RIP

Lucian Freud
(8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011)

Quote of the Day

"The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you."

— Bette Midler

Literary Pick (***)

No Exit -Jean-Paul Sartre

Waited years to read this collection of plays by Sartre. My favorite of all the is "No Exit". I also enjoyed The Flies. I particularly enjoyed the realism of the dialogue.

Literary Pick (**)

Slaughterhouse-Five
-Kurt Vonnegut

It's funny the misconceptions we have about certain books before we read them. I don't know why, but I thought this book was about a totalitarian society. Perhaps I read a description of one of his other books and thought it was Slaughterhouse-5? anyway...the theme is an anti-war theme that didn't really reach out to me. Sure the story was interesting enough and I enjoyed where Vonnegut was leading Billy's character, but to me it seemed to be the only real interesting part of the story, the rest of it was a flat-line. There were no highs and lows, it just glided on an even level. I know I haven't described much about what the book is about, so here it goes. A guy who once fought in the war tracks down a few of his friends because he wants to write about his war experiences, and so he begins to write a story about Billy, one of his war buddies, who becomes insane and eventually dies. Vonnegut, in my opinion, took the alien theme with Billy too far. I think that's what turned me off about the story. It seemed so unrealistic and fluffy. Had he with the exact talent omitted the alien stuff, I would have been able to enjoy it more, but I don't really have an open mind to subjects having to do with aliens or anything else of that nature, especially if it's dragged out too long. I know it was what Vonnegut thought necessary to demonstrate how crazy Billy's character was, but it was a bit too much for me. However, I love the way Vonnegut writes and I'm looking forward to reading Cats Cradle.

Art of the Day

Fukami Sueharu (Japanese, born 1947)

View of Distant Sea II, ca. 1989
Molded porcelain with celadon glaze, 8 1/2 x 42 15/16 x 2 1/4 in. (21.6 x 109 x 5.7 cm)


This unusual porcelain sculpture resembles a wave about to break. It stands in opposition to the functional ceramics of traditional Japanese potters who "worship" unglazed clay, its tactile qualities, and the accidental effects that wood-fired kilns produce. Fukami challenges them by using electric kilns to minimize uncontrolled processes, by using molds to cast his creations, and by applying high-quality glazes of subtle, varying density. Despite his extensive control of color and form, one detects a slightly wavering edge; its gentle curve and subtle irregularity softens and at the same time enlivens the severe geometry of the piece. The Zen-like meditative mood of the work, and the celadon color, reminiscent of Chinese Song dynasty ceramics, suggest an Asian idiom for a work that otherwise speaks a universal language of visual art.

Literary Pick (***)

The Motorcycle Diaries- A Latin-American Journey
-Che Guevara

I couldn't have picked a better book to read after finishing On The Road by Jack Kerouac. Reading The Motorcycle Diaries proved to me that I can indeed enjoy a man's journey so long as it's a meaningful journey with a purpose, and not a selfish odyssey of drunken fools looking for high times and easy girls.

The Motorcycle Diaries wasn't as inspirational as I hoped it would be, but it was a humanitarian journey nevertheless, that I truly enjoyed reading. His altruistic lifestyle inspires me to be a better person. I'm still learning a lot about Che, and this is the second book I've read on his life and I'm looking forward to learning more about his life and causes.

Quote of the Day

"Justice is a matter between men, and I need no god to teach me it".

Orestes to Zeus in The Flies by Jean Paul Satre.

Literary Pick (*)

On The Road

-Jack Kerouac

Pinterest

Quote of the Day

"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute."

— Rebecca West

Literary Pick (**)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
-Mark Twain

Didn't enjoy Huck Finn as much as I enjoyed Tom Sawyer, and I only gave Tom Sawyer 3 stars. I do appreciate Twain's wit and clever style of thinking, but this was not my kind of literature. Huck Finn seemed to me cliched and depth-less.

Literary Pick (**)

Franny and Zooey
J.D. Salinger


















The main reason I didn't enjoy this book as much as I could have is because I kept looking for the similarities between Franny and Zooey in The Royal Tannenbaums, a movie I happen to love! I did however, got to enjoy once again Salinger's writing.

Literary Pick (**)

La Batard
Violette Leduc

Violette Leduc always gets the shitty end of the stick. I do too. So what.

Quote of the Day

"Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine."
— Honoré de Balzac

Literary Pick (**)

The Poetry of Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda

I hate that I have to write this. Neruda's poetry didn't move me as much as I thought it would. His poetry is very similar to that of  Walt Whitman, who I also didn't particularly enjoy. I've read so many references to the beauty of Neruda's poetry, I just thought they would be painfully and beautifully romantic, but they were just regular poems. I did however enjoy a couple, but my favorite in this mammoth collection of poetry is one by the title of "Your Laughter".

