Finally through many that I've been reading. Finished Blindness and The Brothers K and Any Human Heart. All excellent.
Started a new crop of books yesterday. What Jesus Meant by Gary Willis, which is off to a great start. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, an obvious influence on Stephen King and the best vampire book I have ever read (so far).
Striking thing from Blindness that I missed the last time through is how often they refer to the situation of the characters as hell. This was fascinating, especially considering my sermon topic of a week back. The book is about an epidemic of contagious blindness and the resulting government internment of those who fall victim to it. One part in particular really stood out. Saramago is describing how the blind travel in packs "like a flock of sheep" living in fear of being left behind. None of them want to be the lost sheep because "they knew no good shepherd was coming."
If that isn't a definition of hell, I don't know what is. And the Kingdom of Heaven is its opposite. The good news that a good shepherd is coming and has come. An unwillingness to leave anyone behind.
OK, I got off topic a little there. Read Blindness. It's fantastic.
This week was my week to meet Truman Jack Williams and a fast friendship was formed. We have bonded over much, including a love for music. When I discovered his intense love for The Police (a band I have always enjoyed in a "greatest hits" kind of way). I gave them a second look.
Ghost in the Machine by The Police is amazing. Each song hangs on those that proceed and follow it. Each song stands alone. It is everything an album should be. I don't know how I missed it.
I'm listening to Big Star and Chris Bell and my good friend, Andrew Rosas, who reminds me of both. Listening to Rosie Thomas (see review from earlier in the week) and The Pixies B-Sides collection. Nothing new, although new stuff is coming this Tuesday. Most excited about Andrew Bird. The tracks I have heard are fantastic.
But the most exciting thing I've been listening to is an advance release of Sky Blue Sky by Wilco. Comes out in May. Nice to not have to wait.
Saw the movie Premonition today. Should have skipped it. Sandra Bullock does really well with a really flimsy film.
That's it kids. Today is Rachel's 31st birthday, and I'm off to take her to dinner.
Peace.
3 comments:
i thought i am legend was great. i didn't catch the stephen king influencing, but i'm sure it has to be there. i read it around the time that 28 days later came out and i saw a definite connection between that and the story where the guy is stuck in the house with the vampires outside. i don't really remember any of the other stories, but i know i enjoyed it.
i just finished reading 'the good war', a collection of interviews by studs terkel. i have never found wwII so interesting. i got through it really fast. fascinating stuff.
now i'm reading 'monkey brain sushi', a collection of japanese short fiction, including one manga story and a haruki murakami story. it's good so far and the design of the paperback is really cool.
someone just gave me a copy of vetiver's album 'to find me gone'. it's great so far, but i've only listened to 1 1/2 songs.
sam
oh yeah! and i have tickets to see arcade fire at the chicago theatre in my pocket right now! a guy at whole foods bought a ton of them when the tickets went on sale. they all sold out in 15 minutes. he sold 2 of them to me for almost sale price. awesome.
wilco's pre-release. nice. you'll have to tell me how you worked that deal out. I know they were streaming it from their website a few times.
great hanging out this past weekend. btw, i'm back on the church planting group--i stepped away from message boards for a while b/c I was becoming a punk. we'll see if that's changed.
btw, we couldn't get into the Eisley show on Sat. nite, so we walked around to the back of La Zona Rosa and heard a great show.
i'll have to check out the Hinson guy--something from the "brotherhood."
Is the Wilco album akin to any of their previous albums or does it mark another experiment with their sound and style? And, by the way, I envy you for having an advanced copy.
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