DEATH IN VENICE / JOURNEY TO THE EAST
Like i think i have mentioned before, i am on a very large early 1900's bantam-published book bender.
I have just finished, yesterday, Death in Venice by Thomas Mann.
what at first started as the sort of book with sentences I had to read over and over ( for I think that maybe some of the fluditity of the prose was lost in its translation from the original German ) quickly morphed into a wonderful novella about an author named Gustav Aschenberg ( I think I spelled that right ) who moves to Venice on a whim, to clear his mind, and sees a Polish boy, belonging to a family that is staying at the same hotel as him.
he watches the boy, for he is a beautiful youth reminiscent of the oft quoted works of Michaelangelo. Sculpted as if from some divine marble.
Well, it really is just a great book that ends well. Apparently it is also a film, with Bjorn Andreson as Tadzio, said youth.
How is that for a beautiful boy!
Also, I have finished Journey to the East, which, maybe was not my favourite work of Hesse's oeurve, but nonetheless was a wonderful tale about a man belonging to "The Legion" which could maybe be best compared to something like Freemasons. He goes on a pilgramage with other member's of the legion, only to have everything fail. Convinced that he is the last remaining disciple of the legion, he becomes depressed, and feels very alone. Until he meets a servant that had accompanied him and his crew during the fateful journey, before he went missing. Things become very complicated for the lead.
Like hesse's other works, the book is primarily about his own philosophy in live, about devotion to one's beliefs, the difference between light and dark, and how to maintain balance, one must live under the shadow of both, simultaneously.
A really terrific book!
Gustav Mahler's music was used in the film adaption of Death in Venice, and I really reccomend it, especially his adagietto from the 5th symphony, it is very delicate and lovely.
and then for fun, a collection of my favourite music videos in no particular order:
DOVES - THERE GOES THE FEAR
the doves are such a great band
MICHAEL JACKSON - BILLY JEAN
I mean really, how can I not? Such a classic
NO DOUBT - SUNDAY MORNING
Hands down the best No Doubt song ever
THE VELVET UNGROUND & NICO - FEMME FATALE
I love love love Nico, even if she's fucking mental
EMILY HAINES & THE SOFT SKELETON - OUR HELL
Apart from being a truly amazing song, it's a wonderfully creative music video
THE GO! TEAM - DO IT ALRIGHT
I consistantly love the seasame street sound of the go! team, and this video just adds
ARCHITECHTURE IN HELSINKI - HEART IT RACES
Such a cute song and such a cute video
THE KNIFE - WE SHARE OUR MOTHER'S HEALTH
the knife. enough said
DIR EN GREY - OBSCURE
the band may suck now, but they were good up until VULGAR
XIU XIU - THE FOX & THE RABBIT
\
I may hate cam archer for his retardo film "wild tigers I have known" but this isn't too bad. he should stick to music videos.
I have just finished, yesterday, Death in Venice by Thomas Mann.
what at first started as the sort of book with sentences I had to read over and over ( for I think that maybe some of the fluditity of the prose was lost in its translation from the original German ) quickly morphed into a wonderful novella about an author named Gustav Aschenberg ( I think I spelled that right ) who moves to Venice on a whim, to clear his mind, and sees a Polish boy, belonging to a family that is staying at the same hotel as him.
he watches the boy, for he is a beautiful youth reminiscent of the oft quoted works of Michaelangelo. Sculpted as if from some divine marble.
Well, it really is just a great book that ends well. Apparently it is also a film, with Bjorn Andreson as Tadzio, said youth.
How is that for a beautiful boy!
Also, I have finished Journey to the East, which, maybe was not my favourite work of Hesse's oeurve, but nonetheless was a wonderful tale about a man belonging to "The Legion" which could maybe be best compared to something like Freemasons. He goes on a pilgramage with other member's of the legion, only to have everything fail. Convinced that he is the last remaining disciple of the legion, he becomes depressed, and feels very alone. Until he meets a servant that had accompanied him and his crew during the fateful journey, before he went missing. Things become very complicated for the lead.
Like hesse's other works, the book is primarily about his own philosophy in live, about devotion to one's beliefs, the difference between light and dark, and how to maintain balance, one must live under the shadow of both, simultaneously.
A really terrific book!
Gustav Mahler's music was used in the film adaption of Death in Venice, and I really reccomend it, especially his adagietto from the 5th symphony, it is very delicate and lovely.
and then for fun, a collection of my favourite music videos in no particular order:
DOVES - THERE GOES THE FEAR
Click to viewthe doves are such a great band
MICHAEL JACKSON - BILLY JEAN
I mean really, how can I not? Such a classic
NO DOUBT - SUNDAY MORNING
Hands down the best No Doubt song ever
THE VELVET UNGROUND & NICO - FEMME FATALE
I love love love Nico, even if she's fucking mental
EMILY HAINES & THE SOFT SKELETON - OUR HELL
Apart from being a truly amazing song, it's a wonderfully creative music video
THE GO! TEAM - DO IT ALRIGHT
I consistantly love the seasame street sound of the go! team, and this video just adds
ARCHITECHTURE IN HELSINKI - HEART IT RACES
Such a cute song and such a cute video
THE KNIFE - WE SHARE OUR MOTHER'S HEALTH
the knife. enough said
DIR EN GREY - OBSCURE
the band may suck now, but they were good up until VULGAR
XIU XIU - THE FOX & THE RABBIT
\
I may hate cam archer for his retardo film "wild tigers I have known" but this isn't too bad. he should stick to music videos.