boxes; getting better on this one)
—Books That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity, Not Easily Justified (does Calvino know his audience or what? the true impulse buy: just because)
—Books Read Long Ago Which It's Now Time To Reread (a major category which only grows with time, alas)
There's also a major category I've recently become aware played a large role in overfilling on our shelves: the idea that, if I like a book by writer X, I shd buy more books by writer X (sometimes many more), which I then don't get around to reading for years on end. Sometimes just about everything by a writer is good (or at least worth reading), sometimes a writer only has one or two good books in him (or her). This is where a lot of the current slow purge is underway.
Of course, for those who are hardcore overbuyers, there's always BIBLIOHOLISM: THE LITERARY ADDICTION, by Tom Raabe (1991)
--John R.current reading: BRIDE OF THE RAT-GOD by Barbara Hambly (which is far better than its title wd suggest) and GREEN SUNS AND FAERIE by Verlyn Flieger (which is by Verlyn Flieger, who just seems to get better and better).
January 30, 2013
Historians Who Don't Know Their History
So, one of the books that made its way onto the go-away pile is the biography of James Monroe [2005], part of the 'American Presidents' series overseen by Arthur M. Schlesinger (Jr). I read several of these, feeling that I didn't know enough about several of our early presidents and being attracted by the fact that Garry Wills wrote the volume on Madison (which was excellent*), and that the whole was being overseen by Schlesinger (whose work, or what little I've read of it, is also both readable and impressive). Alas, the volume on Monroe was written by former senator Gary Hart, who I always thought wd have made a pretty good president (certainly better than Bush Sr. or Reagan) had he been able to exercise some self-control. But now, reading his book, I've come to doubt it. For one thing, he doesn't seem to know a whole lot about Monroe (as opposed to Wills, who knows an enormous amount about Madison). For another, a lot of what he argues isn't v. convincing -- e.g., his main theme that General Monroe was the first U. S. president to devote himself to national defense as his first priority (has there ever been a president who didn't obsess over national defense?). Even more egregious is his claim that "Monroe . . . laid a groundwork for homeland security that would guarantee that no Americans would die on American soil from a foreign attack. That is, until September 11, 2001." (p. 82)
So much for "Remember Pearl Harbor"!
And, in a separate incident, a few days ago I was reading through the Kent paper and saw an announcement for an event held on Jan. 24th, the title of which was "The Life of Abraham Lincoln: 1809-1869".
Now, this might just be an example of the announcement gets Lincoln's dates wrong.** Twice. The event itself might have been a good one (speaker, discussion, visual aids) and I really ought to get down to the Kent museum one of these days. And it's timely, too, what with renewed interest in A.L. these days thanks to the Day-Lewis movie. But it's amazing what an effect little slips like that have.
--John R., who's been known to make egregious slips myself ("Gower").
*among other things, it completely undercuts the 'originist' or 'founders' intent' school of constitutional interpretation.
**he died in 1865.
January 29, 2013
Also Coming Up Soon: More Tolkien at Marquette
So, so long as I'm talking about interesting upcoming Tolkien events I won't be going to --and considering that I'm going to Tolkien gatherings in March, April, May, and June, it isn't for lack of trying-- let's not forget about the third and final of the three events Marquette is hosting for this special 75th anniversary HOBBIT year. First was my talk back in October about the curious twists and turns of Marquette's acquisition of the Mss (combined with a great discussion earlier that day with Dr. Tim Machan's Tolkien class), followed a month later by Wayne and Christina's presentation on Tolkien's artwork for THE HOBBIT (a subject upon which they know pretty much all there is to know).
The third in the series, to be held on February 21st, is a roundtable discussing the new Peter Jackson film (THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY). The panel looks to have some interesting people, all with strong backgrounds in Tolkien studies (all take part in the Tolkien Track at Kalamazoo on a regular basis) as well as a willingness to engage with the films (all four contributed to the Jan Bogstad/Phil Kaveny -edited volume PICTURING TOLKIEN: ESSAYS ON PETER JACKSON'S THE LORD OF THE RINGS FILM TRILOGY).* First up there's Richard West, who's been active in Tolkien fandom and scholarship since the sixties and who always has something interesting to say on whatever topic he writes about. Then there's Robin Reid, the former organizer of the Kalamazoo Tolkien Track who more recently launched a new Tolkien/fantasy/anime con, LeoCon, held down in Commerce, Texas.** Yvette Kisor and Edward Risden have been stalwarts at Kalamazoo, presenting on a range of topics; both are contributors to the forthcoming Shippey festshrift.*** It's certainly a roundtable I'd make sure to go to if I still lived in the area.
