Sheldon Brown's Journal
September-October 2005
Current
| Books | Films | Music | Plays | Travels |
|---|
September-October 2005
| Books | Films | Music | Plays | Travels |
|---|
Audiobook Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 Garrison Keillor, 2002
A pleasant diversion, read by the author.
Film: (DVD) Animal House John Landis, 1978
Not sure how I escaped seeing this earlier. Not really worth the wait though. If you ever wonder what the word "sophomoric" means, just watch this film.
eBook: At All Costs ARC David Weber, 2005
Another Honor Harrington book , not too different from the others. Never did figure out what "ARC" in the title means...
Film: (DVD) The Awful Truth Leo McCarey, 1937
A classic screwball comedy with Cary Grant, Irene Dunn and Ralph Bellamy. Not their best work.
Sailing in Boston Harbor
Got a call last week from Woody, a friend from Revels, asking if I wanted to go sailing. I said "Sure!" so I hopped on my Raleigh International and rode in to meet him this afternoon at the Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown. They have Rhodes 19s , bigger boats than I'm used to, but nothing too hard to handle. I sailed down the harbor to the Black Falcon Terminal, where we ducked in to ogle the QE2 which was docked there, last in a row of 4 big cruise ships. We switched over there, Woody took the helm and I worked the jib. We went out and around Spectacle Island, then back to Charlestown. It was a gorgeous late-summer day, good wind (though a bit fluky) and a virtually cloudless sky. I brought along a sweatshirt and long pants, but never needed to put them on. A very enjoyable outing with one of my favorite people.
In addition to the sail I got a nice 12 mile ride in each direction. Went in via Memorial Drive and the Prison Point Bridge, but took the PDW bike path home...I get kinda nervous on the roads when I'm heading straight into the setting sun.
Had a somewhat bizarre encounter on the way home though. Just as I got to my own block, I noticed a car stopped by the side of the road, and that one of the brake lights was not working. I stopped next to the driver and tried to get her attention, but she didn't hear me until I tapped on her window. She then reacted with a piercing scream of panic...am I really that scary looking? Or was it Igor? I dunno. Anyway, I told her I was sorry I startled her, but wanted to let her know that one of her brake lights was out. Her reaction was to flip me the bird. I rode away, and as I did she opened her door and screamed "F*** you, a**hole!" I can only guess that she must have been on drugs...
My brother was in town, came by in the afternoon. I finally got around to updating his Website, including his recent portrait of me:
Click for larger version and more of my brother's paintings
eBook: Sharpe's Havoc Bernard Cornwell
Another of the Sharpe's Rifles series. If you liked any of the other Sharpe's books, you'll like this one too.
Film: (DVD) Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Kerry Conran, 2004
This is basically a video comic book, set in an alternate version of the late 1930s, where our hero has to save the world from the robotic creation of a mad scientist. What was interesting was that this is the first feature film to be entirely shot in blue screen. The CGI backgrounds were dark and mysterious, but not enough to make up for the hackneyed plot.The writing was pretty sloppy too, including two references to the "First" World War, at a time when it would really have been called the Great War.
Film: (DVD) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Garth Jennings, 2005
This was OK, though somewhat inferior to the British TV series (and vastly inferior to the original radio drama.The director seems to have concentrated more on the plot and special effects, and made insufficient use of the brilliantly funny material Douglas Adams wrote as exceprts from the Book. It was generally quite watered down and did not do justice to the material.
eBook: Sharpe's Eagle Bernard Cornwell
Another of the Sharpe's Rifles series, dealing with the battle of Talavera in 1809. If you liked any of the other Sharpe's books, you'll like this one too.
Film: (DVD) I [heart] Huckabee's David O. Russell, 2004
A somewhat Dada-esque comedy with Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman as "existential detectives." This was quite good, though not much laugh-out-loud material.
Vintage British Bike Ride
Met a gang of fellow fans of older British bikes in Cambridge for a ride on vintage English steel. I rode my Raleigh Competition. A good time was had by all, though I didn't much like the route that was chosen, which was mostly on narrow sidewalk-type bike paths with bad pavement.Here's a photo by a drafted passerby on the shore of Jamaica Pond:
eBook Sharpe's Gold Bernard Cornwell
Wellington has been pushed back into Portugal by the French, and needs cash to build essential fortifications. It appears that the Penensular War is on the verge of a French victory, but then Our Hero saves the day, with the help of a nubile Spanish guerilla leader.
