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This blog is the work of an educated civilian, not of an expert in the fields discussed.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Books and Movies

And Also: After his lawyer assured us that he wouldn't do it, you know who did appoint a new senator per his 17th Amendment power. A somewhat dubious choice, though he seems honest enough, and his race helps. Though they might be able to delay things, I'm not sure how the Senate really has the power (especially under current doctrine) to refuse to seat the guy. Also, you know, the guy technically is innocent, right?


Movies: Slate had a year in review and I agree with three picks (not seeing Milk yet): The Edge of Heaven (foreign film), Wendy & Lucy and Wall-E. Not sure if they are "great" movies, though the last one was very good, but they are well worth watching. I'd add Gran Torino, Harvard Beats Yale: 29-29, Trumbo (the last two docs, the latter on a blacklisted writer), The Lucky Ones (Iraq vet film), and (for fun) Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead. Australia is up there in the "worst" category. Definitely, Maybe and Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day also were fun.

Mamma Mia! also was pretty fun. I was disappointed with the stage performance that I went to see; one hopes at least the acoustics were better in other cases. The DVD is out with a fun karaoke style lyrics feature that allows you to sing along (unlike simple closed captioning, the words light up as they are sung). Likewise, as us film nerds prefer, there is a good commentary track. Again, the "Donna" trio seem to me at least ten years too old for their roles, but still, all do very well. "Sophia" also is shall we say hot; who knew she was one of the kids in Big Love?

Book: Sarah Vowell's last book on presidential assassinations (or the 19th Century trio) was a mixed bag, a bit too about her (it was a "vacation" after all), and dropped off in the last third. It seems that some concern over distaste on focusing too much on her and current events was addressed in her latest book, though that is her thing (she is a commentator/humorist). The Wordy Shipmates focuses more on its subject matter, the Puritans of Massachusetts, and is better for it. This is so even if you didn't mind the style of the other book and/or realized this was more of a historical book, the other a more mixed bag.

I see from the reaction at Amazon.com that some still are turned off by her style. Well, then, don't read the book. Silly people. Check out the NY Post review, which notes its "serious research delivered with irreverence" that is "fairly heady stuff, made both palatable and infuriating by Vowell's tangents." This is a pretty fair account of what the book is all about. If you want a more serious and/or complete history, look elsewhere. But, this isn't a bad way to get a taste of it all the same.

Overall, some Vowell (and her sort of mini-me young nephew, Owen) is fun. History is too important and fun not to enjoy it while noting how it parallels and affects current events. The discussion of Anne Hutchinson, including how her more individual revelation style influenced the development of Protestantism to the mixed bag of evangelism today (individual liberty, great, opposition to "experts," not always to much) was perhaps one of the high points. She also has a local significance, coming to the Bronx late in life (and being killed in an Indian massacre there), a local parkway being named after her as well.

Vowell is a radio gal, and has a great voice for it, as some kids might have found out by her role in The Incredibles (the sister). This provides a great resource for those (like myself) who listen to her audiobook style. As with her last historical book, The Wordy Shipmates (the Puritans are big on education and have lots of good stuff to read*) audio edition provides a collection of readers to voice various historical figures. Some are rather interesting choices, including John Oliver (of The Daily Show) as a young Massachusetts governor who later had an unfortunate end.** He plays it straight, but its hilarious given his day job.

Overall, it's recommended, as is this style of historical writing. No, it is not enough, but it surely is a good addition to more "professional" fare.

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* This includes Roger Williams, a fun sort, a religious nut who was friendly to Indians and religious freedom. Did Vowell check out Liberty of Conscience: In Defense of America's Tradition of Religious Equality by Martha C Nussbaum?

** As Geoffrey Robertson discussed in the well recommended The Tyrannicide Brief: The Story of the Man Who Sent Charles I to the Scaffold, Henry Vane was executed for his role in the title matter, even though he personally was against the execution. Though Sarah sees him as a bit of a crybaby early on, she tells us he grew into an admirable sort that is one of those historical sorts that help explain why she is such a historical buff in the first place.