Watching the Marathon on AMC, hate these commercials lol.
Watching this for the first time, and
I'm not that symphatetic to White, I'm rather more partial to Gus and Jesse lol.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Finished Verhey
German military deliberately lied to the people in the final phrases of the war, for example saying that English were starving and if German people would hold longer they would win. 'Stab in the back' myth was also manufactured by Ludendorff to mislead the German public. And the people eventually subscribed to this 'myth'.
Hitler and the Nazi party were the main beneficiaries, the process greatly assisted by the Hugenberg newspaper empire.
p. 208-9
In 1924, German President Friedrich Ebert (SPD) stated that WWI was a defensive war.
Hitler and the Nazi party were the main beneficiaries, the process greatly assisted by the Hugenberg newspaper empire.
p. 208-9
In 1924, German President Friedrich Ebert (SPD) stated that WWI was a defensive war.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
The Uninvited(1944)
Very looking forward to this movie which stars Ray Milland(the imdb pic of him is horrible lol) and Ruth Hussey.
The problem is, the dispensing machine at the local branch broke down so it's not available right now -_-
The problem is, the dispensing machine at the local branch broke down so it's not available right now -_-
The Damned United
Really enjoying the movie thus far; great storytelling, one really gets to root for Brian Clough(acted brilliantly by the always capable Michael Sheen).
And it was directed by Tom Hooper.
No wonder he won the Oscar for The King's Speech(I'm firmly on the side of that movie; the furor against it got out of hand; it's not like Fincher's The Social Network is vastly superior. It was also vastly easier to borrow TSN from the library compared to KS; KS had a LONG hold lol)
And it was directed by Tom Hooper.
No wonder he won the Oscar for The King's Speech(I'm firmly on the side of that movie; the furor against it got out of hand; it's not like Fincher's The Social Network is vastly superior. It was also vastly easier to borrow TSN from the library compared to KS; KS had a LONG hold lol)
Tuchman still reigns supreme
By now I've read a few books on the start of WWI, such as Michael Howard's A Very Short Introduction series(OUP), Strachan, and recently by Clark, Hastings, and MacMillan(still reading), and in terms of sheer pleasure I think Tuchman is still hard to beat, she writes so well(Read about 5/7 methink). That LOA edition which also has The Prowd Tower is becoming irresistable to buy lol.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
From Clausewitz to 1870 to WWII
The systematic taking and killing hostages of the Belgians by the German army in 1914 was but an application of Clausewitz's maxim that terror can shorten the war.
They in fact practiced it after Sedan against French civilians in 1870. The dark side of "the most industrious, earnest, best educated race" had already been laid bare.
"If there has to be a choice between disorder and injustice,
the German prefers injustice"
- Goethe
They in fact practiced it after Sedan against French civilians in 1870. The dark side of "the most industrious, earnest, best educated race" had already been laid bare.
"If there has to be a choice between disorder and injustice,
the German prefers injustice"
- Goethe
Thomas Mann in 1917
From Guns of August ;
"The German soul is opposed to the pacifist ideal of civilization for is not peace an element of civil corruption?"
A German scientist said to American journalist Irwin Cobb;
"German Kultur will enlighten the world and after this war there will never be another"
In reality, Louvain happened.
"The German soul is opposed to the pacifist ideal of civilization for is not peace an element of civil corruption?"
A German scientist said to American journalist Irwin Cobb;
"German Kultur will enlighten the world and after this war there will never be another"
In reality, Louvain happened.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Military and Hitler
Why was the Hitler regime unchallenged throughout its reign?
Because the only element capable of toppling it, the Military, was in league with Hitler.
Their aim was essentially the same; War.
Hence, Manstein's refusal to acknowledge the liability of the Army isn't really convincing.
P.S. SPD had considerable heft during the early 20th century, yet, when IT MATTERED, they were tame enough to surrender without a fight against Hitler(Didn't really put much resistance in 1914 either). For better or worse, French were more..intransigent lol.
Because the only element capable of toppling it, the Military, was in league with Hitler.
Their aim was essentially the same; War.
Hence, Manstein's refusal to acknowledge the liability of the Army isn't really convincing.
P.S. SPD had considerable heft during the early 20th century, yet, when IT MATTERED, they were tame enough to surrender without a fight against Hitler(Didn't really put much resistance in 1914 either). For better or worse, French were more..intransigent lol.
"Unity" in Germany during WWI
My armchair history musings continues lol.
Finished about half of Verhey. German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg thought unity was paramount also for propaganda reasons(Goebbels wasn't the pioneer of mass manipulation. Even before WWI, Germany knew the importance of propaganda; even Moltke expressed concern about it);
Hence, the government barred all reports, letters, and periodicals expressing disunity, whether from the Extreme Right or the Left; the newspaper of SPD, Vorwärts was allowed to be sold at Prussian railroad stations, to the amazement of many(But of course, it was still biased against the Left).
Finished about half of Verhey. German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg thought unity was paramount also for propaganda reasons(Goebbels wasn't the pioneer of mass manipulation. Even before WWI, Germany knew the importance of propaganda; even Moltke expressed concern about it);
Hence, the government barred all reports, letters, and periodicals expressing disunity, whether from the Extreme Right or the Left; the newspaper of SPD, Vorwärts was allowed to be sold at Prussian railroad stations, to the amazement of many(But of course, it was still biased against the Left).
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Why is Laura Linney
Introducing Masterpiece Classic, just popped Downton Abbey Season 2 disc 1 into my dvd player and there she was, what a pleasant surprise :)
Napoleonic Empire
Russia also 'saved' Europe from Napoleonic domination.
But it was essentially the triumph of the Conservative, evidenced in the creation of the Holy Empire League among 3 Conservative Monarchies after the War.
Just how 'bad' was the Napoleonic Empire? Was it like autocratic Germany in 1914 or 1939?
I'm waiting for a sequel after reading Dwyer's biography of Napoleon some years ago,
And voila! it just came out!
Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power
Hope it arrives soon at the local library so I can check it out.
Meanwhile I must satisfy in a roundabout way, by reading the history from the British Conservative point of view;
The Savage Storm: Britain on the Brink in the Age of Napoleon
But it was essentially the triumph of the Conservative, evidenced in the creation of the Holy Empire League among 3 Conservative Monarchies after the War.
Just how 'bad' was the Napoleonic Empire? Was it like autocratic Germany in 1914 or 1939?
I'm waiting for a sequel after reading Dwyer's biography of Napoleon some years ago,
And voila! it just came out!
Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power
Hope it arrives soon at the local library so I can check it out.
Meanwhile I must satisfy in a roundabout way, by reading the history from the British Conservative point of view;
The Savage Storm: Britain on the Brink in the Age of Napoleon
Saturday Evening Post
I was surprised that it was still in print.
Famous for Rockwell's Cover paintings, in its heyday in the early 20th century it had a reputation as an extreme Rightist magazine(again, Liberal Media is a myth)
Browsed one issue, and even this magazine, like New Yorker and Economist some time ago, expresses alarm at the widening income gap in America.
Maybe American-style laissez-faire Capitalism is finally losing its grip. We'll see.
Famous for Rockwell's Cover paintings, in its heyday in the early 20th century it had a reputation as an extreme Rightist magazine(again, Liberal Media is a myth)
Browsed one issue, and even this magazine, like New Yorker and Economist some time ago, expresses alarm at the widening income gap in America.
Maybe American-style laissez-faire Capitalism is finally losing its grip. We'll see.
'Courageous' Fischer? Germany in 1914
At last finished Winchester and started Jeffrey Verhey's The Spirit of 1914: Militarism, Myth, and Mobilization in Germany (Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare) (yes, Forsyte is languishing, as usual with novels)
What many ascribe to 'enthusiastic' response at the start of the war was in fact in 1870, not 1914. Mostly youths and Nationalists in urban areas were euphoric, whereas working class and rural peasants were sombre and depressed. Naturally Rightist and bourgeois newspapers blew this out of all proportions and contributed to the war propaganda and hysteria.
Naturally Verhey mentions Fritz Fischer, and he describes his work as 'courageous'.
His work was published in the 1960s. Imagine that. Fischer must have faced torrents of anger from the German Historical Establishment, who stubbornly clung to the myth of 'universal' blame on starting WWI.
Some hilarious and freightening instances of Chauvinistic mob violence in Germany at that time;
Patrons of cafe or restaurants who didn't stand up during recital of patriotic songs were lynched.
They shot at the clouds thinking those were French airplanes
Driving car was very dangerous, since they were shot at, mistaken as French cars hoarding money away(of course, false rumour). Most of the victims, killed or otherwise, were members of High Society, who could afford cars.
Gangs roamed the streets checking for foreign words on the shops: issued ultimatum, and when the shop owner didn't erase it, trashed the shop.
The Spy Scare prompted massive lynching too; almost all of the victims were innocent and were in fact reservists, etc.
What many ascribe to 'enthusiastic' response at the start of the war was in fact in 1870, not 1914. Mostly youths and Nationalists in urban areas were euphoric, whereas working class and rural peasants were sombre and depressed. Naturally Rightist and bourgeois newspapers blew this out of all proportions and contributed to the war propaganda and hysteria.
Naturally Verhey mentions Fritz Fischer, and he describes his work as 'courageous'.
His work was published in the 1960s. Imagine that. Fischer must have faced torrents of anger from the German Historical Establishment, who stubbornly clung to the myth of 'universal' blame on starting WWI.
Some hilarious and freightening instances of Chauvinistic mob violence in Germany at that time;
Patrons of cafe or restaurants who didn't stand up during recital of patriotic songs were lynched.
They shot at the clouds thinking those were French airplanes
Driving car was very dangerous, since they were shot at, mistaken as French cars hoarding money away(of course, false rumour). Most of the victims, killed or otherwise, were members of High Society, who could afford cars.
Gangs roamed the streets checking for foreign words on the shops: issued ultimatum, and when the shop owner didn't erase it, trashed the shop.
The Spy Scare prompted massive lynching too; almost all of the victims were innocent and were in fact reservists, etc.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Recommended: Isiah Berlin on Turgenev
Not many literary works move me but Berlin's Fathers and Children: Turgenev and the Liberal Predicament is one of'em, along with Thackeray's Vanity Fair (the scene where the philistine aristocrat-soldier dies in battle). That piece was so moving, I finally decided to buy it after all these years.
http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Thinkers-Penguin-Classics-Isaiah/dp/0141442204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387178889&sr=8-1&keywords=berlin+russian+thinkers
http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Thinkers-Penguin-Classics-Isaiah/dp/0141442204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387178889&sr=8-1&keywords=berlin+russian+thinkers
Koreans in TV series
Gilmore Girls. Two Broke Girls.
Kind of depicted as butt of jokes.
Are other nationalities depicted in this way too? I'm not so sure..
Is it because Korean lobby is relatively weak?
Are Koreans the 'new Jew' in USA? Lol.
Kind of depicted as butt of jokes.
Are other nationalities depicted in this way too? I'm not so sure..
Is it because Korean lobby is relatively weak?
Are Koreans the 'new Jew' in USA? Lol.
Why Gilmore Girls is da best
Any program that even mentions H.L. Mencken's Chrestomathy, how can you NOT love it lol.
Grecian value: sport
Grecian value is peculiar in that they sought perfection also for their body: they strived to improve in every aspect. Hence, the Olympian games and all that.
Leopold or Benes: who was right?
King Leopold of Belgium decided to ignore Germany's veiled threat and to maintain their independence, by fighting against the German military juggernaut. The nation was passionately behind him. The result, devastation.
Benes, Premier of Czechoslovakia, capitulated to Hitler, unlike Poland: so could escape carnage and destruction. His 'realistic' decision was appreciated by A.J.P Taylor.
Who was right?
Benes, Premier of Czechoslovakia, capitulated to Hitler, unlike Poland: so could escape carnage and destruction. His 'realistic' decision was appreciated by A.J.P Taylor.
Who was right?
Gallic temper
Guns of August really is a classic, has many delightful episodes not treated in later works by other historians.
Naval minister Gauthier made a mistake in the earliest stage of WWI and after being criticized by the War minister Messimy, propsed a duel then later sobbed on the shoulder of him lol. So....volatile lol.
In fact, many diplomats, not only French, shed tears before and after mobilisations. They really did fear starting the war: why did they bother in the first place then, lol.
That Gallic temper can also be traced in films, too. So many passionate scenes, including a lover spitting in his girlfriend's mouth then French kissing..lol(forgot which movie it was, it was a recent one).
Passionate, and logical(Enlightenment, Materialism). That's Gallic temper for you.
Naval minister Gauthier made a mistake in the earliest stage of WWI and after being criticized by the War minister Messimy, propsed a duel then later sobbed on the shoulder of him lol. So....volatile lol.
In fact, many diplomats, not only French, shed tears before and after mobilisations. They really did fear starting the war: why did they bother in the first place then, lol.