Photograph of the Day

Marlon Brando

Literary Pick (****)

The Feast of the Goat
-Mario Vargas Llosa

Luckily for me I was already familiar with Trujillo's reign of terror from previously reading "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz. Perhaps that is how I became fascinated by Trujillo's tyrannical reputation as the president of The Dominican Republic. The stories about Trujillo are like the kafkaesque nightmares that most of us have experienced, about the fear of losing one's freedom, losing one's integrity and self-respect. Fears of being unable to escape that all too watchful omnipresent entity. Trujillo was a living devil, he took whatever he wanted and banished anyone who not only opposed his regime, but also those who even thought of opposing it. He was the absolute ultimate psychological oppressor. He was known to publicly humiliate high-ranking member officials of his own inner circle, in person and through the local newspaper, which was of course owned by the Trujillo family. If he wanted to have sex with someone's wife or daughter, there was not much a husband or father could do about it. If they resisted they would simply be sent to jail to be tortured and maimed by Johnny Abbes, head of the SIM, another ruthless heartless demon who worked for Trujillo. Trujillo was indeed a goat who consumed everything in his path. His demonic presence was so strong in the hearts of the Dominican people that even after his death citizens were still terrified of him, as if he would come back from the dead and punish all those who dared believe he was mortal.
The Feast of the Goat weaves the fictional story of the life of Urania Cabral and her father Agustin Cabral (president of the senate), with non-fictional events of the Trujillo era and regime. Each chapter is jammed packed with fascinating and unbelievable accounts of some of the events that occurred during this period, It's one of the best books I've read this year. However, I admit that one of the reasons I was able to enjoy it as much as I did is because I was already familiar with the history of the Trujillo era. This book could be overwhelming for someone who is not familiar with it, so It's really worth looking into before diving in. The only fault in the book is that Llosa tended to quickly switch from narrating, to story-telling, if that makes any sense at all.. So one has to pay close attention to who is speaking and what scene is taking place at any given moment. Other than that each and every chapter of the book was enthralling. I'm so tempted to give it 5 stars.

Food Loves Writing

RIP

Elizabeth Taylor
(February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)

Literary Pick (***)

The Easter Parade -Richard Yates

 

 Quite an interesting story, but not half as good as Revolutionary Road. The synopsis on the back cover suggests the story is about two sisters, Sarah and Emily Grimes, but it seems to focus more on the younger sister, Emily, a divorcee career woman who has had quite a few casual relationships in her life. Her sister Sarah, is married to an abuser, they have three boys. Sarah is an alcoholic like their mother Esther (kookie) Grimes. I think their father, Esther's husband, was an alcoholic too. The novel is a steady-paced account of the lives of these two siblings. But mostly about Emily's detached relationship with her mother and sister. I guess Emily, as a then modern-day career woman (the only one in the family who graduated college) felt smarter in more ways than one than her sister who got married so young, and her over-bearing mother who ultimately ends up in an insane asylum. In the end Emily ends up worse than her mother and sister. Her live-in boyfriend leaves for an ex-wife. She then loses her job, ends up in a smaller Apt. on unemployment, with nothing to do, nowhere to go. She decides to call an estranged nephew, (Sarah's son) moves to New England to stay with him, his wife and their little girl, has a mini nervous breakdown from the station to his house. I think this book might have impacted me more than I'd like to admit.

Yates is so easy and pleasant to read, so although I didn't consider this a 4-5 star novel, I still enjoyed reading his work and I thought the story was very unique.

Photograph of the Day

Viviene Leigh

Literary Pick (**)

The Bauhaus Group: Six Masters of Modernism
Nicholas Fox Weber

Not as exciting as I had anticipated. I expected the story of The Bauhaus Group to be as riveting as Peggy Guggenheims "Art Lover" or Frederick Kaisler's "Art of this Century", instead it was excruciatingly boring. I did however, enjoy reading about Gropius, Klee and Kandisnky's lives, but somehow I knew that once the author got to the Albers' life the gossip wouldn't be as juicy, since most of the recollections came from Annie Albers and Josef themselves, (they were married for over 50 years). I've had an interest in learning more about the Bauhaus group for quite some time, but I can't say I learned much about the movement or it's aim from reading this book. I think Weber might have even turned me off to the movement entirely. I give it only two stars.