This is another of those events I'd love to hear a report on from someone lucky enough to attend.
--JDR
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"A Roundtable Discussion of Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT"
Thursday February 21st
Richard West
Robin Reid
Yvette Kisor
Edward Risden
Here's the link:
http://www.marquette.edu/library/news/2012/hobbit.shtml
*as did I, my piece being on the status within the films of scenes appearing in the book but not shown onscreen.
**which I got to attend last year for LeoCon I. Small, but looks poised to grow a lot over the next few years.
***as indeed are Richard and Robin.
The third in the series, to be held on February 21st, is a roundtable discussing the new Peter Jackson film (THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY). The panel looks to have some interesting people, all with strong backgrounds in Tolkien studies (all take part in the Tolkien Track at Kalamazoo on a regular basis) as well as a willingness to engage with the films (all four contributed to the Jan Bogstad/Phil Kaveny -edited volume PICTURING TOLKIEN: ESSAYS ON PETER JACKSON'S THE LORD OF THE RINGS FILM TRILOGY).* First up there's Richard West, who's been active in Tolkien fandom and scholarship since the sixties and who always has something interesting to say on whatever topic he writes about. Then there's Robin Reid, the former organizer of the Kalamazoo Tolkien Track who more recently launched a new Tolkien/fantasy/anime con, LeoCon, held down in Commerce, Texas.** Yvette Kisor and Edward Risden have been stalwarts at Kalamazoo, presenting on a range of topics; both are contributors to the forthcoming Shippey festshrift.*** It's certainly a roundtable I'd make sure to go to if I still lived in the area.
This is another of those events I'd love to hear a report on from someone lucky enough to attend.
--JDR
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"A Roundtable Discussion of Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT"
Thursday February 21st
Richard West
Robin Reid
Yvette Kisor
Edward Risden
Here's the link:
http://www.marquette.edu/library/news/2012/hobbit.shtml
*as did I, my piece being on the status within the films of scenes appearing in the book but not shown onscreen.
**which I got to attend last year for LeoCon I. Small, but looks poised to grow a lot over the next few years.
***as indeed are Richard and Robin.
January 27, 2013
Tolkien. Oxford. Spring.
So, Tolkien and Oxford and Spring in England are all good things.
And if you put three good things together, you get a v. good thing indeed.
Case in point: the Tolkien Spring School taking place in Oxford in March (Th 21st-Sat 23rd). Among the speakers will be Stuart Lee and Elizabeth Solopova (THE KEYS TO TOLKIEN'S MIDDLE-EARTH), John Garth (TOLKIEN AND THE GREAT WAR), Edmund Weiner of the O.E.D. (RING OF WORDS), Th. Honegger (author of many works, and editor of the journal FASTITOCALON), Carl Phelpstead (TOLKIEN AND WALES), Mark Atherton (whose new book on Tolkien is just out), and two whose work I don't know yet, Anna Caughey and Maria Artamonova. This is being described as an introductory event, and sounds like it does a good job of touching a lot of the bases. I'd certainly be going if it were a little nearer (being a continent AND an ocean away). Below is the brief online description of the event; for the full schedule, see http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/news-events/upcoming-events/201303/oxford-tolkien-spring-school
--John R.
P.S.: I'd love to hear a report of how this one goes; sounds like a good event.
Oxford Tolkien Spring School21 - 23 March 2013http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/news-even...
J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the best known authors of the twentieth century, and his books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have entertained and intrigued readers alike for decades, becoming some of the most popular books of all time. Many people will have read these novels, or seen the filmed adaptations, but have had little opportunity to take their interests further. To meet this need the Oxford Tolkien Spring School is being organised by the University of Oxford's English Faculty (where Tolkien taught for most of his career), aimed at those who have read some of Tolkien's fiction and wish to discover more. A series of introductory lectures by world-leading Tolkien scholars have been assembled, to take place in the English Faculty, University of Oxford, over the 21-23 March, 2013. Talks will cover Tolkien's life, his work as an academic, his mythology, the influences of medieval literature on his fiction, his languages, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and his other lesser known works. There will also be panel discussions looking at Tolkien's place in the the literary canon. There will also be opportunities to see the sights of Oxford that were so important to Tolkien and his colleagues, as well as an introduction to some of the Tolkien collections at the University.