That Gallic temper can also be traced in films, too. So many passionate scenes, including a lover spitting in his girlfriend's mouth then French kissing..lol(forgot which movie it was, it was a recent one).
Passionate, and logical(Enlightenment, Materialism). That's Gallic temper for you.
The saga of Churchill's elevation to PM
The outcome of WWII wasn't preordained at all. In fact Hitler nearly won the war. There was a powerful element in UK that wished friendship with Nazi Germany, from the King down to aristocrats and the merchant class(represented by Chamberlain, himself coming from that background), and the Press(The Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, etc. Exception were Manchester Guardian & Daily Telegraph).
Isolationist force in America comprised of every ideological spectrum and was dominant in Congress.
The 1930s was truly the decade of Appeasement in that the world was very generous to fascist nations: even before Germany, there were Japan and Italy waging wars without much interference. Spain too for that matter. Hitler carefully noted the trend, then acted, crossing the Rhine in 1936. The rest is history.
The genius of Churchill was that he perceived early on that Hitler was a greater threat than Stalin. Many preferred Nazi Germany and thought both Germany and USSR duking out between them wasn't a bad idea. Churchill's decision was all the more remarkable in that he was the proponent of assisting the Whites during the Russian Civil War: he was a dedicated anti-Communist. But his pitiful political instincts hindered himself from taking power during the 30s.
So, what if UK reached an understanding with Germany? Or if they made truce? Would then FDR 'dared' to oppose Hitler? FDR himself had severe doubts of UK surviving the war in the early stages of the Blitz. It really was a near miss.
That's why the saga is most gripping, and that's why Churchill is regarded as the greatest PM ever: by his sheer force of will, he managed to sustain UK during those perilous times. In effect, he saved civilisation, along with FDR, and...Stalin lol(Soviet Russia really did all the fighting. The scale of the Eastern theater easily dwarfs the Western one).
So, that's why I began to read these books again lol.
http://www.amazon.com/Troublesome-Young-Men-Brought-Churchill/dp/0374531331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387167932&sr=1-1&keywords=troublesome+young+men
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Lion-Winston-Churchill-1932-1940/dp/0316545120/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1387168026
And yes, USA indeed saved the world, they can brag lol, when Europe failed to do so.
Isolationist force in America comprised of every ideological spectrum and was dominant in Congress.
The 1930s was truly the decade of Appeasement in that the world was very generous to fascist nations: even before Germany, there were Japan and Italy waging wars without much interference. Spain too for that matter. Hitler carefully noted the trend, then acted, crossing the Rhine in 1936. The rest is history.
The genius of Churchill was that he perceived early on that Hitler was a greater threat than Stalin. Many preferred Nazi Germany and thought both Germany and USSR duking out between them wasn't a bad idea. Churchill's decision was all the more remarkable in that he was the proponent of assisting the Whites during the Russian Civil War: he was a dedicated anti-Communist. But his pitiful political instincts hindered himself from taking power during the 30s.
So, what if UK reached an understanding with Germany? Or if they made truce? Would then FDR 'dared' to oppose Hitler? FDR himself had severe doubts of UK surviving the war in the early stages of the Blitz. It really was a near miss.
That's why the saga is most gripping, and that's why Churchill is regarded as the greatest PM ever: by his sheer force of will, he managed to sustain UK during those perilous times. In effect, he saved civilisation, along with FDR, and...Stalin lol(Soviet Russia really did all the fighting. The scale of the Eastern theater easily dwarfs the Western one).
So, that's why I began to read these books again lol.
http://www.amazon.com/Troublesome-Young-Men-Brought-Churchill/dp/0374531331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387167932&sr=1-1&keywords=troublesome+young+men
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Lion-Winston-Churchill-1932-1940/dp/0316545120/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1387168026
And yes, USA indeed saved the world, they can brag lol, when Europe failed to do so.
German government helps Lenin
In 1917? German gov. helped Lenin and his 27 comrades get back to Russia, since Lenin was against the war: Germany wanted to avoid 2 front war so their interests 'clicked'...how ironic lol. Germany in effect helped Lenin win the power struggle.
In fact, Russia, including the Soviet Union under Stalin, was rather passive regarding the European theater: in both instances, in 1914 and 1941, Russia just wasn't ready to launch an assault: it was Germany, fearing that the balance would favor Russia later, that attacked first: exactly the same pattern and logic between Moltke and Hitler.
In fact, Russia, including the Soviet Union under Stalin, was rather passive regarding the European theater: in both instances, in 1914 and 1941, Russia just wasn't ready to launch an assault: it was Germany, fearing that the balance would favor Russia later, that attacked first: exactly the same pattern and logic between Moltke and Hitler.
Why Rural USA votes Red
It doesn't make sense economically. Maybe Marx is wrong in that regard lol.
Cultural values-God and Gun- might have to do it more.
And who made this electorally possible? Graham? Rove? The Heroes of the Right.
Cultural values-God and Gun- might have to do it more.
And who made this electorally possible? Graham? Rove? The Heroes of the Right.
Universal health care - the Last Frontier?
One in 10 of the rural area in the 1930s had electricity thanks to Capitalism: it wasn't just cost effective for the electrical companies to supply electricity cheaply.
It was thanks to FDR's 'socialist' policy, that that inequality was erased.
LBJ was dirt poor so he knew about poverty: that's why he launched the 'Great Society' program.
But FDR was a patrician. Truly, the 'traitor to his class' lol.
It's also ironic that a Texan ended the racial prejudice by legislation: LBJ.
I guess Universal Healthcare is the last Frontier in America. No less difficult than what LBJ faced(his cost? The unraveling of the Democratic Coalition-the South fell out. Morality trumps Votes: a rare case indeed, and therein lies LBJ's greatness). Whoever achieves it will be the next Great President.
It was thanks to FDR's 'socialist' policy, that that inequality was erased.
LBJ was dirt poor so he knew about poverty: that's why he launched the 'Great Society' program.
But FDR was a patrician. Truly, the 'traitor to his class' lol.
It's also ironic that a Texan ended the racial prejudice by legislation: LBJ.
I guess Universal Healthcare is the last Frontier in America. No less difficult than what LBJ faced(his cost? The unraveling of the Democratic Coalition-the South fell out. Morality trumps Votes: a rare case indeed, and therein lies LBJ's greatness). Whoever achieves it will be the next Great President.
