Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 300

Hot New Woody Guthrie Novel

Larry McMurtry on that newly found Woody Guthrie novel rescued and published by Johnny Depp and Doug Brinkley.  Set in 1930s, focusing on farm couple.  Larry likes it okay--great sex!-- but would not trade it for any of Woody's best songs.  No shock or disgrace there, for sure.  Larry:

The sexual description is far too raw to have been printed by a trade publisher in 1947. The book reminds me of The First Lady Chatterley, D.H. Lawrence’s trial run for the book that made him famous. In both books, there is a certain appealing innocence about sex, of which there is a lot

A Penny (Or So) for My Thoughts

Turn up the volumes!  And help keep this blog alive and, yes, ad-free.  I'll never ask for a donation, but here are most of my books, covers at right and listed below, for your perusing, ordering and reading pleasure.  Simply click on the covers or links for full details.  Nearly all of the books are published in both print and e-book editions.  The e-books, priced at $3.99 tops, are available for all Kindles, phones, iPads, Amazon Cloud,  PCs, more.  Thanks for your interest.

Here are my blog posts related to most of the books, often including video or key links:

So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits--and the President--Failed on Iraq .
Atomic Cover-up
Tricks, Lies, and Videotape (Obama-Romney)
The Campaign of the Century
The Age of WikiLeaks
Tricky Dick and the Pink Lady
Journeys With Beethoven
Truth and Consequences (Bradley Manning)
Dead Reckoning (against capital punishment)
40 Days That Shook the World (the Occupy movement)

Still 'Hard Times' Today

So here's possibly the greatest American song of all, Stephen Foster's "Hard Times," here w/ Emmylou, the McGarrigles, Rufus.  There are, of course, many other worthy versions from Mavis Staples, Dylan, Bruce, Thomas Hampson, and on and on.

A Bridge Too...Low?

This railroad trestle in Durham, N.C. warns motorists about the clearance (not quite 12 feet) but still tall vehicles try to pass under it--and with very regular top-shaved results.   This video from web-cams records the damage to 61 vehicles.  A cult has grown up around it with a site for constant monitoring! There's even a new one not in video, from March 5.

The Devil's Right Hand

On this day where gun debate finally begins in the Senate:   Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand. Will get you into trouble but won't get you out.   Johnny Cash covers Steve Earle classic.  Then Steve, as young man, does it.

Patti Meets the Pope

This happened: Patti Smith met the Pope today during his usual rounds.  Yes, she once famously proclaimed that Jesus did not die for her sins.  She says she found the new Pope "interesting."  Liked him "a lot." Patti wrote for me at Crawdaddy about worshipping...Jimi Hendrix.

She's in Rome this week for some (other) gigs.