Riversing
Cycled over to Cambridge for the annual Revels "Riversing" production. This is a free antiphonal production on opposite sides of the Charles River and on the Weeks footbridge.It's a kind of nice idea, but the technology doesn't work out all that well.
Film: (DVD) 3rd Rock From The Sun
We've been watching some old TV from Netflix. Got a few episodes of Mork and Mindy, which were kind of disappointing on second viewing. However 3rd Rock really holds up well, an absolutely hilarious show. Everybody involved had major comic talent, and the scripts were an absolute hoot. Very highly recommended.
Film: (DVD) The Big Lebowski by the Coen brothers
I've seen this a couple of times before, but I never get tired of it, one of the funniest films ever made.
Film: (DVD) Gibraltar Earth Michael McCollum
A mildly entertaining hard science fiction novel, very poorly written however.Off to Las Vegas for Interbike
My boss had lots of free miles, so I got to fly first class, which was a real treat.My report can be found at http://sheldonbrown.com/lasvegas/2005
Film: Serenity Joss Whedon, 2005
Harriet and I are big fans of the late, lamented Firefly series, and own the DVDs. We have been looking forward to the feature film ever since it was announced.We enjoyed it, but not as much as we expected to. Basically seems like one of the one hour TV shows padded out with more fights, which we find much less interesting than Whedon's clever dialogue and characterizations.
Podcasts!
I've jumped on the podcast bandwagon. See (or rather hear): http://sheldonbrown.com/podcastseBook Sharpe's Escape Bernard Cornwell
Yet another of the Richard Sharpe series on the Peninsular War, this one set in 1812.
Concert: Boston Symphony Orchestra Carter, Foss, Ives and Gershwin. James Levine,Ęconductor; Dawn Upshaw, Soprano; Jean-Yves Thibaudet,Ępiano
The Ives Three Places in New England is a long-time favorite of mine, not sure I've ever heard it live before though. Good performance. Dawn Upshaw was wonderful as usual, in the Lucas Foss Time Cycle.Carter is a composier I've never warmed to, I'm afraid. The Gershwin Concerto in F ended the program. A good performance, not one of my favorite pieces though.
eBook: The Lead Goat Veered Off Neil Anderson, 2000
An entertaining cycle-touring memoir of a winter trip on Sardinia. The prose tends to be a bit purple from time to time, but I guess you have to expect that with a travel book. A more vigilant editor would have no doubt caught most of the malapropisms, but even so it's a pleasant read.
Film: (DVD) Mrs. Miniver William Wyler, 1942
A classic, multiple-Oscar-winning WW2 propoganda tear jerker dealing with life on the British home front during Dunkirk and the Blitz. Not to be missed if you like this sort of thing, as I do.
iMac G5 CD Drive Angst
One of our suppliers had provided a CD rom pricelist, but I failed to notice that they had put a label on the CD that didn't have a hole in the middle! When I popped it into my CD it not only wouldn't mount, it also wouldn't eject!I called The Computer Loft, my favorite Mac repair facility, who suggested a couple of things to try with software first, but nothing for it, I had to open up the computer, remove the drive and open up the drive to retrieve the offending disc.
In the end it all came out OK, though it was a bit scary. First time I've been that far into my new Mac...
Film: (HBO) Elephant 2005
A fictionalized treatment of the Columbine shootings. Astonishingly boooooooring. Run away! Run away!
Christmas Revels wants me after all!
I got a call from the director of The Christmas Revels. Although they have all of the basses they need for the chorus, he would like me to be in the Mummers' Play segments of the show. This is great news, and will be a bit less intense than doing the chorus as well.
Film: (DVD) Sharpe's Company Bernard Cornwell
Another of the Sharpe's Rifles series.