Why FDR is the greatest president
Simon Winchester' s book inadvertently?(well, maybe not. He does praise the role of government in this book; maybe because he's from UK? After all, Clement Attlee is generally regarded the greatest PM in recent history due to Universal Healthcare and all that) praises FDR and the Democratic party.
It's funny because the rural area which benefited enormously(for example electricity) by FDR' s policy is solidly red.
It's funny because the rural area which benefited enormously(for example electricity) by FDR' s policy is solidly red.
3 verbs in a row
θαρσυνεσκε παριστάμενους επέδειξε
He would approach, and encourage them, saying (tr. by Murray)
Illiad, bk 2, ln 233
He would approach, and encourage them, saying (tr. by Murray)
Illiad, bk 2, ln 233
Saturday, December 14, 2013
USA: the nation of guns
Again, Winchester p. 294:
At Leadville Colorado, Oscar Wilde saw a sign at the bar, pleading
not to shoot the piano player;
PLEASE DO NOT SHOOT THE PIANIST. HE IS DOING HIS BEST.
Only in America! Lol.
Does it have anything to do with Truffaut's movie?
At Leadville Colorado, Oscar Wilde saw a sign at the bar, pleading
not to shoot the piano player;
PLEASE DO NOT SHOOT THE PIANIST. HE IS DOING HIS BEST.
Only in America! Lol.
Does it have anything to do with Truffaut's movie?
Cost of a car
p. 281 of Winchester:
In the 1920s, a Model T Ford or Chevrolet 490 cost less than $400, about 3 month's pay.
In the 1920s, a Model T Ford or Chevrolet 490 cost less than $400, about 3 month's pay.
Friday, December 13, 2013
The Newsroom
Watching the 1st season and although it's idealistic, I like it so far.
Didn't know that Obama failed the Brady report lol.
Didn't know that Obama failed the Brady report lol.
Au Bonheur des Dames
Today stumbled upon a brand new Penguin pbk edition of Zola's work.
How COULD I resist this lol. So exploration of French literature continues(after having tasted bits of Corneille, Moliere, Dumas, Hugo)..
Along with the Forsyte, I guess it'll be like delving into a bourgeois society.
Also wonder if this book has anything to to with the curren hit British TV series The Paradise, I'm actually tempted to buy that series.
How COULD I resist this lol. So exploration of French literature continues(after having tasted bits of Corneille, Moliere, Dumas, Hugo)..
Along with the Forsyte, I guess it'll be like delving into a bourgeois society.
Also wonder if this book has anything to to with the curren hit British TV series The Paradise, I'm actually tempted to buy that series.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Nietzsche contra Wagner
Barzun surely knows his Nietzsche. If you want to know Nietzsche but can't spare the time reading Walter Kaufmann , just read that chapter(the blog post title) of his Darwin, Marx, Wagner It summarizes Nietzsche's thought pretty well, especially in regard to Barzun's pro-Romantist leanings.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Count Gobineau
According to Barzun, the count, who is usually thought as the founder of racism,
Denied that Germans were Nordic
And
Said that the music was the gift of the Negroes to the Europeans.
Denied that Germans were Nordic
And
Said that the music was the gift of the Negroes to the Europeans.
Dali denounces Bunuel
Didn't know that Dali denounced Bunuel during McCarthyist era, so that Bunuel had to quit MOMA.
Should watch Viridiana by him. Can't find Berlanga's film though(from the library)..
Should watch Viridiana by him. Can't find Berlanga's film though(from the library)..
Novels to read
Found another interesting book by browsing WSJ Review section. Really, it's too good, I'm almost tempted to subscribe to its weekend issues only, if that's possible(vastly superior choices-lit., history- say compared to LATIMES).
The Gangs of New York, hitherto remembered by those awful unintelligible mumblings of Daniel Day-Lewis(really should watch it again, couldn't understand a word of what he said at the cinema).
----
Cela's The family of Pascual Duarte, mentioned on Treglown's book. I have a feeling it might evoke similar ambience - chiefly sensual - to the delightful movie Belle Epoque and such.
----
Balzac's another new Oxford pbk ed., The Girl with the Golden Eyes and other stories, which I discovered at the library yesterday.
----
Those should keep me busy for a while.
The Gangs of New York, hitherto remembered by those awful unintelligible mumblings of Daniel Day-Lewis(really should watch it again, couldn't understand a word of what he said at the cinema).
----
Cela's The family of Pascual Duarte, mentioned on Treglown's book. I have a feeling it might evoke similar ambience - chiefly sensual - to the delightful movie Belle Epoque and such.
----
Balzac's another new Oxford pbk ed., The Girl with the Golden Eyes and other stories, which I discovered at the library yesterday.
----
Those should keep me busy for a while.
Euripides' recipe for happy marriage
Υπέρ μέγιστη γίγνεται σωτηρία,
όταν γυνή προς άνδρα μη διχοστατηι
ΜΉΔΕΙΑ ln 15
όταν γυνή προς άνδρα μη διχοστατηι
ΜΉΔΕΙΑ ln 15
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Brava Tuchman
Just finished the 1st ch. of The Guns of August and quite enjoyed it, she really writes well. I had bought her
Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-1945
but haven't read it yet. Now I'm tempted to own it in LOA edition along with Mencken..that's my wish for Santa this X-mas lol.
Winter with the Forsytes
I had to find a brand new Oxford pbk edition of John Galsworthy's magnum opus at the library.
Since it's pretty popular - or so I heard - I had no choice but to snatch it up: pity, the 1st few pages of this book was interesting.
I really neglected fiction this year, so should try to finish this.
Since it's pretty popular - or so I heard - I had no choice but to snatch it up: pity, the 1st few pages of this book was interesting.
I really neglected fiction this year, so should try to finish this.
Vergil:the dream of world peace
Sublime passage:
Aspera tum positis mitescent saecula bellis;
cana Fides et Vesta, Remo cum fratre Quirinus
iura dabunt; dirae ferro et compagibus artis
claudentur Belli portae; Furor impius intus
saeva sedens super arma et centum vinctus aenis
post tergum nodis fremet horridus ore cruento
Aspera tum positis mitescent saecula bellis;
cana Fides et Vesta, Remo cum fratre Quirinus
iura dabunt; dirae ferro et compagibus artis
claudentur Belli portae; Furor impius intus
saeva sedens super arma et centum vinctus aenis
post tergum nodis fremet horridus ore cruento
buccinator tantum
Francis Bacon - 1838 - Philosophy
Ego enim buccinator tantum, pugnam non ineo ; unus fortasse ex iis, de quibus Homcnis : XaipiTt, KiïpvKit, Aias ôyyeXoi qSi Kai Atipan. Hi enim inter hostes, ...Useful phrase. It's like 'all bark and no bite' or ' bark is worse than bite'.
