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Recent Books

I now use GoodReads to track my reading.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/25944102-joe-snodgrass?shelf=read
"Plan B 3.0 - Mobilizing to Save Civilization" by Lester R Brown. Remarkably clear description of climate change, poverty, health care, overpopulation, failed states, and why these problems must all be solved together. Gutsy enough to describe the solution too, at a cost less than 25% of the US military budget. This book has changed my world outlook, highly recommended.
"Red Midnight" by Ben Mikaelsen, 2002. Recommended by a friend who is in high school. See March 9 2008 post.
"The Rest is Noise - Listening to the 20th Century" by Alex Ross. On my list for current reading. History of music in 20th Century.
"Fate is the Hunter" by Ernest K Gann. Non Fiction, 1961. Author recalls training and years as pilot in early days of commercial/military aviation, circa WW2. Dramatic descriptions of tough situations faced by pilots: thunderstorms, ice, emergency landings, on-board fires, engines dying. Inside look into airline culture in early days. 2/17/08
"The Time Traveller's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. A romantic novel. He "time travels", she experiences time in sequence like the rest of us. More than a charming story, it makes us confront time itself, and our place in it. A great read, very poignant and emotional. 1/8/07
"Practicing - A Musician's Return to Music" by Glenn Kurtz
"Genome: History of a Species in 23 Chapters" by Matt Ridley
"Charming Billy" by Alice McDermott. Billy is an alcoholic living life in a cloud of regret caused by a lost love. Themes of loss, love, delusion and the social fabric of our lives. Beautiful and insightful writing. NYC and Long Island venues.
"Home - A Short History of an Idea" by Witold Rybczynski. Non-Fiction 1986. Explores how concept of home in western world has evolved over last few centuries. Good background for home remodel project, more fun to read than staring at plans!

Recent Films

"Julie and Julia" - Two great stories in one, Julia Child and blogger Julie. Creatively conceived and very well executed. Fun fun fun. Follow your dreams and good things will come. 10/11
"MicroCosmos" - Wonderful closeup photography of insects. Captivating, the beauty of nature on the micro scale that we don't see. 1/09
"De-Lovely" - Biography of Cole Porter, with Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd. Story of a complex man, talent, love story. Made me appreciate some of the songs, e.g. "In the Still of the Night". 1/2009
"Boogie Man" - I wasn't quite sure who Lee Atwater was - republican political advisor to Reagan, Bush (Sr). Wrote the book on dirty politics, orchestrated Bush's defeat of Dukakis, taught Karl Rove. Film speculates that Clinton would have never been elected if Atwater had not died of brain tumor. 11/08 ****
"Atonement" - pretty good flick, the unitended consequences of what we do, point in time and in gaining maturity (hopefully!). Good footage of the WW2. 1/08 ****
"The Triplets of Belleville" - Wildly inventive and original animation. A cool, talented and eccentric mom trains son for Tour de France. Son gets kidnapped by mafiosos during tour. Mom follows to rescue son, and gets hooked up with the triplets (really cool ladies, groovin on in later years). Great drawing by real artists. 1/08 ****
"Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey with Evelyn Glennie" - The world of sound as shown to us by a gifted percussionist who happens to be quit deaf. Thomas Reidelsheimer filmaker works visual magic too. 1/08 ****
"I'm Your Man" - A concert film of Leonard Cohen songs. Rufus Wainwright sings "Hallelujah". Others songs: "I'm Your Man" and "Tower of Song". Turned me on to an extraordinary artist that I've overlooked - "Love is Gone" is the most amazing song I've ever heard. 12/07 ****
"Ratatouille" - A rat named Remy befriends a guy named Linguine and they are hit in the kitchen of a fancy Parisian restaurant. A real foodie movie. A Disney Pixar animation. 12/07 ****
"Beyond the Sea" - Story of Bobby Darin, played by Kevin Spacey. So this is where "Mack the Knife" came from. Great, excellent film, and I even enjoyed the music. 11/07 ****
"Away from Her" - Canadian film directed by Sarah Polley about a couple facing Alzheimer's Disease. *****

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Saturday, March 3, 2007

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