And if you put three good things together, you get a v. good thing indeed.
Case in point: the Tolkien Spring School taking place in Oxford in March (Th 21st-Sat 23rd). Among the speakers will be Stuart Lee and Elizabeth Solopova (THE KEYS TO TOLKIEN'S MIDDLE-EARTH), John Garth (TOLKIEN AND THE GREAT WAR), Edmund Weiner of the O.E.D. (RING OF WORDS), Th. Honegger (author of many works, and editor of the journal FASTITOCALON), Carl Phelpstead (TOLKIEN AND WALES), Mark Atherton (whose new book on Tolkien is just out), and two whose work I don't know yet, Anna Caughey and Maria Artamonova. This is being described as an introductory event, and sounds like it does a good job of touching a lot of the bases. I'd certainly be going if it were a little nearer (being a continent AND an ocean away). Below is the brief online description of the event; for the full schedule, see http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/news-events/upcoming-events/201303/oxford-tolkien-spring-school
--John R.
P.S.: I'd love to hear a report of how this one goes; sounds like a good event.
Oxford Tolkien Spring School21 - 23 March 2013http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/news-even...
J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the best known authors of the twentieth century, and his books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have entertained and intrigued readers alike for decades, becoming some of the most popular books of all time. Many people will have read these novels, or seen the filmed adaptations, but have had little opportunity to take their interests further. To meet this need the Oxford Tolkien Spring School is being organised by the University of Oxford's English Faculty (where Tolkien taught for most of his career), aimed at those who have read some of Tolkien's fiction and wish to discover more. A series of introductory lectures by world-leading Tolkien scholars have been assembled, to take place in the English Faculty, University of Oxford, over the 21-23 March, 2013. Talks will cover Tolkien's life, his work as an academic, his mythology, the influences of medieval literature on his fiction, his languages, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and his other lesser known works. There will also be panel discussions looking at Tolkien's place in the the literary canon. There will also be opportunities to see the sights of Oxford that were so important to Tolkien and his colleagues, as well as an introduction to some of the Tolkien collections at the University.
January 25, 2013
Next Up: Valparaiso
So, having written a piece on THE SILMARILLION's influence on THE HOBBIT ("A Fragment, Detached"), I'm currently working on the problem from the other end: looking to see if THE HOBBIT had any influence on THE SILMARILLION in return. I'm still researching and writing this one, whose working title is "Anchoring the Myth: THE HOBBIT and THE SILMARILLION; so more on it as it comes together.
This will be my presentation at the Tolkien conference being organized at Valparaiso, March 1st thr 3rd, where I'm honored to be one of the three Plenary speakers, along with Doug Anderson (5 pm Friday, "Annotating and Illustrating THE HOBBIT") and Verlyn Fleiger (9 am Saturday, "Bilbo's French Connection").* My own talk is scheduled for 9 am Sunday morning.
Of course, there'll be a lot more going on than just the featured speakers. Brad Eden, the organizer, has put together a schedule with more than twenty papers organized into eight sessions (i.e., as many or more than comprise the Tolkien At Kalamazoo track in any given year); in addition I'll be chairing one of these sessions of papers (on THE HOBBIT). It's a tribute to how good a program he's put together that I'm already looking at it and realizing I'll be missing good papers no matter which sessions I go to: there's just that much going on. Plus of course other events, like the Banquet, a musical performance of Tolkien-inspired songs, the Exhibit, and a live performance of Johan de Meij's SYMPHONY No. 1: THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Should be quite a week-end. If you're anywhere in the area, try to drop by; it shd be an interesting and enjoyable event.
--John R.