Quoted from Barzun's Darwin section.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Bargain] Plato & Montaigne
I've always wanted to buy a complete edition of Platon. You would think that Bollingen series should be good, but Hackett has a good reputation in philosophy texts and its Plato received more favorable Amazon rating:
http://www.amazon.com/Plato-Complete-Works/dp/0872203492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386400257&sr=8-1&keywords=plato+hackett
This French edition was selling absurdly cheap so couldn't resist it. Even had vynl cover, and since I have a Penguin edition I can actually learn French this way lol.
http://www.puf.com/Quadrige:Les_Essais._Livres_I-III
Each for $12, at Archives. What a steal.
http://www.amazon.com/Plato-Complete-Works/dp/0872203492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386400257&sr=8-1&keywords=plato+hackett
This French edition was selling absurdly cheap so couldn't resist it. Even had vynl cover, and since I have a Penguin edition I can actually learn French this way lol.
http://www.puf.com/Quadrige:Les_Essais._Livres_I-III
Each for $12, at Archives. What a steal.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Prometheus & The Blind Side
Bought both during the weekend(via Amazon, arrived a day later lol). Seen both before, by borrowing from the library
I've bought the former due to its sombre and futuristic atmosphere(also because I'm a sucker for visuals), but was quite disappointed after the 2nd viewing.
Practically all characters are annoying; it could've been so much better..
Nothing but praise for the latter. Excellent and moving movie, with superb performance by Sandra Bullock.
Can't understand some consternation regarding her Oscar; I think she's way better choice than Jennifer Lawrence for SLP.
Also bought the 2nd Star Trek ; Into Darkness, hope it's better than Prometheus, since I liked the 1st one. Looking forward to Benedict Cumberbatch's constipated facial expression lol.
I've bought the former due to its sombre and futuristic atmosphere(also because I'm a sucker for visuals), but was quite disappointed after the 2nd viewing.
Practically all characters are annoying; it could've been so much better..
Nothing but praise for the latter. Excellent and moving movie, with superb performance by Sandra Bullock.
Can't understand some consternation regarding her Oscar; I think she's way better choice than Jennifer Lawrence for SLP.
Also bought the 2nd Star Trek ; Into Darkness, hope it's better than Prometheus, since I liked the 1st one. Looking forward to Benedict Cumberbatch's constipated facial expression lol.
Friday, November 29, 2013
to losers
Says Aeneas,
"Revocate animos maestumque timorem
Mittite; forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit"
"Revocate animos maestumque timorem
Mittite; forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit"
Thursday, November 28, 2013
THAT E.F. Benson?
I was browsing the bibliography of LOA edition of Tuchman when I found this entry:
THE KAISER AND ENGLISH RELATIONS, by E.F. Benson
I rubbed my eyes: who? Surely NOT the author of that famous Mapp & Lucia series?
To my surprise, it was indeed the same author lol.
Now why did Tuchman include that book for Guns of August? Interesting...
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Tolstoy's shocking? credo
From Hello Goodbye Hello, p. 159
Tolstoy holds forth his view of woman sexuality to Maxim Gorky('bitter');
"If the girl is over 15 and healthy, she wants to be hugged and squeezed"
True to his word, he in fact PRACTICED his credo, abusing tenant girls and all, as evidenced in Rosamund Bartlett's bio of him , Tolstoy: A Russian Life
Naughty, Naughty.
Tolstoy holds forth his view of woman sexuality to Maxim Gorky('bitter');
"If the girl is over 15 and healthy, she wants to be hugged and squeezed"
True to his word, he in fact PRACTICED his credo, abusing tenant girls and all, as evidenced in Rosamund Bartlett's bio of him , Tolstoy: A Russian Life
Naughty, Naughty.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Surprising splash of Michael Carter-Williams
I heard from an acquaintance that Philadelphia 76ers rookie PG
1 Michael Carter-Williams G 6-6 185 10/10/1991 Syracuse/USA R
is creating a sensation,and that it is a quite surprise, his doing SO well.
A pure PG that has a potential to be the Next Penny Hardaway, should check him out.
Funny, for a sport that's pretty much decided by physical talent, there are quite a lot of surprises concerning new players, always has been. Even more so than Tennis, for example.
It's pretty rare for a relatively unknown junior player to achieve star status in college tennis.
For example Sabrina Santamaria, Pre-season(this year) #1 and recent NIIC semi finalist(her first), wasn't even the top dog in California in her senior year, that honor goes probably to Monica Turewicz, Ojai winner and IW PQ finalist(even defeated Schnack, if I remember correctly, then lost to Hardebeck in the final). That year, the #1 was Trice Capra or Robin Anderson. Granted both of these super stars have done well, but the upsurge of Sabrina is surprising and uplifting; it's also probably the triumph of USC tennis program.
1 Michael Carter-Williams G 6-6 185 10/10/1991 Syracuse/USA R
is creating a sensation,and that it is a quite surprise, his doing SO well.
A pure PG that has a potential to be the Next Penny Hardaway, should check him out.
Funny, for a sport that's pretty much decided by physical talent, there are quite a lot of surprises concerning new players, always has been. Even more so than Tennis, for example.
It's pretty rare for a relatively unknown junior player to achieve star status in college tennis.
For example Sabrina Santamaria, Pre-season(this year) #1 and recent NIIC semi finalist(her first), wasn't even the top dog in California in her senior year, that honor goes probably to Monica Turewicz, Ojai winner and IW PQ finalist(even defeated Schnack, if I remember correctly, then lost to Hardebeck in the final). That year, the #1 was Trice Capra or Robin Anderson. Granted both of these super stars have done well, but the upsurge of Sabrina is surprising and uplifting; it's also probably the triumph of USC tennis program.
The thing I have common with Tacitus
Maybe I'm a bit like Tacitus, resolved to write "sine ira et studio"(Ann. I. 1.6) yet unable to do so lol.
(but funny, that quote was on the introduction of Loeb edition of his Histories, yet when I checked the Annals OCT edition I couldn't find it -_-;; WTF)
(but funny, that quote was on the introduction of Loeb edition of his Histories, yet when I checked the Annals OCT edition I couldn't find it -_-;; WTF)
Why not THIS Nancy Reagan episode?
Enjoying Craig Browns' expose, Hello Goodbye Hello, a brutal and hilarious portrait of celebrities.
