Bunch of Books Roundup

Okay, bastards. You think you had me down? You think I haven't been reading? Well... HERE'S a bunch of books that I've finished in the past few months:

"The Path of the Mother" - I love Ammachi. This book got a little fruity at times, but the shining love and radiance of the Holy Mother Ammachi shone through. :-)



"Born Standing Up" - Steve Martin is simply awesome. Totally inspirational book that proves that HARD WORK and being completely devoted to your craft can really take you places that no man hath gone before.



"Diaboliad" - My love for Mikhail Bulgakov already knew no bounds, and now, if there WERE any bounds that I did not know about, they too have been obliterated, and I love him even more boundlessly than before.



"Mary Holmes: Paintings and Ideas" - This woman is one cool character. Great life, beautiful art, and really cool ideas. Holmes was also a big influence of the balloon twister Addi Somekh, who self-published the book.

"Strange Interlude" - A totally awesomely weird play by Eugene O'Neill. Ahead of its time, it deals with all sorts of psychological tomfoolery and some taboo abortion stuff thrown in. Good times.



AND THERE'S MORE! I'll be finished with this MUSIC PUBLISHING book in a couple hours, and of course there is that classic book of sci-fi and humor THE BIBLE that I'm reading, and I know I'm forgetting some stuff from the past few months. Must consult the stacks next to my bed, and in the bathroom, and by the couch, and at my boyfriend's house.

Another update, coming soon!

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. :-)