Here's the complete schedule of the event:
http://conference.valpo.edu/tolkien/
This will be my presentation at the Tolkien conference being organized at Valparaiso, March 1st thr 3rd, where I'm honored to be one of the three Plenary speakers, along with Doug Anderson (5 pm Friday, "Annotating and Illustrating THE HOBBIT") and Verlyn Fleiger (9 am Saturday, "Bilbo's French Connection").* My own talk is scheduled for 9 am Sunday morning.
Of course, there'll be a lot more going on than just the featured speakers. Brad Eden, the organizer, has put together a schedule with more than twenty papers organized into eight sessions (i.e., as many or more than comprise the Tolkien At Kalamazoo track in any given year); in addition I'll be chairing one of these sessions of papers (on THE HOBBIT). It's a tribute to how good a program he's put together that I'm already looking at it and realizing I'll be missing good papers no matter which sessions I go to: there's just that much going on. Plus of course other events, like the Banquet, a musical performance of Tolkien-inspired songs, the Exhibit, and a live performance of Johan de Meij's SYMPHONY No. 1: THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Should be quite a week-end. If you're anywhere in the area, try to drop by; it shd be an interesting and enjoyable event.
--John R.
Here's the complete schedule of the event:
http://conference.valpo.edu/tolkien/
January 24, 2013
Moi, En Anglais
So long as I'm talking about my work in translation, I shd note that the piece I wrote for Tolkiendil, the French Tolkien society who published it in a special issue of their journal L'ARC ET LE HEAUME, has now been posted on their website in its original, English form: "A Fragment, Detached: THE HOBBIT and THE SILMARILLION". Here's the link:
http://www.tolkiendil.com/essais/tolkien_1892-2012/john_d_rateliff
In this, which was also my Kalamazoo paper last year, I tackle the issue of Tolkien's many contradictory comments on the relationship between the two books. Short Version: In my conclusion, I argue that THE HOBBIT was part of the legendarium from its v. inception, though it's possible to define "The Silmarillion" (i.e., tales of the first age) in such as way as to exclude it.
Enjoy!
--John R.
http://www.tolkiendil.com/essais/tolkien_1892-2012/john_d_rateliff
In this, which was also my Kalamazoo paper last year, I tackle the issue of Tolkien's many contradictory comments on the relationship between the two books. Short Version: In my conclusion, I argue that THE HOBBIT was part of the legendarium from its v. inception, though it's possible to define "The Silmarillion" (i.e., tales of the first age) in such as way as to exclude it.
Enjoy!
--John R.
Me, in Portuguese
So, after I posted my thoughts about why THE SILMARILLION would be much, much more difficult to film than THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, I got a request from a Brazilian Tolkien group to let them post a translation of my post on their website. I was glad to agree, and the piece is now up. For those of you who read Brazilian Portuguese, or for those of you interested to see yet another example of the vibrant Tolkien fandom and scholarship going on all around the world, here's the link to my piece (and hence to their website as a whole). Enjoy!
http://tolkienbrasil.com/artigos/academicos/o-proximo-filme-sobre-tolkien-por-john-d-rateliff/
P.S.: As per Leandro's comment after the main post, he's certainly right that I'm not a film-maker and am approaching the question of making Tolkien films from the viewpoint of a purist and a Tolkien scholar: someone who knows Tolkien v. well and has paid close attention to those adaptations of his work that have already been made. A film-maker of genius can overcome the difficulties I foresee, but that doesn't mean they're not real. The worst will be generating dialogue: there's precious little of it in the Silmarillion stories (far less than in H or LotR), and creating Tolkienesque dialogue that rings true to the story being told has proven the major sticking point in previous adaptations (with the nadir being the Rankin-Bass RETURN OF THE KING). So I stand by my concerns here, while I look forward to seeing how future film-makers (of genius, I hope) tackle and resolve the problems I foresee.
--John R.
current reading: GREEN SUNS AND FAERIE by Verlyn Flieger, BRIDE OF THE RAT-GOD by Barbara Hambly
http://tolkienbrasil.com/artigos/academicos/o-proximo-filme-sobre-tolkien-por-john-d-rateliff/
P.S.: As per Leandro's comment after the main post, he's certainly right that I'm not a film-maker and am approaching the question of making Tolkien films from the viewpoint of a purist and a Tolkien scholar: someone who knows Tolkien v. well and has paid close attention to those adaptations of his work that have already been made. A film-maker of genius can overcome the difficulties I foresee, but that doesn't mean they're not real. The worst will be generating dialogue: there's precious little of it in the Silmarillion stories (far less than in H or LotR), and creating Tolkienesque dialogue that rings true to the story being told has proven the major sticking point in previous adaptations (with the nadir being the Rankin-Bass RETURN OF THE KING). So I stand by my concerns here, while I look forward to seeing how future film-makers (of genius, I hope) tackle and resolve the problems I foresee.
