Monday, January 10, 2011
Twain & Richards - Two Most Enjoyable Blokes
No, it's not that I've gone to the mattresses, although some mattress time does explain where I've been.
Apologies to my faithful visitors who've come here to find....Nothing. I've been ensconced with two massive tomes, autobiographies (or allegedly so, both).
One is from the man of whom it was written that the report of his death was exaggerated. The other is from a man whose death seems both inevitable and impossible.
Like other folks, I tend to keep a pile of books at the ready when insight, relief, or a touch of the mad is necessary to make it through the day/night. I can't recall the last time that I've enjoyed two books as much simultaneously. I won't be comparing the two now nor ever in the future. It was simply a bit of Kismet that they arrived so close to each other (one from that venial sin of self-choosing, the other from an act of Christmas charity from the Ever Loving Wife). The only similarity I can dare venture at this point is the minute detail of information provided by both authors (never thought I'd use that word with Mr. Richards). How both can recall so much, specifically the miraculously still living and breathing Keith Richards, is amazing. Granted, both are probably using the writing license to "extend" facts where story/recollection demands a bit of terra firma, with Mr. Richards' memories culled from a brain that's been taxed to the max with pleasures of the mind-bending sort.
Sometimes, switching from one to the other was like jumping from a train going south to one going north. Other times, it was like being a passenger on the same train that suddenly changed from a steam locomotive to a Shinkansen. It's not as if I needed one book to keep the other interesting; both stand up well by themselves. It's simply that the pure luck of having both available and open at the same time has put a kick start into reading for 2010.
Get on Board!
Labels: Reviews
Comments:
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What a combination! Brilliant!
Now, my book list for 2011 is complete!
Ha, she says.
I adore Twain. I am hoping the Richards autoB. is sans the silly trappings our culture has adorned him with. (I guess same could be said for Mr. Clemens.)
Now, my book list for 2011 is complete!
Ha, she says.
I adore Twain. I am hoping the Richards autoB. is sans the silly trappings our culture has adorned him with. (I guess same could be said for Mr. Clemens.)
Ah, The Memory Palace.
Just heard a Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross conversing with Ms. Bartok.
While tempting for me, it sounds like a long sad trip that I opt not to take that journey.
It's strictly a personal thing; she sounded quite intuitive and at peace.
As for Mr. Richard's tome?!??! Well worth length and breadth of the book. I just can't figure out how he, ahem, remembered all that is in the book; the license to invent is well-exercised by the Stones' guitarist.
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Just heard a Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross conversing with Ms. Bartok.
While tempting for me, it sounds like a long sad trip that I opt not to take that journey.
It's strictly a personal thing; she sounded quite intuitive and at peace.
As for Mr. Richard's tome?!??! Well worth length and breadth of the book. I just can't figure out how he, ahem, remembered all that is in the book; the license to invent is well-exercised by the Stones' guitarist.
<< Home Verging on Pertinence Just some more disposable thoughts clogging up the hinterlands
