Books Acquired Recently
Beachy, Kirsten Eve, ed. Tongue Screws and Testimonies: Poems Stories, and Essays Inspired by the Martyrs Mirror. Scottdale: Herald, 2010.
I've been meaning to buy this for a while. The Martyrs Mirror is a compilation of Anabaptist martyr stories first published in 1660. It is traditionally given as a wedding or graduation gift by Mennonites as a way of passing down Mennonite values to younger generations. I received it as a Christmas present when I was 16 and read my way through it over several years (it is 1300 folio-sized pages long). I have always been fascinated by it; I think an anthology of literature inspired by people's interactions with it is an excellent idea, and I know several of the contributors, so I am very excited to read it.
Brandt, Di. Walking to Mojacar. Winnipeg: Turnstone, 2010.
Brandt is one of my favorite poets. Her language crackles with energy, and her poems are unashamedly activist while at the same time being beautifully crafted. Unfortunately, as a Canadian, she is not well-known in the U.S., which is a failing of the American English teaching community. There is generally not an institutional space for Canadian literature to get taught in the U.S. because most departments are too small to offer courses in it (and there might not be student interest, but it is our job as teachers/critics to build this interest), and Canadian writers tend to get ignored in postcolonial literature courses. As a result, it is virtually impossible for Canadian writers to gain any traction in the U.S. unless they are lucky enough to be published in high-profile venues such as the New Yorker, as is the case with Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro.
Schakel, Peter, and Jack Ridl, eds. 250 Poems: A Portable Anthology. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009.
I ordered this as a desk copy because I will be using it in my Introduction to Literature course this coming semester. It has a nice selection of poems from the Renaissance throught the twenty-first century, a range that is difficult to find. Incidentally, Jack Ridl gave a reading at my alma mater, Goshen College, my last year there. I enjoyed his work.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Manchester United and the European Cup
On Saturday, Manchester United plays Barcelona at Wembley in an attempt to win the European Cup (now called the Champions League, but the trophy itself is still the European Cup, which is what the competition was called until the 1994-95 season) for the fourth time. It will be the fifth time that United plays in a European Cup final, and though they have won three of the previous four, one could argue that they should have lost all of them, not just in 2009 to Barcelona.
In 1968 versus Benfica, also at Wembley, the match was drawn 1-1 in second-half stoppage time when Eusebio had a clear path to goal and should have scored for the Portuguese, but shot right at the goalkeeper instead. United went on to win 4-1 after extra time.
In 1999, United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the 91st minute and scored two goals off of corner kicks one after the other to win. Here is a link to video of the goals. I watch this whenever I feel depressed and it always cheers me up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf8SC_UASg
In 2008 against Chelsea, John Terry had a chance to win the penalty kick shootout after the match had ended 1-1, but missed the goal, and United went onto win when Ryan Giggs scored on his kick and Nicolas Anelka's kick was saved.
But that's why each of the 90 (or 120) minutes count equally. The trophy goes to the team that has scored more goals in that span, not to the team that has played more dominantly or "deserves" to win, because the fundamental basis of the game is that the team who scores more goals deserves to win. That's why Manchester United is the greatest football/soccer club in the world, because they score more goals than the other team much more often than not, and they never believe it is impossible to do so until the final whistle sounds. WE ARE UNITED, WE DO WHAT WE WANT!
In 1968 versus Benfica, also at Wembley, the match was drawn 1-1 in second-half stoppage time when Eusebio had a clear path to goal and should have scored for the Portuguese, but shot right at the goalkeeper instead. United went on to win 4-1 after extra time.
In 1999, United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the 91st minute and scored two goals off of corner kicks one after the other to win. Here is a link to video of the goals. I watch this whenever I feel depressed and it always cheers me up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf8SC_UASg
In 2008 against Chelsea, John Terry had a chance to win the penalty kick shootout after the match had ended 1-1, but missed the goal, and United went onto win when Ryan Giggs scored on his kick and Nicolas Anelka's kick was saved.
But that's why each of the 90 (or 120) minutes count equally. The trophy goes to the team that has scored more goals in that span, not to the team that has played more dominantly or "deserves" to win, because the fundamental basis of the game is that the team who scores more goals deserves to win. That's why Manchester United is the greatest football/soccer club in the world, because they score more goals than the other team much more often than not, and they never believe it is impossible to do so until the final whistle sounds. WE ARE UNITED, WE DO WHAT WE WANT!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Book Recently Acquired
Book Recently Acquired
Cooke, Joanne, Charlotte Bunch-Weeks, and Robin Morgan, eds. The New Women: An Anthology of Women's Liberation. 1970. Greenwich: Fawcett, 1971.
I picked this up used from the free book table at school. I love old anthologies like this (especially from the various liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s) because of their value as historical texts. I like to see what people were thinking, who was thinking it, how many of the thinkers are still relevant (or, at least, have kept publishing their thoughts [a crasser way of putting this is "who have I heard of, and what are the reasons I haven't heard of the others?"]) today? I have only heard of a few of the authors--Cynthia Ozick, Diane Di Prima, Rita Mae Brown, and Robin Morgan--but the questions listed on the back cover that the anthology addresses are still relevant today: "Why are we intimidated by the fashion and beauty industries? Why do we have to get married? Why do we have to have children? Why are we paid lower wages for doing the same work as men?" and so on. It is always nice to be reminded of the concrete issues and demands raised by second-wave feminism every once in a while even though I am more of a third-wave thinker.
