December 2008
22 posts
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Words n' Stuff - Top 10 Books for '08
Because lists are just fun.
This one comes with all the usual caveats: I don’t finish books I don’t like, I don’t always read what’s new, out of all my compulsive reading these are my top ten favorite books that I read in ‘08. And if you ask me tomorrow, you’re likely to get a different list.
10. East Of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952) Not much to be said here...
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I dream of you… and you’re singing to...
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Can’t Remember How I’m Kin To Them
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Xmas Tunes
I’ll admit it, during this time of year, I’m a sucker for Christmas songs. Traditionals, classical hymns and pop renditions of the standards, like this one below. I’ll probably post a few more of my favorites in the next couple of days, but for now, enjoy a slightly crunchier take on We Wish You A Merry Christmas, courtesy of Weezer.
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Weezer
“Sleep is the most moronic fraternity in the world, with the heaviest dues and...”
– Vladimir Nabokov, Speak Memory (1966)
It's A Bookcase!
Really, it is…
“The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is...”
– first two lines of Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov (1966)
Spirit of the Age
The end of the year - time for the holidays and all their baggage; the shopping, the wonder, the nostalgia, compulsory parties, too much eating, too much drinking and so on. The close of the year also heralds countless top-10 lists, corporate assessments, budget planning, fractured, anxious dreams (for me, at least), hours of self-reflection in preparation for a broadcast of hollow resolutions,...
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Bloody Liars →
Most of my friends, family and anyone who has been to my house know that I have an almost unhealthy obsession with books. Books help me make sense of my own life and the world, and I find them to be beautiful, comforting objects. And I’ll admit, I sometimes judge people by what they do (or do not) read.
Apparently, our brethren across the pond value books so much that they tend to lie...
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Nightmare v. Utopia
I came across a thought-provoking column in The Financial Times yesterday.
Many people cringe at the idea of a world government, but I don’t know… I can’t imagine that 100 years from now or 500 years from now, government will look the same way it does today. Maybe we will have one unified governing body or maybe future generations will revert to a back to earth-type...
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“The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave.”
– United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, commenting on Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.