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Could Marvel Do It?
Apr. 11th, 2019 01:27 am
Apr. 11th, 2019
That Thursday Feeling
Apr. 11th, 2019 10:39 amWell, after a lovely day today is a bit .... well... meh!
I have no plans for today anyway as Friday will be very busy again.
I will be seeing Phil later as he is catering the Lady masons again here in Faversham.
Time for some reading methinks.
I have no plans for today anyway as Friday will be very busy again.
I will be seeing Phil later as he is catering the Lady masons again here in Faversham.
Time for some reading methinks.
Hugh Aldersey-Williams "Periodic Tales" (Viking)
Periodic Tales is a history book about science, explaining the stories behind the discoveries of the elements in the periodic table and the cultural impact of these elements.
It is a good book to pick up and read off and on. But I wouldn't have minded a little bit more scientific description of the elements, like a general glossary for natural state, common uses, and atomic number/symbol or even just the periodic table as an endpaper would have been greatly appreciated. As it is the paperback is a good beginner guide but lacks the meat and juice of a much more rigorous tome.
The only things that would have improved the book would be the inclusion of the periodic table itself for those of us who haven't seen one since school and better chapter headings to indicate which elements were being discussed because it jumped about a bit.
Periodic Tales is a history book about science, explaining the stories behind the discoveries of the elements in the periodic table and the cultural impact of these elements.
It is a good book to pick up and read off and on. But I wouldn't have minded a little bit more scientific description of the elements, like a general glossary for natural state, common uses, and atomic number/symbol or even just the periodic table as an endpaper would have been greatly appreciated. As it is the paperback is a good beginner guide but lacks the meat and juice of a much more rigorous tome.
The only things that would have improved the book would be the inclusion of the periodic table itself for those of us who haven't seen one since school and better chapter headings to indicate which elements were being discussed because it jumped about a bit.
Margaret Atwood "On Writers And Writing" (Virago)
This book grew out of the series of Empsom lectures that prize-winning novelist Atwood gave at the University of Cambridge in 2000. In it, she addresses a number of fundamental questions: not how to write but the basic position of the writer, why a writer writes, "and for whom? And what is this writing anyway?".
Wearing her learning lightly, Atwood allows her wit to shine on almost every page. She probes her life and work along with those of many other writers and brings in myths, fairy tales, movies whatever feeds her themes. Following an initial autobiographical chapter, Atwood addresses major issues: the duplicity evidently inherent in writing; the problems of art vs. money; the problems of art vs. social relevance; the nature of the triangular relationship of writer, reader, and book; and, in the final title chapter, the provocative idea that "all writing of the narrative kind, and perhaps all writing, is motivated, deep down, by a fear of and a fascination with mortality by a desire to make the risky trip to the Underworld, and to bring something or someone back from the dead."
Each essay examined a different aspect of the writing process, such as dealing with fame, mingling with the dead and the conversation between the writer and his/her reader. Atwood added many stories from her past, which I found the most fascinating. She also included lots of references to other writers and poets, including Dante, Shakespeare, Alice Munro and Adrienne Rich – to help strengthen her many thoughts about writing.
Atwood is not looking to provide answers or solutions but to explore the parameters of some interesting questions. The result is engaging food for thought for all who care about writers and writing.
This book grew out of the series of Empsom lectures that prize-winning novelist Atwood gave at the University of Cambridge in 2000. In it, she addresses a number of fundamental questions: not how to write but the basic position of the writer, why a writer writes, "and for whom? And what is this writing anyway?".
Wearing her learning lightly, Atwood allows her wit to shine on almost every page. She probes her life and work along with those of many other writers and brings in myths, fairy tales, movies whatever feeds her themes. Following an initial autobiographical chapter, Atwood addresses major issues: the duplicity evidently inherent in writing; the problems of art vs. money; the problems of art vs. social relevance; the nature of the triangular relationship of writer, reader, and book; and, in the final title chapter, the provocative idea that "all writing of the narrative kind, and perhaps all writing, is motivated, deep down, by a fear of and a fascination with mortality by a desire to make the risky trip to the Underworld, and to bring something or someone back from the dead."
Each essay examined a different aspect of the writing process, such as dealing with fame, mingling with the dead and the conversation between the writer and his/her reader. Atwood added many stories from her past, which I found the most fascinating. She also included lots of references to other writers and poets, including Dante, Shakespeare, Alice Munro and Adrienne Rich – to help strengthen her many thoughts about writing.
Atwood is not looking to provide answers or solutions but to explore the parameters of some interesting questions. The result is engaging food for thought for all who care about writers and writing.
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