Yet I was sorely disappointed by him not including the legendray episode of Reagan and Miles Davis.
I mean, can you top THAT lol.
Yet I was sorely disappointed by him not including the legendray episode of Reagan and Miles Davis.
I mean, can you top THAT lol.
The peril of a tome
Who doesn't love a doorstep of a tome? But it has its demerits.
It certainly LOOKS lovely, but it's quite awkward to flip through, let alone carrying along.
For example, I was exultant after FINALLY buying BN edition of Jules Verne at a 30% discount, but found out that the translation is not the best one. It lacks notes, either.
Probably buying Oxford pbk editions translated by William Butler would've been more prudent.
Same goes to my biggest book, Douay-Rheims & Clementina Vulgata (English and Latin Edition) Bonded Leather by Roman Catholic Church (Author)
Sure it's GORGEOUS, but it's really too big and hefty lol. Baronius Press sells pbk editions in 3 volumes, that might've been a better purchase.
The peril of my being too weak on visuals.
It certainly LOOKS lovely, but it's quite awkward to flip through, let alone carrying along.
For example, I was exultant after FINALLY buying BN edition of Jules Verne at a 30% discount, but found out that the translation is not the best one. It lacks notes, either.
Probably buying Oxford pbk editions translated by William Butler would've been more prudent.
Same goes to my biggest book, Douay-Rheims & Clementina Vulgata (English and Latin Edition) Bonded Leather by Roman Catholic Church (Author)
Sure it's GORGEOUS, but it's really too big and hefty lol. Baronius Press sells pbk editions in 3 volumes, that might've been a better purchase.
The peril of my being too weak on visuals.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Kidman > Lawrence
Just watched Paperboy.
Nicole was way better than Jennifer. I've seen most of Jennifer's movies and can't understand the hype. Her enumerating the football scores at the end of SLP...looked so fake lol
Nicole was way better than Jennifer. I've seen most of Jennifer's movies and can't understand the hype. Her enumerating the football scores at the end of SLP...looked so fake lol
Some interesting books
Found some interesting books at the library:
Schnitzler's Century: The Making of Middle-Class Culture 1815-1914 by Peter Gay.
Actually Gay has written some interesting books, such as his highly regarded Enlightenment series.
--
Reformation Europe by G.R. Elton.
I was actually longing to read a book about Reformation, probably by MacCulloch.
--
A new translation of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron by Wayne A. Rebhorn. I'm a sucker for new books, so...mightily tempting lol.
I actually have an Easton Press edition of it.
Schnitzler's Century: The Making of Middle-Class Culture 1815-1914 by Peter Gay.
Actually Gay has written some interesting books, such as his highly regarded Enlightenment series.
--
Reformation Europe by G.R. Elton.
I was actually longing to read a book about Reformation, probably by MacCulloch.
--
A new translation of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron by Wayne A. Rebhorn. I'm a sucker for new books, so...mightily tempting lol.
I actually have an Easton Press edition of it.
Lucretius & Ovid editions
After using some, my thoughts;
For De Rerum Natura, I strongly recommend Martin Smith's
On the Nature of Things, Translated by Martin Ferguson Smith (Hackett Classics Series) [Paperback]
Prose translation, but it's silky smooth, with plenty of explanations to help through(no latin text).
It's him who revised Rouse's Loeb edition, and imo it's actually better.
I would rather avoid Anthony Esolen's prose translation, it's not quite faitful to the original latin text.
Although the frontpiece painting is gorgeous.
On Ovid's Metamorphoses, I recommend Margaret Musgrove's.
It's only a selection, with no english translation, but there's actually plenty of help on the back. Slim, but pretty good.
As I said before, Peter Jone's has vocabularies on the same page, and quite helpful commentaries, also on the same page.
Anderson's has the most in depth commentaries(for example, detailed explanation on meters), but I doubt one really needs it unless you're really into it.
For De Rerum Natura, I strongly recommend Martin Smith's
On the Nature of Things, Translated by Martin Ferguson Smith (Hackett Classics Series) [Paperback]
Prose translation, but it's silky smooth, with plenty of explanations to help through(no latin text).
It's him who revised Rouse's Loeb edition, and imo it's actually better.
I would rather avoid Anthony Esolen's prose translation, it's not quite faitful to the original latin text.
Although the frontpiece painting is gorgeous.
On Ovid's Metamorphoses, I recommend Margaret Musgrove's.
It's only a selection, with no english translation, but there's actually plenty of help on the back. Slim, but pretty good.
As I said before, Peter Jone's has vocabularies on the same page, and quite helpful commentaries, also on the same page.
Anderson's has the most in depth commentaries(for example, detailed explanation on meters), but I doubt one really needs it unless you're really into it.
Ovid] The Golden Line
Dunno why both William Anderson & Peter Jones say it's a golden line, but here it is;
Obviaque adversas vibrabant flamina vestes,
Line 628, Book I
Jones mentions another one:
Mollia cinguntur tenui praecordia libro
Obviaque adversas vibrabant flamina vestes,
Line 628, Book I
Jones mentions another one:
Mollia cinguntur tenui praecordia libro
Saturday, November 23, 2013
More books on WWI
Barbara Tuchman's classic account
Barbara W. Tuchman: The Guns of August & The Proud Tower (Library of America)
Fritz Fischer's epochal book that enraged his fellow German historians
I don't think I can renew Hasting's book since there must be tons of holds placed on the copies lol. Should read it first.
Let us go to the sky
Holmes mentions this phrase uttered by Daedalus in his book Falling Upwards:
"Terras licet et undas obstruat;
Et caelum certe patet; ibimus illac!"
Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk 8, line 185-6
"Terras licet et undas obstruat;
Et caelum certe patet; ibimus illac!"
Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk 8, line 185-6
History by art historians
Came upon a history book by Gombrich at Norton Simon store yesterday.
A Little History of the World
Kenneth Clark also wrote one.
Civilisation: A Personal View
Curious how they'll approach history from an art historian's perspective.
A Little History of the World
Kenneth Clark also wrote one.
Civilisation: A Personal View
Curious how they'll approach history from an art historian's perspective.
Useful latin
Spectat inornatos folio pendere capillos,
Et 'quid, si comantur?' Ait.
...videt oscula, quae non est vidisse satis
...si qua latent, meliora putat.
Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk 1 line 497-502
Friday, November 22, 2013
To Norton Simon I go
So, so far pretty instructive reading Kenneth Clark's
Landscape into Art, since I'm pretty ignorant in that area.