Literary Pick (*)

Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy

This book took me too long to finish. Normally, I go through books faster than I go through towels, but Anna Karenina is true to Tolstoy's form, he writes beautifully, but what's missing is deep-rooted psychological honesty and emotion. Sometimes I think Tolstoy was too hung up on his own agenda of Puritanism to allow himself to be true to the realistic direction of human nature. For Tolstoy women belonged here, and men belonged there, and you read it in all of his books. He was also hung up on peasant-workers (muzhiks) and their rights, a topic that resurfaces in all of his works. Although his short stories, The Kruetzer Sonata and The Death of Ivan Illych are two of my all-time favorite stories, I'm glad I don't have to read any other of his larger works again.

I would like to say that the most disappointing part of the novel wasn't Anna's anti-climatic suicide, but Levin's totally superfluous character.

Literary Pick (****)

Salvador Dali and the Surrealists
-Michael Elsohn Ross

This is a biography and activity art-book intended for young adults. I received it as a Christmas present from my SIL, who isn't an art lover, as far as I know, which perhaps explains why she gave me this book in the first place, but I was very happy to receive it nevertheless. Surprisingly, up until now I had never read anything on Dali. Of course I've heard of Dali and the surrealist movement.. who hasn't? but that's as far as my knowledge of him extended. I can easily identify his artworks, but I knew nothing of his life. This book perhaps inadvertently portrayed him as an insecure obnoxious rival-rouser struggling to remain confident throughout his early art career. He was portrayed as an attention-whoring opportunist, turning his back on old friends and colleagues once he gained fame and notoriety. He seemed like the Heidi Spencer of his time. However, deep down inside there is something very sad and pitiful about his career and his ego. He grew up as an insecure kid who was bullied throughout his early years in school, and slowly developed his confidence by having a generation me mentality, which made him extremely famous, but in his later years the fame seemed to have gone to his head and he began commercializing his artwork a bit too much, and it affected his credibility as a serious artist. He was in a very long relationship with a woman by the name of Gala, who seemed to have been very abusive towards him when he was old. I don't know..there's just something so sad about his life. But the book was very interesting and educational. It mentions art movements such as Dada, surrealism, expressionism,  and pop-art. It also talks about Franco, Hitler, and how the WWI affected artists and the art world. I enjoyed it very much.

Literary Pick (***)

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
-Milan Kundera

After reading the first 50 pages of Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being, I was very tempted to read the one and two star reviews on Goodreads. Most especially women's reaction to Kundera, but I did my best to refrain from doing so. As usual, I didn't want to be negatively influenced by anyone's reviews from the start.
There was something about this book that annoyed me very much, and I really did struggle to read it from a objective point of view, however, the scenarios seemed so outrageously absurd and nonsensical that I simply couldn't get Kundera's narcissism and misogynism past the palate, and please note, that I don't say Thomas' or Franz' misogynism. It didn't feel like I was reading a character's character, it felt like I was reading Kundera's character. It's not that I cannot have an open mind and accept women portrayed as weak beings, who suffer and make mistakes and ruin their lives by making stupid choices, but come on! These women were so unrealistic in every conceivable way. Thomas would score 1-2 women a day? and that's after he lost his job as a Dr. and ended up as a window-cleaner? Is that funny or what? and what about Tereza and Sabina response to all this? The part when Tomas' hair smelled like vagina, and after months of enduring this smell Tereza asks Tomas to go wash his hair? I can go on and on about ridiculous instances but it's not even worth getting into. I could accept it as a work if the writing was brilliant, but it's not. It was ok but nothing extraordinary. The references to Ana Karenina make sense. Although I have not had the pleasure of reading Karenina yet, I am very familiar with Tolstoy's works and I understand he too was quite insensitive to women's needs and tended to be self-focused.
Anyway..further research confirmed my feeling about Kundera, he is notorious for representing women as nothing more than sex objects and mistresses.
I have to admit the story did keep me intrigued and curious enough to want to finish it, but overall I didn't enjoy it.

Literary Pick (***)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer -Mark Twain

Two years ago I set a goal to read as many classics as possible. I even started a "Classic's Challenge" thread on Goodreads in order to prioritize which classics I wanted to read first. About every four to six months this list of "classics" was revised and edited with items often being removed or added on. But in all these revisions I've never once added anything by Mark Twain, which surprises me, because Mark Twain is obviously a colossal name in literature. In fact, William Faulkner called him the "father of American literature". When I try to understand why I never added Mark Twain to my classics list, although I subconsciously intended to, eventually, all I could come up with is that I didn't feel like reading about little boy adventures and rascalities. Mark Twain has always seemed a bit too wonder-breadish to me. I've always compared him to Walt Whitman, don't ask me why. I enjoyed Walt Whitman, but Whitman has always been white-breadish to me too and I wasn't sure if I was ready for another yeasty dose of that kind of literature. So, you ask, what made me finally add Twain to my list? Well, it was the press Huck Finn received about the inclusion of the "N" word into the new revised copies of the book, and since Tom Sawyer is the precursor to Huck Finn, I felt I had no choice but to read Tom Sawyer first.

