Book 42 - Herman Wouk "The Lawgiver"

Herman Wouk "The Lawgiver" (Simon & Schuster)





The name Herman Wouk didn't mean much to me. Although i have heard of ,but not read his "The Caine Mutiny", to which the film was vaguely familiar to me, i had heard it was an epistolary novel. I was informed that it was by the owner of Tome Books in Eastbourne where i purchased this paperback from. Sadly , Tome is now defunct.

Anyway, you're in for a treat with this book. It's just great writing and a sweet story about a group of people attempting to make a movie about Moses. We learn about their lives, their loves, and their friendships. One character in particular is given a lot of attention: the screenwriter, Margo. And I laughed out loud more than once, which surprised me because I wasn't expecting the book to be so funny.

This is really a character study in the somewhat polarized and distorted film world. Margo is a fantastic creation - passionate about her work yet insecure, craving the approval of her father, mentor and idols, yet perfectly happy to throw multiple spanners into works. The novel is tightly cast; no one is extraneous and all contribute to both plot and humour. Possibly my favourite character is gentle-natured Perry Pines, accidentally thrown into the whirlwind of Hollywood, yet clinging stubbornly to the farmland of his youth.

I also wasn't expecting tears, but those didn't come until the last page.

The Existentialist View

Atheist Stephen Fry delivers an incredible response when asked what what he would say if he met God. What do you think of his answer?

I tend to agree with Stephen from the point of view of an existentialist in which we make our own choices, good or bad, and that to precis Sartre and Camus , to follow a creed  makes us inauthentic and fall into the trap of bad faith.

Joss Whedon has a similar point of view in his Buffy and Angel TV series. Note that one of the books Angel reads is John-Paul Sartre's novel "Nausea". In essence, the universe is indifferent to our being,(our ontology), and that the world is an absurd place. Once you realize that then you can move on with the knoledge that  the meaninglessness and absurdity create a behavior pattern that is not consistent with that which is considered "normal". In other words, existentialism "jars you out of your habits." Like war, sexual disease, and the like, the individual consciousness is paramount to the societal impact one may have and it is your reality that dictates your actions, not anybody else's.

Thus, human beings, through their own consciousness, create their own values and determine a meaning to their life.

Mind Your Grammar

This is priceless. Gove texts Stephen Fry to correct his grammar.

Michael Gove Reveals QI Host Stephen Fry 'Texts Him To Correct His Grammar'

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/06/23/stephen-fry-michael-gove-text_n_7644696.html?1435073759

Today I Have Mostly Been Listening To ....

Apart from popping over to Rainham to sell books for a mere three quid (thankfully a free train ride in both directions) i have been mostly a man of leisure today. Yep, still awaiting that damn payment.

Anyhow, been listening to a smorgasbord of music , and a few items i had not listened to before during my charity shop scavenges. Top of the list goes to the discovery on Fat Cat Records, which is this one.



Gregory And The Hawk - Moeni and Kitchi

Albert Hammond Jr. - ¿Cómo Te Llama?
Nobody & The Mystic Chords Of Memory - Tree Coloured See
Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops




Of the four played so far try he most inventive and enjoyable is the Gregory CD.

Wednesday Musical Selection - Mixed Bag

Time for some music clips then -

Gregory And The Hawk - Stone Wall Stone Fence

Secret Machines - Alone,Jealous and Stoned

Nobody & The Mystic Chords Of Memmory - Decisions Decisions

And finally, a fave track  of all time  - from the  superb "Blue" album -

Joni Mitchell - A Case Of You

Enjoy

Rock The Groove

The musical meme continues - and Buffy related , Season 3 "The Prom" which is one of my favourite episodes from that season.

The Sundays - Wild Horses

Yet another cover version makes it way to the Buffy proscenium, this time being the Sundays’ version of the Rolling Stones classic, “Wild Horses.” The transition from season three to season four was a big leap for the show, going from the confines of high school to the world of college and beyond. After surviving the `hell’ of college and breaking up with the `love of her life / afterlife’ on prom night, Buffy had to have some good things coming her way or she probably would have jumped in front of an oncoming bus. Those good things came in the form of recognition from her peers, a touching and unexpected moment, and a romantic gesture from her beau. That gesture occurred just as “Wild Horses” began to play, ensuring there’s not a dry eye in the room whenever the episode is played, no matter how many times its played.

Cream - Tales Of Brave Ulysses

This is another one of those “Giles is old” songs, and one that had significant consequences for Buffy and her family. You see, this song was playing when Buffy’s mom and Giles were hanging out, affected by a bad batch of candy bars that regressed everyone to adolescent behavior. The two ended up sleeping together, a fact that wasn't discovered until Buffy was able to read thoughts in a later episode. “Ulysses” is kind of a literary major’s version of “Sunshine of Your Love,” a precursor to the mighty Zep’s epic tales set to proto-metal guitars. Far out, man!

(reviews . show synopsis from Treble)