I think the book got my attention due to Folio's advertising. I could have gotten that book free by answering the mail..ah well, it's too late now.
Now, to 'test' it.. should head to the museum and check it out.
Landscape into Art, since I'm pretty ignorant in that area.
I think the book got my attention due to Folio's advertising. I could have gotten that book free by answering the mail..ah well, it's too late now.
Now, to 'test' it.. should head to the museum and check it out.
Disruptions
When one read some books, sometimes they are hooked and want to explore further, or want to tackle some book which is mentioned in that book, same with me.
For example, after reading Peter Heather's The Fall of the Roman Empire, I'm tempted to explore further, such as his other books;
Empires and Barbarians: The Fall of Rome and the Birth of Europe
The Restoration of Rome
I actually just borrowed this book which was mentioned(and praised) in Heather's book;
The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture
----
Was curious at Jacques Barzun mentioning that Montesquieu discussed race in his magnum opus
Montesquieu: The Spirit of the Laws
Thankfully the local library has an older edition of this book(not the sleek Cambridge one)
----
And why am I reading Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz (on kindle, though, downloaded it free and almost finished anyway)
----
Also got curious about Mary Poppins after reading the portion of the titanic struggle between Walt Disney and the book's author P.L Travers in Craig Brown's 'reportage' compilation Hello Goodbye Hello, so am tempted to at least read just that book..lol.
By the way loved Julie Andrews in the movie(also have the dvd), and
Saving Mr. Banks (focusing on that exact episode, Travers vs Disney) just got released, hope I can borrow it soon from the library(since I don't go to the theaters any more due to my hearing loss; need subtitle).
For example, after reading Peter Heather's The Fall of the Roman Empire, I'm tempted to explore further, such as his other books;
Empires and Barbarians: The Fall of Rome and the Birth of Europe
The Restoration of Rome
I actually just borrowed this book which was mentioned(and praised) in Heather's book;
The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture
----
Was curious at Jacques Barzun mentioning that Montesquieu discussed race in his magnum opus
Montesquieu: The Spirit of the Laws
Thankfully the local library has an older edition of this book(not the sleek Cambridge one)
----
And why am I reading Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz (on kindle, though, downloaded it free and almost finished anyway)
----
Also got curious about Mary Poppins after reading the portion of the titanic struggle between Walt Disney and the book's author P.L Travers in Craig Brown's 'reportage' compilation Hello Goodbye Hello, so am tempted to at least read just that book..lol.
By the way loved Julie Andrews in the movie(also have the dvd), and
Saving Mr. Banks (focusing on that exact episode, Travers vs Disney) just got released, hope I can borrow it soon from the library(since I don't go to the theaters any more due to my hearing loss; need subtitle).
Readings from May
It has been a profictable reading for the second half of the year, from Summer;
May
Le Cid by Corneille
Mythologies by Roland Barthes
The Italian Renaissance by Peter Burke
June
Inferno by Dan Brown
Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark
The Cambridge History of German Literature
Renaissance People: Lives that Shaped the Modern Age by by Robert C. Davis,Beth Lindsmith
Karl Marx: A Nineteenth-Century Life by Jonathan Sperber
The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (Liberation Trilogy) by Rick Atkinson
Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson
Humanism and the Culture of Renaissance Europe (New Approaches to European History) by Charles G. Nauert
The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor
Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 by Max Hastings
The Struggle For Mastery in Germany, 1779-1850 (European History in Perspective) by Brendan Simms
Why don't we learn from History? by Basil Liddell Hart
July
Decline of French Patriotism, 1870-1940 by Herbert Tint
Palmerston: A Biography by David Brown
English Civil War: Conservatism and Revolution, 1603-1649 by Robert Ashton
The Lord Chandos Letter by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
August
The Fall of France: The Nazi Invasion of 1940 (Making of the Modern World) by Julian Jackson
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple
The Course of German History: A Survey of the Development of German History since 1815 (Routledge Classics) by A.J.P Taylor
Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler
September
The Count of Monte Cristo (Oxford World's Classics) by Alexandre Dumas, David Coward(tr)
1913: In Search of the World Before the Great War by Charles Emmerson
Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party (Studies in Postwar American Political Development) by Geoffrey Kabaservice
The Iliad by Homer, bk 2
Physics And Politics Or Thoughts On The Apllication Of The Principles Of 'Natural Selection And Inheritance' To Political Society by Walter Bagehot
The Boxer Rebellion and the Great Game in China by David J. Silbey
Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West, 350-550 AD by Peter Brown
October
The Big Screen: The Story of the Movies by David Thomson
Roosevelt's Second Act: The Election of 1940 and the Politics of War (Pivotal Moments in American History) by Richard Moe
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
November
Notre-Dame de Paris (Oxford World's Classics) by Victor Hugo, Alban Krailsheimer
Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Latin edition) by J.K. Rowling, Peter Needham(tr), ch 1
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark
The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians by Peter Heather
1940: FDR, Willkie, Lindbergh, Hitler-the Election amid the Storm by Susan Dunn
Helmuth von Moltke and the Origins of the First World War (New Studies in European History) by Annika Mombauer
May
Le Cid by Corneille
Mythologies by Roland Barthes
The Italian Renaissance by Peter Burke
June
Inferno by Dan Brown
Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark
The Cambridge History of German Literature
Renaissance People: Lives that Shaped the Modern Age by by Robert C. Davis,Beth Lindsmith
Karl Marx: A Nineteenth-Century Life by Jonathan Sperber
The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (Liberation Trilogy) by Rick Atkinson
Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson
Humanism and the Culture of Renaissance Europe (New Approaches to European History) by Charles G. Nauert
The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor
Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 by Max Hastings
The Struggle For Mastery in Germany, 1779-1850 (European History in Perspective) by Brendan Simms
Why don't we learn from History? by Basil Liddell Hart
July
Decline of French Patriotism, 1870-1940 by Herbert Tint
Palmerston: A Biography by David Brown
English Civil War: Conservatism and Revolution, 1603-1649 by Robert Ashton
The Lord Chandos Letter by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
August
The Fall of France: The Nazi Invasion of 1940 (Making of the Modern World) by Julian Jackson
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple
The Course of German History: A Survey of the Development of German History since 1815 (Routledge Classics) by A.J.P Taylor
Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler
September
The Count of Monte Cristo (Oxford World's Classics) by Alexandre Dumas, David Coward(tr)
1913: In Search of the World Before the Great War by Charles Emmerson
Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party (Studies in Postwar American Political Development) by Geoffrey Kabaservice
The Iliad by Homer, bk 2
Physics And Politics Or Thoughts On The Apllication Of The Principles Of 'Natural Selection And Inheritance' To Political Society by Walter Bagehot
The Boxer Rebellion and the Great Game in China by David J. Silbey
Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West, 350-550 AD by Peter Brown
October
The Big Screen: The Story of the Movies by David Thomson
Roosevelt's Second Act: The Election of 1940 and the Politics of War (Pivotal Moments in American History) by Richard Moe
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
November
Notre-Dame de Paris (Oxford World's Classics) by Victor Hugo, Alban Krailsheimer
Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Latin edition) by J.K. Rowling, Peter Needham(tr), ch 1
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark
The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians by Peter Heather
1940: FDR, Willkie, Lindbergh, Hitler-the Election amid the Storm by Susan Dunn
Helmuth von Moltke and the Origins of the First World War (New Studies in European History) by Annika Mombauer
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Heraclitus
Just read a polemic against Heraclitus by Lucretius(line 635-644)
And the note(dunno if it is by Rouse or Smith) says that H contended that "strife is right" and "war is the father of all".