My first impression upon reading the first chapter of Tom Sawyer was rather refreshing, especially after having finished reading something very challenging and strenuous.. but just as I expected, halfway through the story of Tom and his Shenanigans, I got a little bored. Little boys wreaking havoc has never appealed to me, and although Mark Twain is a lovely writer, because I do recognize his talents and appreciate his style, it was not sufficient enough to make me love it. However, I can see why Twains composition appeals to mature audiences. It's cheerful and carefree with episodes of warmth. It'll be interesting to see how Twain developed Finns character in his next novel.

Literary Pick (**)

Labrynth -Jorge Luis Borges

Quote of the Day

"I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone.
-Letter to Joseph Twichell, 9/13/1898"
— Mark Twain

Literary Pick (**)

Catch-22
Joseph Heller

Photograph of the Day

Salvador Dalí

Literary Pick (**)

The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
-Vladimir Nabokov

Considering Lolita is my favorite novel in the entire world, I expected to feel somewhat of the same magic and enchantment reading Nabokov's The Real Life Of Sebastian Knight, but I had difficulty even making out Nabokov at all. But what do I know? out of all of his novels I've only read Lolita, and now Sebastian. My mistake was that I assumed that all of Nabokov's works would seduce me. I'll have to read some more of his novels and see what happens. The tale of Sebastian Knight is appealing enough to want to finish and see what the big mystery is behind his last romance and his life, but overall it was rather dull, mostly because it felt like it was more about his brothers ego and unresolved relationship with Sebastian (his brother) than about Sebastian himself.. I have to say that I loved the way it ended. It focused more on Sebastian the way it should have from the beginning. Plus there were some brilliant sentences and passages that are worth noting.

Literary Pick (**)

The Story of Art -E.H. Gombrich

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Although I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would've enjoyed it a few years ago, I appreciated Gombrich's enthusiasm and excitement to share the story of art through the ages. I think what turned me off most about it was the attention given to architecture, which I understand is an enormous part of art. I'm simply not that interested in architecture. I gave it two stars not because it was ok, but because I respect it as a textbook.

Photo of the Day

Picasso and Bardot

Literary Pick (**)

Drown
-Junot Diaz

I didn't enjoy Drown nearly as much as I did The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The last chapter (Negocios) was more of what I expected of the whole book. I'm still glad I read it.

Literary Pick (**)

Chairman Mao Would Not Be Amused

edited by Howard Goldblatt

A collection of short stories by 20 chinese writers. A genre (scar literature) that emerged after the death of Chairman Mao and the fall of the cultural revolution. The stories lacked. There was only one story I enjoyed and that was "The Brothers Shu".

Literary Pick (****)

In Defiance of Hitler: The Secret Mission of Varian Fry

Amazing story about Varian Fry's heroic efforts to help many anti-fascist artists, writers, and Jews escape from France during WWII. Fry helped about two thousand refugees escape Nazi occupied France.


Shame on you, Andre Breton.

Picture of the Day

Julien Levy, Frida Kahlo, New York, 1938. Vicente Wolf Photography Collection. © 2001 Philadelphia Museum of Art

Literary Pick (**)

Where The Wild Things Are

-Maurice Sendak

Literary Pick (****)

The Savage Detectives
-Roberto Bolano

I would have loved to read this book in Spanish. I bet there are minute, yet significant expressions and details lost in the translation that you can only experience reading it in it's original language. This novel is like the love-child of Marquez and Murakami. Perhaps. one day I will read it in Spanish. I think I will have to, because I enjoyed it so much.

I know readers who didn't enjoy this novel accuse it of being cliquey and haphazard, but perhaps it's because they were constantly anticipating something grand to happen, and that is exactly what Bolano meant when he referred to readers who buy into the "exotic stereotype"-style narrative. Although, I have to admit, Bolano himself falls into this trap with The Savage Detectives, with examples of ghosts, whores, and just a dab of magical realism, but I loved it all!

The story begins in a diary format, and later moves on to an interview format, in which many poets are questioned about the whereabouts of Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima, later Cesaria Tinajero. Each account is like a short story. Bolano rarely writes within quotation marks, but the dialogue flows smoothly like real-time conversations and interviews. I enjoyed all of the stories. Each character had their own fascinating tale to tell, and all so full of intrigue. How talented to be able to write so many short stories with so many different plots and scenarios. That takes an incredible amount of skill and talent. I even read one of the stories aloud to hear the words, and I chose a good one too, the one by Pablo Del Valle from Madrid. By coincidence that one sounded more like poetry than any of the other stories and it sounded so beautiful to hear it spoken out.