Film: (DVD) Not on the Lips (Pas sur la Bouche) Alain Resnais, 2005
This is a French operetta from 1925, a sex farce with a plot too complicted to detail. One of the main characters is an uptight American industrialist who has a pathological fear of being kissed on the lips.Film: (iTunes) Desperate Housewives
I'm sure I taped the last two episodes of Desperate Housewives but I must not have labeled the tape. Fortunately, Apple came to my rescue, with their new iTunes Video system. I was able to download the missing episodes and watch them on the 20" screen of my iMac. Althouth the resolution is only 320 x 240 or something like that, it was quite watchable on the monitor.I just love this show!
eBook: Grantville Gazette 2
Another in the The Grantville Gazette series inspired by Eric Flint's 1632
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks died today. She was one of my great heroes, glad she got to live a long and full life.
Film: (DVD) Sleeping with the Enemy Joseph Ruben, 1991
Silly stereotyped thriller. Not recommended.
Film: (HBO) Warm Springs Joseph Sargent 2005
This is a quite good film about Franklin Roosevelt's coming to terms with polio, starring Kenneth Branagh as FDR and Cynthia Nixon as Eleanor. Excellent film, recommended.
| Books reviewed on this page: | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Lead Goat Veered Off | Neil Anderson | 10/9/05 |
| Sharpe's Company | Bernard Cornwell | 10/19/05 |
| Sharpe's Gold | Bernard Cornwell | 9/20/05 |
| Sharpe's Eagle | Bernard Cornwell | 10/15/05 |
| Sharpe's Escape | Bernard Cornwell | 10/3/05 |
| Sharpe's Havoc | Bernard Cornwell | 10/12/05 |
| Grantville Gazette 2 | Eric Flint | 10/24/05 |
| Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 | Garrison Keillor | 9/2/05 |
| At All Costs ARC | David Weber | 9/6/05 |
| Films reviewed on this page: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Animal House | September 3, 2005 | |
| The Awful Truth | September 7, 2005 | |
| The Big Lebowski | September 24, 2005 | |
| Desperate Housewives | October 23, 2005 | |
| Elephant | October 17, 2005 | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | September 14, 2005 | |
| I [heart] Huckabees | September 16, 2005 | |
| Mrs. Miniver | October 10, 2005 | |
| Not on the Lips (Pas sur la Bouche) | October 23, 2005 | |
| Serenity | October 1, 2005 | |
| Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow | September 12, 2005 | |
| 3rd Rock from the Sun | September 23, 2005 | |
| Warm Springs | October 28, 2005 | |
Music: Date Performers Works
October 8, 2005 B.S.O., James Levine,
Dawn Upshaw, Jean-Yves Thibaudet Carter, Foss, Ives and Gershwin
February 4, 2005 B.S.O., Rafæl Frühbeck de Burgos.
Brahms
January 22, 2005 B.S.O., James Conlon, Garrick Ohlsson Ullmann, Shostakovich
January 8, 2005 B.S.O., Hans Graf, James Galway
Hindemith, Bolcom, Mozart
October 23, 2004 B.S.O., James Levine
Mahler: Symphony #8
May 2, 2004 Aiofe O'Donovan, Seamus Connoly, Halali "Rapper, Reels & Revelry"
May 1, 2004 B.S.O., Gianluca Cascioli,
Jahja Ling Mozart, Mahler
April 10, 2004 M.I.T.G.A.S.P Gilbert & Sullivan: Thespis
April 3, 2004 B.S.O., Grant Llewellen Vaughan Williams, Musgrave, Walton
January 17, 2004 B.S.O., James Levine Mozart, Carter, Dvorak
December 10, 2003 Australian Opera (DVD) La Bohème
November 13, 2003 Kirov Ballet, St. Petersburg Chopin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky
October 4, 2003 B.S.O., Hans Graf, Claudio Bohóquez Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
October 4, 2003 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink, Dubravka Tomsic Beethoven
March 8, 2003 M.I.T.G.A.S.P Bizet: Carmen
March 8, 2003 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Beethoven, Harbison
March 7, 2003 Arlo Guthrie Northeastern University
February 21-March 1, 2003 Gilbert & Sullivan: Patience Sudbury Savoyards
January 18, 2003 B.S.O., Ton Koopman, Andreas Scholl Bach, Haydn
December 7, 2002 B.S.O., Marek Janowski Bartok, Strauss
November 29, 2002 New York Philharmonic, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Pierre Laurent-Aimard Janacek: Cappriccio; R.Strauss: Burleske; Brahms: Sym. #2
November 2, 2002 B.S.O., Marek Janowski Bartok, Strauss
September 22, 2002 Boston Folk Festival Barachois, Bill Staines, Cheryl Wheeler, Richard Thompson
July 21, 2002 London Philharmonic, Rostropovich Shostakovich, Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk
July 3, 2002 Stan Rogers Folk Festival Oysterband, Fairport Convention, others.
