Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, not...
Ask and you shall receive....
ReplyDeleteLast night I heard the first of two shows commemorating the Golden Bear, a folk venue here in Huntington Beach. Several people played, including the singer/songwriter who wrote all the great Eagles songs, and the original piano player for the Doors who was amazingly able to recreate their sound -- but then their sound was that driving piano.
But the highlight for me was this man who I specifically wanted to hear since I'd never heard him live before. This song totally blew me away and then I learned it was by one of my old pals from the music day. It's a small meandering world indeed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EA6puZYplM
Speaking of The Doors, very nice box set Live in New York coming out in November. It will contain all four shows from their last NY gig at the Felt Forum.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jambase.com/Articles/19469/The-Doors-Live-In-New-York
I was such a Doors fan when I was a kid -- and the music sure sounded good last night I have to admit.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a new CD out of Tim Buckley, who was sort of on the edges of my little group, live in NYC in 1967. I definitely want to get that one.
I "discovered" Tim Buckley for the first time a few years back. So many great ones from that era who have just about been forgotten like Buckley and Van Dyke Parks. Rhino has come out with another excellent box set, Los Angeles Nuggets,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=519759
That was definitely my world!
ReplyDeleteThis event commemorates the Golden Bear, where I heard the Lovin Spoonful and the Byrds. Apparently the Doors also played there, but I heard them at the Whiskey A Go Go in LA -- somehow snuck in because I wasn't old enough.
I worked at a small folk club in high school where Tim (Timmy) Buckley used to play on hoot nights. So did Jose Feliciano. It was an amazing place -- Pat Paulson and Steve Martin both started there. Jackson Browne. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who are playing tonight. And ones that I'll never forget -- Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Really an amazing time in music.
I'm getting very sentimental just thinking about it.
Thanks! I was getting . . . restive waiting for that long list of posts to load.
ReplyDeleteI have been buying books again -- can't help myself when they only cost a dollar or two. One recent purchase was the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of "War and Peace." The hardback is a true doorstop. Price: $1.
Another purchase I made yesterday, shelling out a whopping $1.75, was Roberto Bolano's "Nazi Literature in the Americas." The liner notes describe it as "a tour de force of black humor" which "presents itself as an encyclopedia of extremely right-wing writers." Not sure what it will be like.
I read that translation of War and Peace and loved it. It was my "reward" after a year of history study. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, it was a bit of a shock to find out it was really just another book of historiography in the cloak of a novel, but I guess that's where my interests lie these days.
ReplyDeleteThis Muir bio is fantastic for anyone with an interest in him. To be honest, I haven't been all that interested in Muir -- his writings are a little bit over the top for me. I was more drawn to the book because Worster wrote it and I'm a Worster groupie of sorts. It just shows what a good writer/historian and thinker can bring to a subject.
I'm sorry to admit that I ditched "War & Peace" in favor of Zola and a round of rereading my favorite Balzacs.
ReplyDeleteNice to see you, chartres. I'm planning on doing War & Peace this winter.
ReplyDeleteI guess "War and Peace" is a winter book. Whenever you read it, the reading goes better if you knock out 75 to 100 pages at a time. I may join you this winter and would enjoy discussing the book if you're interested.
ReplyDeleteThe Pevear/Volokhonsky edition has many helpful features. In addition to and appendix and voluminous notes, it has an extensive historical index and a 12 page chapter-by-chapter summary. However, I'm a little surprised that for a book this size the binding doesn't appear to be sewn.
I'd be up for a joint read, rick. Maybe you can restart your literary forum. My wife has been after me for years to read it. She's lucky enough to be able to read it in the original form.
ReplyDeleteWe can always set up a side discussion here. I missed the 12 page summary. I must have been so tired of lugging that book around and happy to have reached the end, that I closed it and never looked any farther.
ReplyDeleteI would love to discuss some of his ideas of history with you all.
Gintaras -- I'm not sure when or if I'll start up another blog. It was something I put too much time in when I should have been doing other things.
ReplyDeleteavrds -- Finishing "War and Peace" is an accomplishment. I can understand why you wouldn't have looked into the pages following the words The End.
Avrds a friend of mine had tickets or access to the show this weekend and asked if I wanted to go but it's been so hot here I turned him down and then of course the weather turned cool along the coast this weekend when it was still supposed to be blazing.It was held in a hotel ballroom wasn't it?Anyway some great musical acts involved.
ReplyDeleteToo bad! You missed some great music.
ReplyDeleteThe weather here has been chilly with the fog -- and then it warms up in the late afternoon. Perfect weather as far as I"m concerned -- although I understand the inland temperatures have been extremely high.
And yes, it was a recreation of the Golden Bear in a hotel ballroom. They did a good job and the music was amazing. One of my musician friends got me in for Friday night's late show, so I got in to see Lindley, and then I ended up seeing both shows last night.
I love the Dirt Band, but most of my friends liked hearing Chris Hillman, who really sounded great. From the Birds to the Flying Burrito Brothers to this small group -- amazing talent. He also played one song with the Dirt Band.
In fact, that was one of the fun parts of this. Everyone came on stage to support other players. Johnny McEuen and Jimmie Fadden from the Dirt Band played with Steve Noonan who wrote Buy for Me the Rain. That was wonderful. And Honk, a band I never heard in those days, backed up the keyboard player from the Doors to recreate their music.
Incredible weekend. Great experience but I'm ready to go home now.
I will set up a War and Peace blog, and maybe we can explore some other themes in Russian literature if anyone is game? Can link through the "other blogs," so as we maintain a little bit of continuity in this forum.
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