I wish Cesarias poem would've been made more clearer. I know it was suppose to be a joke, but I'm not clear on why since Cesaria was a serious and reserved character. I wasn't 100% clear on the ending but I guess Miguel and Lupe got caught by the police and when he was asking, "what's outside the window?" it meant prison cell window because he made a reference to a star. That would make a lot of sense. I'm not sure. But I loved this story. It was a long book but there wasn't a moment where I found myself bored. I could see reading it again down the road.

Favorite Passage:

"He whispered that he loved me, that he would never be able to forget me. then he got up (twenty seconds after he'd spoken, at most) and slapped my face. The sound echoed through the house. We were on the first floor, but I heard the sound of his hand (when his palm left my cheek) rise up the stairs and enter each of the rooms on the second floor, dropping down through the climbing vines and rolling like glass marbles in the yard. When I could react , I made a fist with my right hand and hit him in the face. He hardly moved. But his arm was fast enough to hit me again. Bastard, I said, faggot, coward, and I launched a clumsy attack, punching, scratching, and kicking. He didn't even try to dodge my blows. Fucking masochist".

Poetry

True Love

It is true love because
I put on eyeliner and a concerto and make pungent observations about the great issues of the day
Even when there's no one here but him,
And because
I do not resent watching the Green Bay Packer
Even though I am philosophically opposed to football,
And because
When he is late for dinner and I know he must be either having an affair or lying dead in the middle of the street,
I always hope he's dead.

It's true love because
If he said quit drinking martinis but I kept drinking them and the next morning I couldn't get out of bed,
He wouldn't tell me he told me,
And because
He is willing to wear unironed undershorts
Out of respect for the fact that I am philosophically opposed to ironing,
And because
If his mother was drowning and I was drowning and he had to choose one of us to save,
He says he'd save me.

It's true love because
When he went to San Francisco on business while I had to stay home with the painters and the exterminator and the baby who was getting the chicken pox,
He understood why I hated him,
And because
When I said that playing the stock market was juvenile and irresponsible and then the stock I wouldn't let him buy went up twenty-six points,
I understood why he hated me,
And because
Despite cigarette cough, tooth decay, acid indigestion, dandruff, and other features of married life that tend to dampen the fires of passion,
We still feel something
We can call
True love.

Literary Pick (****)

Che
Fidel Castro

It's a shame there aren't yet any reviews written on this book on Goodreads. It would certainly make for a very interesting discussion. The preface by Jesus Montane wasn't impressive, however, the intro written by David Deutschmann helped give the reader a quick chronological biography on the political history and contribution that Che Guevara offered the Cuban Revolution. The analysis that Castro offers on the death of Che is thoroughly fascinating. Castro defends the truth behind the murder of his beloved comrade as if he's posthumously defending his own character and honor. Technically, it's not the most sophisticated memoir. In parts Castro tends to get cyclical, but at the same time is able to make good points and does an impressive job at disproving the lies behind Barrientos' statements concerning Che's diary.

It goes without saying that this memoir plays homage to Che's revolutionary spirit and heroism. It's Castro's personal eulogy to the memory of all the virtues that embodied Che's altruistic qualities. This memoir is not only moving but inspiring as well.

Literary Pick (*****)

501 Great Artists



Literary Pick (**)

The Awakening
Kate Chopin

























I don't understand how people call this is a feminist novel. There's a difference between feminism and selfishness. Here we have a woman, Edna Pontellier, who is married, with two children I believe, and so one day she suddenly realizes she doesn't want to be married anymore, and while her husband is away on business, and the kids are away at grandmas, she decides she's going to move out of the house and into a smaller home a couple blocks away, all nonchalant, like her husband won't mind one bit. I think she even asks her husband what he thinks about this idea..but she then to proceeds to moves out. However, before she leaves, she throws herself a going-away party at her husbands expense (not too independent if you ask me) and starts a series of affairs, one of which is with another married man in her little circle of society.. If it were the husband who had behaved this way in the novel, what do you think the reader would have thought about him? This is not acceptable behavior just because she's a woman. The only oppressive subject in this novel was the protagonist herself.
Kate Chopin is a lovely writer but this story is weak.
The other short stories included in this collection only got worse as they progressed.

Literary Pick (**)

The Iliad
Homer




















After extensive research I purposely chose to read The Odyssey before the Iliad since I felt that a lengthy story on war and battle wouldn't interest me much, however, I wanted to read the Iliad anyway to complete the set. Not surprised to confirm I didn't enjoy the Iliad as much as I did The Odyssey, but the ending made it fairly worth it.