--John R.
current reading: GREEN SUNS AND FAERIE by Verlyn Flieger, BRIDE OF THE RAT-GOD by Barbara Hambly
January 23, 2013
The Cat Report (W.1/23-13)
With the adoption of TAZU and the arrival of Mr. STIG, we have nine cats today. There's a hold sign on STACHE's cage; hope this comes through for her. Sorry sweet little Tayla's adoption didn't turn out.
It was a quiet day in the cat-room. The Stay-In Club (Mr. NIKO, newcomer STIG, EDNA, and LEMURA) were in their cages most of the day. Towards the later part of the morning, two of the four allowed me to lure or lift them out and place them atop nearby cat-stands; the other two stayed in all day. The Out And About Club (LILLY and LOU, STACHE, TAYLA) enjoyed themselves atop various cat-stands or exploring. And PASCALE made up The Dash from Cage to Cage club all by herself.
No walks today (I offered, they declined), but we did have great success with the feathers-on-a-stick game using a peacock feather on a stick I'd picked up elsewhere Lilly & Lou came bounding out of their cage to pursue it, joined by little Tayla and also Stache. Eventually everyone except Stig and Jane got into the act, some from within their cages (pawing at it as it swished by) and some dashing about the room after it. Cheri Lou in particular demonstrated that she knew all about feathers and their wicked ways and how to deal with them, while Mr. Niko demanded it come in his cage and be properly dealt with. The end result was that they demolished it with great glee over the course of the morning. Well worth it.
NIKO was expansive, welcoming attention and expressing entire satisfaction at being petted and having his fur combed (with fingers, not brush). He purred and generally was in a pleased mood. STIG (our new Siamese) is v. shy but gentle; he went from being afraid to being glad of attention to asking for more. Lifted him out onto a cat-stand so I cd clean his cage, which made him nervous but he toughed it out until his cage was ready again. LEMURA stayed in and dozed all morning -- not like her at all. We'd better keep a close eye on her; may not be well. JANE was her usual standoffish self, but when I started to clean her cage around her she suddenly expressed a wish to come out on her own and (with a little help) leapt onto her cat-stand, where she snoozed; think she liked it. She went back in at noon, at my urging but under her own power (I moved the stand near her cage to help her make it).
PASCALE is an interesting cat: she comes out on her own and enjoys exploring but wants a clear line of retreat back to the safety of her home base. She keeps searching for the perfect hiding place -- which now exists (the hollow inside the short new cat-stand on the bench with the blanket draped over its entrance) but which ironically is so well hidden she didn't find it. Eventually she moved into the Sister's cage and slept the rest of the morning away therein. She's shy about being petted when out of a cage and usually dashes off if I try, but she was definitely interested in the feather-game.
The dominant cats today were The Sisters (LILLY & LOU), little TAYLA, and STACHE. Between them they tried out various cat-stands in various positions and combinations, two went to the cage-tops (Tayla and Stache), while the Sisters enjoyed reigning supreme. Lilly (the grey one) and I had quite a petting session late in the morning, and Lou, the shyer of the two, seemed more confident today: think they're getting used to the cat-room and less afraid of being suddenly pounced on. Stache eventually wound up near the door, where she delighted in the ping-pong game, batting them about w. great enthusiasm. Tayla is a sweet little cat but doesn't like being held or laps.
health concerns: there was throw-up in The Sisters' cage. Also, Lemura (see above).
And that's about it for another week. We seem to be short of blankets (maybe because so many are draped over cat-stands?) so I brought some home to wash and will try to have them back tomorrow.
--John R.