May 3, 2002 The Australian Opera Wagner, Die Meistersinger
April 18, 2002 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa Mahler, Sym. # 9
April 13, 2002 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, The Gondoliers
March 7, 2002 B.S.O., Hans Graf, M. Piccinini, A.Häfliger Colgrass, Schubert
February 21, 2002 B.S.O., James Levine Dvorak, Wuoronen, Mozart, Ligeti,Schumann
January 10, 2002 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Bruckner: Symphony #7
December 9, 2001 Brandeis University Symphony Orchestra Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3; Dvorak: Symphony #6
December 8, 2001 Brandeis University Early Music Society Various works
November 17, 2001 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, H.M.S. Pinafore
November 3, 2001 B.S.O., Federico Cortese Ives: Ragtime Dances, Mozart Pf Conc #9 k271, Kurtäg: Grabstein für Stephan; Schubert, Sym. #4
Novembr 2, 2001 Blue Man Group, Seiji Ozawa Brahms: Symphony #1
October 6, 2001 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa Brahms: Symphony #1
May 3-6, 2001 M.I.Tl G & S Players Gilbert & Sullivan: The Grand Duke
April 13, 2001 Harvard-Radcliffe G & S Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia, Limited
March 4, 2001 Newton North High School Chorus
and Orchestra Haydn: Missa in Tempore Belli; Symphony #49 "La Pasione"
March 3, 2001 B.S.O., David Robertson Janácek Sinfonietta,
February 18, 2001 Theatre de Chatelet (DVD) Janácek, The Cunning Little Vixen
February 4, 2001 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Rowe
& Sullivan, The Zoo
February 3, 2001 B.S.O., James Levine Mahler Symphony #3
February 3, 2001 George and his band at
Harvey Finstein School of Music
December 27, 2000 The Christmas Revels,
Cambridge Appalchian/African-American Revels
December 23, 2000 San Carlo Opera
(DVD) Wagner, Tannhäuser
November 18,
2000 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, The Sorceror
November 16, 2000 Harvestfest, Newton North High
School
November 2, 2000 B.S.O., Christoph Eschenbach Mozart: Piano
Concerto #23; Mahler Symphony #5
October 24, 2000 Leon
Rosselson Johnny D's
October 7, 2000 The
Savoy-Aires Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado
June 18, 2000 George and his band at Harvey Finstein School of Music
May 21, 2000 Small Ensemble
Concert--Newton North
April 29, 2000 Spring Revels
April 22, 2000 B.S.O., André Previn, Pamela
Frank Previn: Diversions; Barber: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Symphony
#39
March 10, 2000 Revels, Inc/Shakespeare & Co. The Mysteries
February 26, 2000 B.S.O.,Seiji Ozawa, Christine Goerke, Ian
Bostridge, Thomas Quasthoff Britten: War Requiem
February 19, 2000 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Mahler: Symphony
#7
February 12, 2000 George and his band at
Harvey Finstein School of Music
January 29, 2000 B.S.O., Sir Simon Rattle
Peter Donohoe,
PianoDvorák: The Golden Spinning Wheel,
Bartók:
Piano Concerto #1, Brahms: Symphony #2
January 8, 2000 George on
Trombone N.E. Regional Senior District Festival
December 19, 1999 The Christmas Revels,
Cambridge Italian Renaissance Revels
December 12, 1999 Pierre Boulez, Met
Opera (video) Wagner: Siegfried
November 19, 1999 Matapat, Lexington
November 18, 1999 Harvestfest, Newton
North High School St. Sæns Danse Macabre
November 7, 1999 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert &
Sullivan, Iolanthe
November 4, 1999 George and his band at
Ryles, Cambridge
October 2, 1999 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa
Florence Quivar, Mezzo;
Paula Delligatti, Sop.Mahler, Symphony #2
September 29, 1999 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa,
Hildegarde Behrens,
SopranoWagner: Tannhäuser, Götterdämmerung
excerpts;
Strauss: Electra excerpt.