Art of the Day

Saint Matthew and the Angel
Caravaggio





















Artist Caravaggio
Year 1602
Type Oil on canvas
Dimensions 295 cm × 195 cm (116 in × 77 in)
Location Destroyed

Literary Pick (**)

The Book of Disquiet

Fernando Pessoa

Cultural News

Art’s Survivors of Hitler’s War




BERLIN — The past still thrusts itself back into the headlines here, occasionally as an unexploded bomb turning up somewhere. Now it has reappeared as art.

In January workers digging for a new subway station near City Hall unearthed a bronze bust of a woman, rusted, filthy and almost unrecognizable. It tumbled off the shovel of their front-loader.

Researchers learned the bust was a portrait by Edwin Scharff, a nearly forgotten German modernist, from around 1920. It seemed anomalous until August, when more sculpture emerged nearby: “Standing Girl” by Otto Baum, “Dancer” by Marg Moll and the remains of a head by Otto Freundlich. Excavators also rescued another fragment, a different head, belonging to Emy Roeder’s “Pregnant Woman.” October produced yet a further batch.

The 11 sculptures proved to be survivors of Hitler’s campaign against what the Nazis notoriously called “degenerate art.” Several works, records showed, were seized from German museums in the 1930s, paraded in the fateful “Degenerate Art” show, and in a couple of cases also exploited for a 1941 Nazi film, an anti-Semitic comedy lambasting modern art. They were last known to have been stored in the depot of the Reichspropagandaministerium, which organized the “Degenerate” show.

Then the sculptures vanished.

How they ended up underground near City Hall is still a mystery; it seems to involve an Oskar Schindler-like hero. Meanwhile a modest exhibition of the discoveries has been organized and recently opened at the Neues Museum, Berlin’s archaeological collection, the perfect site for these works.

Like the sculptures, the museum lately rose, all these years later, from the ruins of war. In the architect David Chipperfield’s ingenious, Humpty Dumpty-like reconstruction of the building, it has become a popular palimpsest of German history, bearing witness, via the evidence of the damage done to it, to a violence that not even time and several generations have been able to erase.

I can hardly express how moving this little show is, unexpectedly so. Its effect ends up being all out of proportion to the objects discovered, which are, in strictly aesthetic terms, fine but not remarkable. They are works of quasi-Cubism or Expressionism, mostly not much more than a foot high, several newly cleaned but still scarred, inspiring the obvious human analogy.

The poet and Holocaust survivor Paul Celan came up, in a different context, with the metaphor of bottles tossed into the ocean “at the shoreline of the heart,” now finally washed ashore. They’re like the dead, these sculptures, ever coming back to us, radiant ghosts.

In a country that for decades has been profoundly diligent at disclosing its own crimes and framing them in the context of history, it makes sense that the exhibition was installed to share a courtyard with Assyrian friezes from a long-ago regime that made an art of totalitarian rule and with an ancient frieze describing the eruption of Vesuvius, which preserved priceless objects, buried in the ash, that have found sanctuary in institutions like the Neues Museum.

Archeologists have so far determined that the recovered works must have come from 50 Königstrasse, across the street from City Hall. The building belonged to a Jewish woman, Edith Steinitz; several Jewish lawyers are listed as her tenants in 1939, but their names disappear from the record by 1942, when the house became property of the Reich. Among its subsequent occupants, German investigators now believe, the likeliest candidate to have hidden the art was Erhard Oewerdieck, a tax lawyer and escrow agent.

Oewerdieck is not widely known, but he is remembered at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Israel. In 1939, he and his wife gave money to a Jewish family to escape to Shanghai. He also hid an employee, Martin Lange, in his apartment. In 1941 he helped the historian Eugen Täubler and his wife flee to America, preserving part of Täubler’s library. And he stood by Wolfgang Abendroth too, a leftist and Nazi opponent, by writing him a job recommendation when that risked his own life.

The current theory is that when fire from Allied air raids in 1944 consumed 50 Königstrasse, the contents of Oewerdieck’s office fell through the floor, and then the building collapsed on top. Tests are being done on ash from the site for remains of incinerated paintings and wood sculptures. How the lost art came into Oewerdieck’s possession in the first place still isn’t clear.

But at least it’s now back on view. Scharff’s bust, of an actress named Anni Mewes, brings to mind Egyptian works in the Neues Museum. Karl Knappe’s “Hagar,” a bronze from 1923, twisted like knotted rope, has been left with its green patina of rust and rubble, making it almost impossible to decipher, save as evidence of its fate. On the other hand, Freundlich’s “Head,” from 1925, a work made of glazed terra cotta, gnarled like an old olive tree, loses little of its power for being broken. The Nazis seized the Freundlich from a museum in Hamburg in 1937, then six years later, in France, seized the artist and sent him to Majdanek, the concentration camp in Poland, where he was murdered on the day he arrived.

