Word of The Mouth

I love it when people recommend books and music to me. It opens up new worlds and associations that I may not stumble upon by my lonesome, and it also gives me insight into what other folks are into, which is fascinating. For example, I have discovered so much awesome music from folks who came to an Evangenitals show and then rattled off a list of bands that they feel our music in some way is akin to. That's how I found out about Freakwater, Fear, Silverjews, Lavender Diamond, and so much other good stuff.

So, now that I've started this blog, the book recommendations are starting to trickle in, which is SUPER exciting! (Not that I don't already have enough to read! Sheesh!) I am, however, a great believer in "god speaking through other people" and following the wild and winding river of whateversoever shows up in your path to guide you. "SAY YES TO LIFE!" That's my (occasional) motto. Along with "FOLLOW YOUR BLISS!" and "GIRD YOUR LOINS FOR THE RECKONING!" :-)

I will always be eternally grateful to photographer John Fitzpatrick for turning me on to Bulgakov's The Master and Margaritaand Heart of a Dog. Composer Jeremy Zuckerman for sending me Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Costume Designer Irina Kruzhilina for giving me Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Actor Michael Blackman for bestowing the curse of Kipling's The Light That Failedupon me.

And now, the ridiculously talented and awesome composer and musician Kubilay Uner has hipped me to the writings of Luciano De Crescenzo. I very much want to get down with his two books on classic Greek philosopher's, however, it's gonna be a little tricky to find them in English. If anyone has any leads, please let me know! :-)

Kubi also suggested that I read Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophysince I'm on the overview tip. I've been wanting to get down with Russell ever since reading about the love/hate relationship he had with Wittgenstein in the ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE Wittgenstein biography by Ray Monk Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius(given to me by jazz saxophonist Masahiro during my NYU days). Of course, after having such an amazing experience reading THAT biography, I really think I need to add Monk's biography of Bertrand Russell (in two parts: The Spirit of Solitude and The Ghost of Madness) to the list, too. :-)

Words, words, words... Lord, help me. :-)