"To compensate a little for the treachery and weakness of my memory, so extreme that it has happened to me more than once to pick up again, as recent and unknown to me, books which I had read carefully a few years before . . . I have adopted the habit for some time now of adding at the end of each book . . . the time I finished reading it and the judgment I have derived of it as a whole, so that this may represent to me at least the sense and general idea I had conceived of the author in reading it." (Montaigne, Book II, Essay 10 (publ. 1580))

Monday, September 30, 2013

Pre-Raphaelites - Victorian Art and Design (Tim Barringer, Jason Rosenfeld, Alison Smith (2012)

This book was put together for the exhibition we viewed with K on our delightful visit to DC back in May.  PJ knows I'm a sucker for art gallery books if I see an exhibition I particularly like, so she bought this for me.  Nice.

And I think it's one of the best of this genre I've seen. It's of course pretty large; lots of reproductions of works from the exhibition (as one would expect) that I look at regularly; the kicker is that the three authors do such an interesting job of putting the artists in context, explaining what they're doing, the evolution of the movement, etc.

Back to my current focus (idea cribbed from some article-writer) on the importance of the Bible and Shakespeare to so much of Western art, literature, etc.  The Pre-Raphaelites certainly loved the subject matter from those sources.

I know no way to capsulize what these artists were all about, but I do love the bright colors, the predominating subject matters, the sense that they were pushing for something "new" - not unusual for artists, but here in a manner somehow more interesting to me.

This is a great book to own, I will (continue to) page through it regularly.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

To the End of the Land (David Grossman, 2010)

I've had this book on my list since seeing several very positive reviews back when it was published in 2010.  By happenstance, my reading of it coincided closely with two closely related works (described
here and here).  Which helped make this one more meaningful.

Ora is the lead character.  Her son (Ofer) is finishing up duty in Israeli military; to celebrate, they were planning a backpacking tour up north in Galilee (estranged husband Ilan and other son Adam are out of contact somewhere in South America).  But Ofer goes back into the military in relation to an initiative underway in response to Palestinian unrest.  Ora is freaked out, let's say, and decides that she can protect Ofer by getting out of her home, avoiding news, and becoming invisible to the military's "notifiers" that come around and tell families that their sons are dead.  Ora knows this is somewhat beyond irrational but does it anyway.  And she recruits a formerly close friend of both she and Ilan - Avram - who has some issues, let's say (mostly stemming from being tortured as an Egyptian POW during the 1973 war - a situation to which Ora and Ilan are connected).  Anyway off Ora and Avram go, with backpacks.

I very much liked quite a few elements of the story.  The first part - when Ora, Ilan and Avram are quarantined in a barely functioning hospital during the 1967 war - is really nicely done, imaginative.  The parts dealing with Ora's relationship with Arab chauffeur, Sami, are most interesting.  Those folks need one another, but the circumstances are unimaginable.  

I think the book also gives a glimpse of the overriding sense of precariousness that must be quite real in Israel - especially for the generation that went through the near-existential moments in 1967 and 1973.  How must it feel to live in a tiny country pinned against the sea, surrounded by much larger countries many of which have sworn to wipe you out?  And relying on America politicians?

Ora rides the bus when bombings are taking place - good description of the way people avoid looking at each other, clearly mistrustful.

The ending caught me by surprise.

Only criticism:  I think the author overdid it in shaping characters who seem to live so intensely that it is almost "too much," for want of a better description.  The book didn't need this, it was strong enough with less intensity of that nature.

Recommended.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Pentateuch (oft ascribed to Moses)

Don't recall where I read it - someone commented that knowing the Bible and Shakespeare is essential to dealing with so much of Western art, literature, music, whatever.  This was a very useful comment, and one that I'm acting on.

We go to an art gallery - most recent would be the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition in DC and the Getty - what percentage of significant works are along these themes?  Our Choral Union performances often are based on Bible elements.  (Working on Schubert's setting of "Miriam's Song" this semester - guess what, it's right in the Pentateuch (Miriam is reveling in poor Pharaoh's continuing misfortunes).)  Literary references are endless (we were just discussing East of Eden the other day - where poor Cain was sent ("the land of Nod, east of Eden")).  So doesn't it obviously make sense to refresh on these sources?

(Also, I'm entirely unapologetic about having a "Western" mindset - I believe there is a difference, and that it matters.)

My Bible knowledge is pretty decent, but it's been awhile.  Shakespeare - not so much - so I'm working with a Harold Bloom book and so far have read Julius Caesar, Richard III, and Titus Andronicus (will post on each as I get to it).

Pure coincidence - but helpful and interesting - that I was reading this book about Jerusalem somewhat concurrently with the Pentateuch.

Reading the Bible in chunks.  The Pentateuch is, of course, the first five books of the Old Testament.  Full of wondrous stories.  I think it does offer some pretty accurate insights into human nature, and serves up some stories to explain it.  Original sin, for example.

Hadn't recalled how Yahweh definitely was a "jealous" God.  All this stuff intended to mark out the Jews as not just a nation, but a "chosen" people.  Leviticus - quite a set of rules.

The story of Joseph - and the move to Egypt and subsequent departure - gets a ton of space.  Pharaoh was stubborn indeed - you'd think he'd give up after being pelted with frogs, having his rivers turned to blood, getting blasted with hail - just for starters.

Moses taps on the rock two times - no Promised Land for him.  40 years in the desert - so that all the unfaithful folks would be dead before the nation was permitted to enter Canaan.

Adam and Eve.  Cain and Abel.  Noah.  Abraham.  Ishmael.  Isaac.  Jacob (Leah and Rachel) and Esau.  The 12 sons of Jacob - which became the 12 tribes.  Moses.  Aaron.  Balaam won't curse the Israelites.

Next: Joshua, Samuel, Kings, etc.