Author Archives: bookdwarf

This book is great.

Over at the Literary Saloon, they reviewed Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. They also post links to other reviews of the book as well, which is extremely helpful. While initially saying they think it his best book yet, they only gave it a B+ and this confuses me a bit. “We enjoyed his first two, but Mitchell has made strides: Cloud Atlas is considerably better, a more sustained effort where both the pieces and the whole work better.” Sounds like high praise to me, yet just the B+. Maybe they are more tough with the grades than I am.

Why everyone needs to get out there in November…

Thanks to Bookslut for posting this article today. Actually, I don’t thank you at all, since the article turned my stomach with disgust. If it is true, and I do not see why I should doubt the veracity of the article, then we have a great deal of problems here. The article states that a teacher was fired and a student forced to destroy poems that are critical of the war in Iraq and the Bush administration. Uhm, hello? See, here I thought we were still living in the ‘land of the free’. But I guess it’s now the ‘land of free to write praise of us, but not criticize’. And it keeps changing. I am hoping that this is a case of an overeager principal or something, but I think deep down I know it’s just a reflection of what is happening here. Just makes my mood match the weather here in Boston—-grey and cold.

2 Reasons why today is an important day

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Charles J. Ogletree Jr. wrote a great editorial today about how this landmark decision affected our country.

We are right to question the significance of Brown and to acknowledge that much of its promise has not been fulfilled. Yet, we understate its significance if we fail to appreciate its role in eliminating overt forms of discrimination — “white only” schools, drinking fountains, hotels, restaurants, parks, beaches, and transportation — and creating a country where the potential for social justice might one day be achieved.

There seems to be a spate of editorials today written about Brown, in the Globe and in the NYT and papers across the country today. Brown seems to have failed though as more and more schools are becoming resegregated. A Supreme Court decision cannot alter the minds of American women and men obviously. But Brown did pave the way for a dream—a yet to be realized dream—but also an attainable dream. Perhaps one day everyone will receive an equal education and status will not be determined by how much is in your bank account. Maybe that’s just a dream too.
But today gives me a small bit of hope, as Massachusetts allows the first legal gay marriage this morning. To not be allowed to marry your chosen life partner is tragic. And I can only hope that no politician finds a way to reverse the marriages today. That would be a slap in the face to everyone, especially since today does mark the anniversary of Brown. I am not making any comparisons between the struggles here, but Brown v. Board of Eductation did realize that segregation was unequal and unconstitutional. I think the same applies to gay marriage. Not allowing it makes some people second-class citizens. And that is just wrong.

Common Fucking Sense

I mentioned in yesterday’s post about Neal Pollack, how much I enjoyed hearing someone talk some common sense. This editorial in the NYT also seems to speak that language. How hard is it for the Bush administration? A lot apparently. In the editorial, the author lists several things the administration should do to set things straight and they are all do-able. And the author does not even call for Rumsfeld’s resignation (he totallly should in my opinion), rather just calls for:
1. the removal of intelligence personnel from overseeing the prisons, as most of the prisoners have no military intelligence value.
2. the ban of private American contractors from the prison. {duh}
3. sending all available trained military prison guards to to Iraq to relieve the soldiers there who were never trained to deal with this in the first place.
4. ordering “Mr. Rumsfeld to immediately issue new regulations that not only say that prisoners and detainees must be treated according to the letter and spirit of the Geneva Conventions, but also ban, one by one, the harsh practices inflicted on prisoners.”
The author suggests removing the prisoners from Abu Ghraib and razing it from the ground, as it is nothing but a reminder of Hussein’s brutal reign.
Wow, all this sounds like commen sense to me. But you know it won’t happen. The administration has its blinders back on and they are not allowing any amount of bad news to deter them from their set course.
I don’t know what else to say. Its about time these turkeys suck it up and take some repsonsibility for the mess they have made. But then they would have to admit first that they made a mess, wouldn’t they?

Finally, someone talking some sense here

I have never been a big fan of Neal Pollack. There is no real reason, just some weird inherent dislike for him on my part. But I came across this article by him in the Stranger and my opinion has changed a little. He just talks commen sense. Its wonderful and refreshing, especially in today’s world where you must pick a side. Picking sides is ultimately annoying and self-defeating. I would never consider myself (or anyone I like for that matter) a Republican, but I do agree with them on several issues (well, the real Republicans, not the kind we have now). I am not conservative, but I sometimes find myself wondering what the hell the liberals are yammering about. They love getting up on their high horses I tell ya. Anyway, its nice to hear Neal Pollack tell everyone to shut up. Its just nice.

Who knew long hair and dead white men were hot?

What is with the spate of movies based on Classics? First comes Troy. Now A&E is trying to get in on the action by presenting a ‘documentary’ on historic Troy, but really is nothing more than a promotion for the movie.
Then we have Vin Diesel appearing in a movie due to come out next year based on Hannibal. Great. And don’t forget the Oliver Stone movie Alexander, starring Colin Farrell as Alexander and also includes Jared Leto, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer and more. See the picture below:

And just in case you hadn’t gotten enough of Alexander, Baz Luhrman is set to direct an as yet unnamed movie about Alexander too. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman. Did Gladiator really bring this about? It’s just going to induce more heartattacks among the elder Classicists when they realize all the historical errors (read lunacy) that occur, which may not be such a bad thing.

A new link!

I am trying to update my links on the side there. I finally got around to putting a link to Rake’s Progress, another literary link who also comments on music that I like. He’s moved to a new site as well, with a fancy new design. I enjoy reading these blogs because they seem to have all the news in the book world that I don’t get being a backlist buyer. I never see the reps or get sales calls. Well, except from two tiny publishers. So I never seem to know what is going on. Luckily, they provide me with the news on a daily basis. And entertaining reading.
Also added a link to Terry Teachout’s blog About Last Night which he co-writes with Our Girl in the City. And Cup of Chica, a perennial favorite in the book blog world.