Raskolnikov

American Romanticism

Revisado: 11-04-22

Basically, American Romanticism. However, unlike the European Romantics, Emerson does not "value" the Past. In fact, Emerson sees the Past as worthless. Also, somehwere in one of his essays, Emerson gloifies the King and Queen, hypothetical ones; in other words, a Monarchy. This glofication of Monarchies is congruent with European Cultural Romanticism, but America was formed by revolting against the British Monarchy, specifically King George II. Thus, seems quite ironic that Emerson has good words about such governments with linear power. Delbert Blanton, Kokomo, IN.

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Amazing Book and Reading

Revisado: 03-09-22

"Wolf" is sort of a cross between Kerouac's "On the Road" and Bukowski's "Women." However, Jim Harrison's stories are better than Kerouac's and Jim Harrison doesn't get as depraved as Bukowski. Of the three, Kerouac's writing is the most polished. This is ironic when considering that Kerouac pretended to not rewrite any of his books, which is a lie. Harrison's writing can be a bit choppy. However, Mr. Chris Andrew Ciulla had the perfect delivery style that "smoothed-over" any difficult sentences. Will probably listen to this recording again in a few years. Also, it was really neat how Harrison started in Reed City, Michigan and then returned to Reed City at the end. In between, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, San Francisco, NYC, and other places. Later-on, I think that Mr. Harrison's prose is not so choppy; but, like I said, Mr. Ciulla's prefect delivery made everything understandable.

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Amazing Book and Reading

Revisado: 01-02-22

I read "Cat's Cradle" 30 years ago. Just finished a second reading on Jan. 2, 2022. This is an amazing novel. I am a now a Bokononist. At the end of this audible book, there is a good 20 minutes of Vonnegut talking-with Walter Miller, the poet and teacher. That's an amazing chat. Vonnegut sheds-some-light on his capture in the Battle of the Bulge. Also, Vonnegut has some very interesting comments on Joseph Heller who wrote, "Catch-22." Kurt and Joe were friends. As for "Cat's Cradle," after Ice-9 destroys the Earth, the narrator finally meets Bokonon. I don't like how Vonnegut ended the novel. Too pessimistic. That's my only fault of the book, Bokonon's advice at the end-of-the-novel. I would have rather had the survivors make a new flag and the narrator hike to the top of Mount McCabe with Mona (instead of her touching Ice-9 to her lips intentionally) and the beginning of a new grandfalloonery.

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Mind-Blowing

Revisado: 09-04-21

Before you read/listen to this, you should first read the Cliff's Notes. That background with the Cliff's Notes will help you understand this poem. It's mind-blowing. Goethe was a true literary genius. No doubt.

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Amazing Jewish Romanticism

Revisado: 06-01-21

Maccabees I and II are sort-of like Homer's Iliad, lots of killing and lots of speeches before the battles. I can't really believe the numbers. Sometimes, 20,000 then 40,000 then 50,000 dead, on-and-on-and-on. I wonder what was the total dead between the Jews and the Greeks who were trying to make the Jews assimilate-into their Hellenistic Culture, but Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan Maccabeus and Simon Maccabeus would not. It's convenient that the totals for the causalities is always a nice round number, nothing specific like 22,345 dead. Ha. There are a couple of stories in here that Josephus wrote in "The Jewish War," which was like 150 years after this. How can that be? One repeated story is about seven brothers who become martyrs, refusing to eat pork and getting decapitated and their Mother giving an amazing speech before she was the last to die. This was like what, 150 BC? Howbeit, I'm pretty sure that Josephus writes the same story his composition, "The Jewish War." How can this be, when considering that Maccabees is like 100 years before Jesus and The Jewish War which was the Jews versus the Romans was like AD 70? Regardless, the Maccabees books are amazing.

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Amazing Novel

Revisado: 04-25-21

I first read "Dharma Bums" in 1991. This performance by Ethan Hawke is first rate, amazing, with just the right inflections.

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Some Contradictions

Revisado: 04-04-21

If you are a thinker, you are obligated to read/listen to this book. Different editions are different texts. In other words, all the editions of "On the Origin of Species" are not completely alike. There are many different variations (ha!), seriously. The book that I read is different from this Audible Version. Regardless, it seems that Charlie makes some contradictions regardless of your edition. For example, Charlie writes that species at the same latitudes in the same environments are quite different. Then, he remarks how amazing it is that the species are very similar at the same latitudes. There are several other contradictions that I could mention if I really thought. However, here I want to remark on the most striking idea in this book. Many people think that Darwin argues for the strongest defeating the weakest. And, this is true. Throughout this book, Darwin remarks how a species which gains an advantage through Natural Selection will supplant other species which does not gain an advantage. However!! This is species. When talking about varieties within a species, Darwin argues for these varieties to be crossed; that is, mixed together sexually. Why? Because when varieties are crossed, the produce stronger offspring. Now, in this book, Darwin is writing about plants and animals 98 percent of the time. But, he does mention Human Beings a few times. Nevertheless, if you view varieties of species as races of species, then it is clear that Darwin would like to see Blacks and Whites and Asians all mix together!! This is completely the opposite and misinterpreted view of the early 20th Century Germans who were in-love with Darwin and took Darwin to mean that we should NOT mix the races together. These were the early Nazis. And, these Nazis got Darwin backwards! Look, it's a long story. Just read one of the editions and then listen to this Audible. You will need two passes. Then, let Darwin sink into you, and you will see what I see. Darwin wanted to mix the varieties! The races!!

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Excellent!!

Revisado: 02-14-21

This book is first-rate. Robert Graves did an amazing job. Essentially, it is about the time of Rome from Augustus to Tiberius to Caligula, just after Julius Caesar, like 40 BC to AD 40, approximately. At the end, Claudius becomes the reluctant Emperor when Caligula is assassinated. The last 80 pages or so are about Caligula. This is some of the funniest stuff I've ever read. I was dying with laughter as Mr. Graves wrote about Caligula's nonsense. In many ways, Caligula reminded me of Trump; or, at least, what Trump would have become if he could have become King of America. They say that Comedy is Tragedy plus Time. If you lived during the time of Caligula, you were horrified, of course. Today, though, Caligula's weirdness is hilarious. Maybe in 50 years, people will laugh at Trump's idiocy like we can laugh at Caligula's in this great book. Oh, also I discovered that "I, Claudius" was made into a TV series by the British Broadcasting Service. The great actor Derek Jacobi plays Claudius. I'm going to watch that now. There's like 12-15 episodes. Made in like the mid-70s. Good-luck, Audible People.

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Amazing Book

Revisado: 12-12-20

I read this back in 2017. Now, I've listened to the professional reader, Josh Bloomberg. Mr. Bloomberg did mispronounce a few words. Nevertheless, it is a great reading. Seldom do I read/listen to a book twice. This book deserves three passes. I will read again someday. I would love to visit West Wind, see the old Hocking Library. Maybe.

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Pretty Amazing

Revisado: 11-28-20

For a homosexual, Proust writes elegantly about heterosexual love. Wonder what is next for Proust (narrator) and Albertine in Paris, now that they are leaving Balbec. For me, Proust and Albertine are the latter-day Swann and Odette of early. The last 50 pages of this volume are really good. However, if I were Proust, I would have made Charlus and Prince Guermantes to have crossed paths in the wealthy whore house instead of Morel learning that someone (Charlus) was spying on him and giving the heads-up to Prince Guermantes. I also really like the discussion about the Dreyfus Affair.

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