August 14,
1999 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, Crichton
July 24, 1999 David Mallett
June 19, 1999 The
Publick Theatre Gilbert & Sullivan The Yeomen of the Guard
April 13, 1999 Harvey Finstein School of Music
student groups George and Tova at Watch City
Brewery
March 7, 1999 Newton North High School Chorus
and Orchestra Mozart: Requiem, Symphony #38 ("Prague").
March 5, 1999 Harvey Finstein School of Music student
groups George and Tova in Jazz recital at Newton Congregational Church.
March 4, 1999 Newton North High School various
groups.
February 6, 1999 B.S.O.,Seiji Ozawa,
Jacques Zoon
(flute)Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande "Symphony"
Mozart: Flute
Concerto #1 in G, K.313
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps.
January 30, 1999 B.S.O., Robert Spano,
Andreas Haefliger
(piano)Lindberg: Arena
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #2
Sibelius: The Swan of
Tuonela, Symphony #3
January 16, 1999 B.S.O., Sir Simon Rattle,
Dawn Upshaw
(sop.)Knussen Flourish with Fireworks
Weir Natural History
Mahler Symphony
#4
Schumann Piano Concerto
December 23,
1998 The
Christmas Revels, Sanders Theatre, Cambridge
December 12, 1998 Caroling with Nym
Cooke, Hardwick, Mass.
November 28,
1998 B.S.O., Roberto Abbado,
Lief
Ove Andsnes (piano)Mahler Symphony #1
Schumann Piano Concerto
November 8, 1998 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert &
Sullivan, The Mikado
Plays:
November 29, 2002 Lorraine Bracco The Graduate
November 23, 2001 Helen Mirren, Ian McKelln The Dance of Death-August Strindberg
September 30, 2000 Tova/Black Box Theatre, Cornell
University The Maids-Jean Genet
May 30,
2000 Kelsey Grammer/Colonial Theatre Macbeth
May 26, 2000 The Huntington Theatre Co. King
Hedley II
September 3, 1999 The Publick
Theatre Nine
August 21, 1999 Orange
Tree Theatre, Ithaca, N.Y. Sonata
August 13,
1999 Firehouse Theatre, Ithaca, N.Y. Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All For
You
May 22-29 Newton South/North High
Schools Richard III
December 18,
1998 Newton North High School The Bone Violin, May Flies
November 12, 1998 Newton North High School To
Kill a Mockingbird
052999
Travels:
September 26-29, 2005 Interbike, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 26-28, 2005 'Bentride 2005, Bath, N.Y.
July 21-24, 2005 Family Reunion, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
April 29, 2005 Cirque de Cyclisme, Greensboro, N.C.
February 16, 2005 Indianapolis
November 24, 2004 Plantation, Florida
October 8, 2004 Santa Cruz, California
October 4, 2004 Las Vegas, Nevada
June 8, 2004 France, England
December 22, 2003 Halifax, Nova Scotia
November 27, 2003 Florida
October 31, 2003 Potomac, Maryland
October 10, 2003 Las Vegas, Nevada
September 21, 2003 New York, N.Y.
November 27-30, 2002 New York, N.Y.
October 8-13, 2002 Evanston, Illinois
October 4-8, 2002 Las Vegas, Nevada
July 3-9, 2002 Canso, Nova Scotia
May 24-27, 2002 Long Island, New York
November 21-24, 2001 New York City
October 16-19, 2001 Cape Cod, Massachusetts
September 29-October 3, 2001 Las Vegas, Nevada (Interbike Show)
June 16-23, 2001 Nags Head, North Carolina
October 5-14, 2000 Evanston, Illinois
September 30-October 2, 2000 Ithaca, New York
June 22-25, 2000 Urbanna, Virginia
October 7-13, 1999 Chicago/Evanston,
Illinois
August 19-28, 1999 Ithaca, New
York
August 12-13, 1999 Ithaca, New York
July 23-25, 1999 Bridgeton, Maine
November 25-28, 1998 Fort Lauderdale,
Florida
1988-89 France, England
1980 Yucatan, Mexico
1975 England,
Belgium, Yugoslavia, Turkey
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