Now I should check what H says.
And the note(dunno if it is by Rouse or Smith) says that H contended that "strife is right" and "war is the father of all".
Now I should check what H says.
Highly recommended] Geiss' 'July 1914'
Quite impressed with his book, so far. If you want the German side of the equation concerning WWI, I think this book is indispensable. It's really rather eye-opening.
I didn't know Max Weber was a typical liberal Imperialist(well, that was quite fashionable at the time).
And more you know about its history, more does Hitler appear as a rather 'typical' German product, not as an anomaly.
For example, Kurt Riezler, influential advisor to Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg, proclaimed that 'the eternal struggle-for obtaining world-domination-was the supreme aim of all nations' (Geiss, p. 33)
'Eternal struggle'. You can't but remember Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'(My struggle)
What about the memerandom which Pan German leaders sent to German Crown Prince(a notorious nationalist) in Oct. 1913;
It 'suggested the abolition of the constitution, suppression of freedom of the press and discriminatory legislation aimed at the Jews' and proclaimed that 'even an unsuccessful war would be preferable to cowardly peace'
Exactly what Hitler achieved, no?
You have to wonder, what kind of Germnay would have emerged had they won the WWI, even without the emergence of Hitler. Even SPD meekly acquiesced to the idea of Weltpolitik. A.J.P Taylor's view in his 'The Course of German History' seems rather perceptive..
I didn't know Max Weber was a typical liberal Imperialist(well, that was quite fashionable at the time).
And more you know about its history, more does Hitler appear as a rather 'typical' German product, not as an anomaly.
For example, Kurt Riezler, influential advisor to Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg, proclaimed that 'the eternal struggle-for obtaining world-domination-was the supreme aim of all nations' (Geiss, p. 33)
'Eternal struggle'. You can't but remember Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'(My struggle)
What about the memerandom which Pan German leaders sent to German Crown Prince(a notorious nationalist) in Oct. 1913;
It 'suggested the abolition of the constitution, suppression of freedom of the press and discriminatory legislation aimed at the Jews' and proclaimed that 'even an unsuccessful war would be preferable to cowardly peace'
Exactly what Hitler achieved, no?
You have to wonder, what kind of Germnay would have emerged had they won the WWI, even without the emergence of Hitler. Even SPD meekly acquiesced to the idea of Weltpolitik. A.J.P Taylor's view in his 'The Course of German History' seems rather perceptive..
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Two gashes: me and my car
On the 10th, I went to the gym to play basketball, to relieve some stress.
I was the only one, so borrowed the ball and was practicing.
In comes 3 guys, asking to play 2 on 2; I refused, not wanting to die again lol but they said there was no extra ball at the front desk.
So what can I do...we played.
I was again naturally the shortest guy, and my partner wasn't tall either and we both wore glasses: the opponents were definitely taller and better built lol. The outcome was already preordained.
So they naturally dominated the board with their height and athleticism, yet the match was surprisingly close because of...me lol.
After some misses my jump shot at last began to go in(4 or 5 pts?), made some steals, and made some drive in baskets as well.
And of course, relentlessly passed inside.
My partner surprisingly was a decent mover, so made quite a lot of A passes lol.
The problem was that his finish wasn't so good..lol. Anyway, it was a nice match, of course I was half dead later in the match lol.
It felt weird when I received a thumbs up when I'm usually the one to give one lol.
And I got a cut on the face.
Later, another car made a deep gash on mine at the parking lot lol..so had to leave it at the service center on the day of CIF SS Team Final.
That's the story of me and my car, receiving gashes lol.
I was the only one, so borrowed the ball and was practicing.
In comes 3 guys, asking to play 2 on 2; I refused, not wanting to die again lol but they said there was no extra ball at the front desk.
So what can I do...we played.
I was again naturally the shortest guy, and my partner wasn't tall either and we both wore glasses: the opponents were definitely taller and better built lol. The outcome was already preordained.
So they naturally dominated the board with their height and athleticism, yet the match was surprisingly close because of...me lol.
After some misses my jump shot at last began to go in(4 or 5 pts?), made some steals, and made some drive in baskets as well.
And of course, relentlessly passed inside.
My partner surprisingly was a decent mover, so made quite a lot of A passes lol.
The problem was that his finish wasn't so good..lol. Anyway, it was a nice match, of course I was half dead later in the match lol.
It felt weird when I received a thumbs up when I'm usually the one to give one lol.
And I got a cut on the face.
Later, another car made a deep gash on mine at the parking lot lol..so had to leave it at the service center on the day of CIF SS Team Final.
That's the story of me and my car, receiving gashes lol.
Cicero's Verrine oration I & Geiss' 'July 1914'
I was dreading reading Cicero again, but surprisingly, it's a rather pleasant read: sentences are prettily structured, even. Is this one of his easier works, or did my latin comprehension got better, dunno lol. So also looking forward to read his Philippics later as well.
Imanuel Geiss' book is a profitable read. Very nice and detailed Introduction on the era. This book is mainly a compilation of important related diplomatic documents leading to WWI, so it's worth buying if you are interested(borrowed it from the library but am sorely tempted to buy lol). Each chapters are headed by his detailed intros as well.
Imanuel Geiss' book is a profitable read. Very nice and detailed Introduction on the era. This book is mainly a compilation of important related diplomatic documents leading to WWI, so it's worth buying if you are interested(borrowed it from the library but am sorely tempted to buy lol). Each chapters are headed by his detailed intros as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)