As a result of reading Alexander Herzen's brilliant My Past and My Thoughts (about which I am still trying to start writing) I have embarked on a course of 19thC Russian literature to try and, very slowly, enlighten my dismal ignorance in this area. My first book was Nikolay Gogol's novel Dead Souls. Due to …
Month: August 2009
Three August Movies
The Cat's Meow (2001) directed by Peter Bogdanovich tells a story about the events which occurred in November 1924 during a cruise on William Randolph Hearst's yacht The Oneida. The official version of events is that Thomas Ince, silent film producer/mogul and 'father of the Western', one of the guests on the cruise, died of …
Some Notes on La Regle du Jeu
How does one start to talk about a masterpiece like Renoir's La Regle du Jeu? What can possibly be said which has not been said before and better? The answer probably lies, as with other masterpieces in discussing wiser people's thoughts in the hopes of clarifying one's own. A few notes are all that should …
McIntyre on Hester Lynch Piozzi
I have recently finished Ian McIntrye's 2008 biography of Hester Lynch Piozzi - Hester: The Remarkable Life of Dr Johnson's 'Dear Mistress'. This book has been lavishly praised so I have to admit to considerable disappointment. While it is a fairly easy read, it is in a remorseless chronological style - in May 1780 Hester did …
Goldsmith’s Traveller
On the EighteenthCenturyWorlds List ( see right for link) Ellen recently posted some verses from Goldsmith's The Traveller..... Goldsmith, from "The Traveller" Creations' mildest charms are there combined, Extremes are only in the master's mind. Stern o'er each bosom reason holds her state, With daring aims irregularly great; Pride in their port, defiance in their …
Moving Toyshop 