Across the street from the Neues Museum contemporary galleries showcase the sort of work the Nazis hoped to eradicate but that instead give Berlin its current identity as a capital of cool. This is a city that resembles the young masses who gravitate here: forever in a state of becoming, wary, unsure and unresolved, generally broke, but optimistic about the future, with the difference that Germany can’t escape its past.

Farther down the block the Deutsches Historisches Museum’s Hitler exhibition, today’s version of a “Degenerate” show, means to warn viewers about succumbing to what present German law declares morally reprehensible. How could any decent German have ever been taken in? the show asks.

That happens to be the question the Nazis’ “Degenerate” show posed about modern art. Many more Germans visited that exhibition than the concurrent one of approved German art. Maybe Oewerdieck was among those who went to the modern show and saw these sculptures in it. In any case, today’s Germany has salvaged them and has organized this display. Redemption sometimes comes late and in small measures.

NYT

Literary Pick (**)

The Rape of Europa
Lynn H. Nicholas





















Having read and loved "Monuments Men", By Robert Edsel in which Lynn H. Nicholas also collaborated in, along with several books on Peggy Guggenheim, I expected "The Rape of Europa" to fill in the gaps that I felt Edsel didn't satisfy. I'm not usually one to complain about details if they're presented with enough background to guide you through the text, especially since it was the primary reason why I wanted to read the book in the first place, however, in the "Rape of Europa", Nicholas seems to assume the reader already has a basic understanding of the wheelings and dealings that occurred with the Art of Europe during the second world war. To be quite honest I didn't even know anything about the looting of European art until about 3 years ago. Since then I've been fascinated by the history and hoped that Nicholas' "Rape of Europa" would shed some light on it's details for me, but unfortunately, she failed to do so. I got more from the pictures printed in the book than the actual text. I've been looking forward to reading this book for a long time, so needless to say I'm a extremely disappointed, to say the least. I watched the PBS special on the Rape of Europa as well, and became even more interested in reading the book which made me finally order it. There were geographical details about the war I learned and am grateful for, but she went into painfully unnecessary details that do not interest the average reader. This book is perfect for a scholar, but unless you have pretty decent background of WWII, Hitler, Art, and political figures involved, I don't see how you can learn from it as a primary source. One of the things that annoyed me about Lynn which was very typical in her writing is that, as I mentioned, she goes into these tediously long details about things and people that don't really matter to the average reader yet totally glossed over important events the reader would want to know more about, like the reaction of everyone involved when Hitler committed suicide, or the destruction of Goering's Carinhall, and his trial.
I can't believe I waited this long to read this book and got almost nothing out of it. I challenge anyone who isn't a scholar and doesn't have any WWII background to sit down and walk me through everything they've learned from this book. This was one of the most frustrating reads for me. I gave it two stars because I did learn a couple of things from it.
Oddly enough though, whenever I try to retell parts that I've read, I get choked up. It's a very powerful story in itself. I always think of the missing art pieces as ancient children trying to eternally find their way home. I hope I'm able to find another book on the subject in which I'm able to learn more from.

Literary Pick (****)

As I Lay Dying

William Faulkner

I loved this book.

Reading Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying", is at first like reading Steinbeck backwards, but oddly enough, I gradually began appreciating the style as I read along, mostly because of it's on-point phonetic diction. That's always been one of my pet peeves, authors who can't pull off authentic regional dialogue and the phonetic part ends up sounding like a total mess. In that respect I felt Faulkner cracked it wide open.

Reading "As I lay Dying" is much like picking up a book and starting it in the middle. None of it makes much sense at the beginning, but once you get past the first few chapters it gains momentum and you begin to feel connected to the characters and their journey through the Mississippi river, towards Jefferson, to bury their mother and wife, Addy. I don't know why, but I was able to strongly relate to the characters, the poor country folk. It took me back to the days when I myself grew up in the countryside of the Puerto Rican mountains where there was simplicity and ignorance. The parts of the book I couldn't follow didn't bother me much because it possessed a certain poetic rhythm that flowed so beautifully.

I found that you have to read Faulkner fluently in order for it to make sense. If you stop to question everything you're reading, it can get in the way of enjoying the work as a whole. Just read it and go with the flow. I would definitely want to read this again.

Literary Pick (*)

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
Michael J. Fox

Loved Fox's first book "Lucky Man", but this book seemed more like something mostly his family and friends could enjoy years down the road. Also too much politics. I was also really disappointed with the "Scores" and "playboy" references he made. It's what I personally feel contributes to helping porn become mainstream in our society. I know it's not a big deal to people, but things like that turn me off, especially when it's someone I admire and respect. I still think he's a fine person with a fine family. I wish them all happiness and health.