P.S.: To put an image to these names, see the photographs of each of these cats at the Purrfect Pals site: http://www.purrfectpals.org/CatsByLocation.asp?fid=51
P.P.S.: Looking at the pictures of the various cats in the thirteen adoption rooms Purrfect Pals runs in addition to the main shelter up in Arlington, I discovered that Mr. ASHWYN is now up for adoption again, at the Kirkland PetCo. They have some nice pictures of him up at http://www.purrfectpals.org/RP_AdoptMe.asp?aid=12569 --though they don't fully convey what a Big cat he is. Feanor weighs the same (twenty pounds) but in person Ashwyn looks the bigger of the two. Maybe it's the hair.
--JDR
January 18, 2013
Far Over Misty Mountains a capella
So, thanks to R.J.A. of the MythSoc list for posting a link to this interesting piece, in which singer Peter Hollens performs an a capella version of the dwarves' song from the new HOBBIT movie. Hollens provides all the voices, producing quite a nice effect. I still prefer the movie's original (Shore and Jackson seem to be particularly gifted at crafting a song to an actor's voice, as witnessed by Pippin's and Aragorn the King's songs in LotR), but this is an interesting and enjoyable variant of it. Besides, Hollens sings the whole song, where as in the film (the theatrical version at least) we only get the first half.
Here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylfb3FRvuVU
For my part, I much prefer the film version to either; the high voices on the latter parts of the first seem to depart from the tone and spirit of the opening. Perhaps I'm influenced here by JRRT's description of dwarven singing in a passage he wrote for the second edition:
"Dwarves had been long in the world and known much troublous history before the days of Thror, and when he wrote of old* he meant it: in the ancient past remembered still in those deep throated songs of lore that the dwarf-kin sang in their secret tongue at feasts to which none but dwarves were bidden. Some say that they sing still" [H.o.H.753]
As for the violin version, it made me want to hear what Shore's melody, sung by Armitage et al, wd sound like if set to the instrumentation the dwarves bring with them in Tolkien's original: harp, viols (two), clarinets (two), drum, flutes (three), and fiddles (two).** Might make for an interesting project for the musically inclined . . .
--John R.
*i.e., on the Lonely Mountain map: "Here of old was Thrain King . . . "
**so far as I can tell, Gloin and Oin have no instruments. Perhaps they're the singers.
Here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEwzFF4HeB8&feature=youtu.beThere's also another version of it here, adding in a violin part by one Jun Sung Ahn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylfb3FRvuVU
For my part, I much prefer the film version to either; the high voices on the latter parts of the first seem to depart from the tone and spirit of the opening. Perhaps I'm influenced here by JRRT's description of dwarven singing in a passage he wrote for the second edition:
"Dwarves had been long in the world and known much troublous history before the days of Thror, and when he wrote of old* he meant it: in the ancient past remembered still in those deep throated songs of lore that the dwarf-kin sang in their secret tongue at feasts to which none but dwarves were bidden. Some say that they sing still" [H.o.H.753]
As for the violin version, it made me want to hear what Shore's melody, sung by Armitage et al, wd sound like if set to the instrumentation the dwarves bring with them in Tolkien's original: harp, viols (two), clarinets (two), drum, flutes (three), and fiddles (two).** Might make for an interesting project for the musically inclined . . .
--John R.
*i.e., on the Lonely Mountain map: "Here of old was Thrain King . . . "
**so far as I can tell, Gloin and Oin have no instruments. Perhaps they're the singers.
January 17, 2013
The Return of the King, Uh-huh.
So, found out tonight that the best Tolkien filksong ever, Tom Smith's "The Return of the King, Uh-Huh", is available on you-tube. If you ever wondered how Elvis might have covered Tolkien's story, wonder no more.
A word to the wise: Do yourself a favor and listen, don't watch.
If you do watch, marvel at the stunningly inept animation from Bakshi and Rankin-Bass, merged together into a train wreck of a film short that's actually worse than either one seperately. So stunningly bad it's almost good, in a twisted kind of way.
Enjoy!
--John R.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMAxL1lYFuI
A word to the wise: Do yourself a favor and listen, don't watch.
If you do watch, marvel at the stunningly inept animation from Bakshi and Rankin-Bass, merged together into a train wreck of a film short that's actually worse than either one seperately. So stunningly bad it's almost good, in a twisted kind of way.
Enjoy!
--John R.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMAxL1lYFuI
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