All surmises to the contrary, I have not died...

[estellacat]

...I've merely been away visiting some relatives and have been fairly tired since my return. Some quick points of interest in my life of the past several days:

- I finished Sophie Wahnich's La liberté ou la mort : essai sur la Terreur et le terrorisme - admittedly, not a very impressive feat, since it's scarcely more than a hundred pages, though

Comments

[polypragmosyne]

The Pursuit of Glory seems one of those books I read mumbling (loudly, if possible) and doing faces...

I don't like a lot Puccini, but you got me bitten about Méhul :)

[estellacat]

If I had the willpower to actually read such a book, I'm sure I would do much the same.

I'm not particularly fond of Puccini either; I think he's vastly overrated. With Méhul it's the opposite problem: I can only find three different operas of his for which there are recordings (and one of them was made in the era when people sang opera in their native language, which is, unfortunately, German in this case D:)!

[polypragmosyne]

And the money- don't forget the money. Why pay them? The libraries are a better solution.

I don't particularly like XIX century music... compared to the previous centuries', above all. And ouch. only three?

[estellacat]

That's very true. And I suppose the other upside is, if you check this kind of book out of the library, you can prevent other people from reading it, for a while, at least.

I agree: Classical and Baroque music is much better. Yes, unfortunately--what I really want is a recording of the Méhul opera commissioned by the Convention, but nobody's made one. >.>

I won't even need to point out on what I'll react...

[maelicia]

SDF2JLSKUFDA098AWJALKCAJS0O98FLAKJSDLJ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keyboard!speak for = it just got stuck in my throat and I choked and died there.

I'd reply on the rest, but I'm already dead.

Re: I won't even need to point out on what I'll react...

[maelicia]

http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/academic_staff/further_details/blanning.html

The photo = WTF?????

Re: I won't even need to point out on what I'll react...

[estellacat]

Agreed. O.o

Re: I won't even need to point out on what I'll react...

[estellacat]

Perhaps I shouldn't have put all those things in one post? >___>

I'm sorry. ;-; Perhaps when you recover from your death you can say something about the other parts...?

[trf_chan]

I freaking HATE anti-France/French books. I mean. Dear lord. Do you think that would be acceptable if it was almost any other country? If someone was, say, publishing '50 Reasons to Hate the Polish,' I don't think they'd exactly be getting lauded for that. -_- And yet, it's all right to publish that stuff about the French. I'm sure that, few and far between, there are the sorts of ebil, annoying French people that everyone whines about, but that's hardly reason to stereotype everyone. I could say a lot about the English based on, say, SOME OF THEIR ACADEMICS...but I don't. I realize that the people in England are, by and large, much like the people anywhere else in the world. People are people. Cultural factors have some effect, but at the most basic level, it's perfectly possible for a man born and raised in Paris to be much the same as a man born and raised in London

[estellacat]

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you your rant is spot-on. Don't people realize that "France-bashing" is just another form of bigotry? >___<

Oh, that's right, you're thinking of applying to Cambridge, aren't you? Well, I hope for your sake not all the profs there are like that. -__-; Do have words with him though if you go.

Believe it or not, this guy wins literary prizes. Apparently that's the appropriate recompense for writing about a dog's take on Bonaparte's sex life. >.>;

[citoyennemiyuki]

As I see you can find interesting books. Do you read them in English or in French? Sadly in my country (Hungary) there are only some good book about revolution. I use to read revolutionary books from hungarian author. They write well..(I think)

I read "50 Reasons to Hate the Hungarian" I can only laugh on these books.
Do you read "Du contract social"? stupid question, I think yesXD I'm reading now...very good book:)

Do you remember me? I sent a few comments to your DA site.
You have great and useful site here:D

[estellacat]

I read most of the books I take seriously in French--a lot of English books aren't as good.

I didn't realize they existed for other countries. But even equal-opportunity hate is still hate. :/
And yes, I've read "Du contrat social" and I certainly found it very instructive.

Yes, I do, of course.
And thank you.

[citoyennemiyuki]

I would like to read in French (or in English, but my English isn't good for it yet)Of course depend on who wrote this book. I have read some books in revolution theme yet, but I have more books about Napoleon (my other fav theme). For example French,Russian and Hungarian authors write good books, but English books are different. I feel the dislike oppisite of Napoleon. (I bought a book about him, I knew instantly English man write that, when I caught sight the book's cover.There is Wellington and Nelson in the coverXD There were other people under the napoleonic era....)

I read good book about Maximilien from Russian author. My way of thinking totally changed about Robespierre, after I finished the book.

Yes, it is instructive...and interesting:DI can say more, If I finish the book.

[estellacat]

Well, there are good reasons to dislike Bonaparte, as far as I'm concerned, but they aren't why the British dislike him. English language books in general aren't as good on French history as French ones.

It's important to be sure of any author's sources and biases, but if you find them to be sound, then it's good to have your way of thinking challenged now and again.

[citoyenne]

Did you watch Tosca on dvd? If that's the case; which version?

[estellacat]

Nope, it was a live performance; since I was in Southern California in any case to visit my relatives, we saw it at the LA Opera.

[citoyenne]

I thought it perhaps was the dvd version with Raimondi, Alagna and Gheorghiu - three performers I enjoy immensely. If it was the case, I was also going to mention that Raimondi has starred as Don Giovanni in Mozart's opera with the same name, and that both the dvd and the recording is marvelous and worth getting.

Since it wasn't the case, I'll simply reply: Ah, I see.
:P

[estellacat]

Well, thank you, I'll keep that in mind in any case. :D