Literary Pick (**)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Hunter S. Thompson

A quick days-worth of reading. Funny in parts but not really my kind of read. I'd be interested in watching the movie to see how it's interpreted through film.

Literary Pick (**)

War and Peace
(Leo Tolstoy)






















Although clearly not a Victorian novel, I felt the setting possessed a Victorian-styled tone which was personally enjoyable to me.
The story was easier than I expected it to be, it was by no means a big mean scary hairy indecipherable novel. The worst part about it was having the stamina to finish it once I realized it was a work that failed to move me.
I read somewhere that Tolstoy wrote his books for the average man, so it doesn't surprise me that it was comprehensible.
The reason I gave this book only two stars is because although Tolstoy did a commendable job in making the novel (especially the war part) grasping, it left me bored and fatigued.
I think the characters could have offered a lot more in terms of drama and suspense. Their family issues and dilemmas lacked interest and sympathy. This really surprised me about Tolstoy's Tour de force, since his short stories are supremely gripping.
War and Peace is the story of the War of 1812 and 5 Tsarist families during that time. Some of which were men who joined the war, and others who were either elders or women related to the men who fought the war.
Honestly, none of the characters moved me as much as I thought they should have. I thought Andrey would become a better person after the death of his wife, but he seems to have died as bitterly as he lived. I felt no warmth towards him at the time of his death. None of the characters seemed ripe enough for me to care about. I sensed when Tolstoy wanted me to feel sadness and emotion, for example, when Petya, the youngest Rostov son was shot in the head during combat, but I didn't feel anything over that event either. Or like when the old man died and finally realized gratitude towards his daughter, that didn't move me either.. Then there was Nikolay Rostov, who basically married for money. There was no love or romance between them prior to the wedding. He did turn out to be a good husband, but he married Marie to save what was left of the family name and fortune, thus leaving Sonya (his childhood romance) who patiently waited for him all those years out to dry. Sonya's reaction to his union with Marie wasn't even addressed. In fact, the story left her sort of high and dry with no husband and no opinion or feelings about having waited so long for her love only to lose him to Marie (Andrey's sister).
Towards the end when Pierre left to Petersburg on business to start a revolutionary group to band against the government that were treating people poorly, Nikolay (his BIL) didn't agree with his point of views on the matter, being that he was a military officer who took an oath and....that's basically where the story ends, flat. Tolstoy then proceeds to exceedingly go into these theories and metaphors that basically just dragged his own novel through the mud. The book is no doubt a work of art as far as the cannon is concerned, but as a sit-down enjoyable piece of literature for today's society, it's extremely outdated. Tolstoy probably rolls over in his grave 8 million times a day if he saw what's become of us. In my humble opinion It's not a timeless piece.
I'm glad I read it, but I'm glad it's over.




ps. the epilogue must be read. It's part of the novel. If you didn't finish the epilogue, you didn't finish reading War and Peace.

Literary Pick (***)

One Hundred and One Classic Love poems




















My favorite poems in this collection were "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe, which was the inspiration for the opening of the novel "Lolita" which happens to be my favorite book, and "True Love" by Judith Viorst. These two poems alone made the entire collection worth reading.

Quote of the Day

"I believe I am in Hell, therefore I am"
— Arthur Rimbaud

Poem

The Open Window
My tower was grimly builded,
With many a bolt and bar,
"And here," I thought, "I will keep my life
From the bitter world afar."


Dark and chill was the stony floor,
Where never a sunbeam lay,
And the mould crept up on the dreary wall,
With its ghost touch, day by day.


One morn, in my sullen musings,
A flutter and cry I heard;
And close at the rusty casement
There clung a frightened bird.


Then back I flung the shutter
That was never before undone,
And I kept till its wings were rested
The little weary one.


But in through the open window,
Which I had forgot to close,
There had burst a gush of sunshine
And a summer scent of rose.


For all the while I had burrowed
There in my dingy tower,
Lo! the birds had sung and the leaves had danced
From hour to sunny hour.


And such balm and warmth and beauty
Came drifting in since then,
That window still stands open
And shall never be shut again.

 -Edward Rowland Sill

Literary Pick (**)

Love in Verse: Classic Poems of the Heart-Kathleen Blease

I enjoyed reading this collection of poetry by various poets, however, there was only one I really loved, the rest were ok.
The one I loved was called "The Open Window" by Edward Rowland Sill.

Literary Pick (**)

Selected Poetry
-William Butler Yeats




















Glad I experienced Yeats, but not the style of poetry I enjoy.

Quintessentially B











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