There is also an essay by W.I.T.C.H (Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell). I love the old collectives from those days and wish more activists/writers would adopt the model. I am a sucker for manifestos, and collectives are usually the best sources of them. I especially appreciate the effort to come up with an organizational name that results in a meaningful acronym.
Cooke, Joanne, Charlotte Bunch-Weeks, and Robin Morgan, eds. The New Women: An Anthology of Women's Liberation. 1970. Greenwich: Fawcett, 1971.
I picked this up used from the free book table at school. I love old anthologies like this (especially from the various liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s) because of their value as historical texts. I like to see what people were thinking, who was thinking it, how many of the thinkers are still relevant (or, at least, have kept publishing their thoughts [a crasser way of putting this is "who have I heard of, and what are the reasons I haven't heard of the others?"]) today? I have only heard of a few of the authors--Cynthia Ozick, Diane Di Prima, Rita Mae Brown, and Robin Morgan--but the questions listed on the back cover that the anthology addresses are still relevant today: "Why are we intimidated by the fashion and beauty industries? Why do we have to get married? Why do we have to have children? Why are we paid lower wages for doing the same work as men?" and so on. It is always nice to be reminded of the concrete issues and demands raised by second-wave feminism every once in a while even though I am more of a third-wave thinker.
There is also an essay by W.I.T.C.H (Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell). I love the old collectives from those days and wish more activists/writers would adopt the model. I am a sucker for manifestos, and collectives are usually the best sources of them. I especially appreciate the effort to come up with an organizational name that results in a meaningful acronym.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Man in the High Castle
Yesterday evening I read Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle. It turned out to be the perfect text for me at the moment. The characters' shared questioning of human existence and their understanding that one can never truly know the right way for sure, but must do one's best to find direction and just enjoy the ride was a message I needed to hear. I would love to teach it in a Literature and Religion course.
On a more concrete level, I enjoyed the novel's depiction of collectors because I love to collect things (especially books!). It is the best fictional portrayal of collectors/of the feel of collecting--the passion, the obsession, the tactile joy of the experience--that I have read, better than Zadie Smith's The Autograph Man. I freely admit that I sometimes seek solace from life's difficulties in material culture, and the book does an excellent job of portraying collecting's function as a form of (sometimes necessary) escapism. I also loved the book's consideration of "place," both as a geographical entity and as an expression of one's status within society. Place is a desperately important concept, but too few people realize this. The book's metafictional aspects (it revolves around a novel that is its exact opposite) are also delightful, an early example of American postmodernism. Well done.
On a more concrete level, I enjoyed the novel's depiction of collectors because I love to collect things (especially books!). It is the best fictional portrayal of collectors/of the feel of collecting--the passion, the obsession, the tactile joy of the experience--that I have read, better than Zadie Smith's The Autograph Man. I freely admit that I sometimes seek solace from life's difficulties in material culture, and the book does an excellent job of portraying collecting's function as a form of (sometimes necessary) escapism. I also loved the book's consideration of "place," both as a geographical entity and as an expression of one's status within society. Place is a desperately important concept, but too few people realize this. The book's metafictional aspects (it revolves around a novel that is its exact opposite) are also delightful, an early example of American postmodernism. Well done.
Going West
I am excited about getting to see some of the American West this summer. I'll be flying to Hawai'i for my sister's wedding in July and then moving to Salt Lake City in August, which will include a road trip across two states I've never been in, Nebraska and Wyoming. I have always had an abstract desire to see more of America, but any time I have money to travel my first choice for where to go is New York City, so I did not know if I would ever get to see the West.
The entire experience of getting a job in Salt Lake City has really (re)affirmed for me the notion that one never knows where life will lead, and also that life is long enough for a lot to happen, which is something I often have difficulty remembering or conceiving of because I am only 31. It will be a good adventure.
The entire experience of getting a job in Salt Lake City has really (re)affirmed for me the notion that one never knows where life will lead, and also that life is long enough for a lot to happen, which is something I often have difficulty remembering or conceiving of because I am only 31. It will be a good adventure.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Champions League Final on TV
Saturday afternoon Fox, not Fox Soccer Channel, will televise the UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona. This is a huge milestone in the history of soccer in the United States because it will be the first time ever (or at least in my lifetime, but I am pretty sure ever) that a non-American club match will be shown in English on free television. (The Spanish-language networks televise the Mexican league and have shown European finals in the past: I became a Manchester United fan after watching the 1991 Cup-Winners' Cup final between United and Barcelona when I was 11. I was rooting for United because I liked their uniforms better, and I was impressed that Mark Hughes scored both the goals.)
Paradoxically, although much more live soccer is shown in the U.S. than ever before, the amount of it on free television has decreased because ABC no longer shows the MLS Cup or the MLS All-Star game; they only televise World Cup matches. I am unaware of any other network showing any professional soccer since the NASL days. Thus it is huge that Fox is showing the UCL final, which will be the first match on free English-language television since the 2010 World Cup final. It shows a commitment to the sport from Fox that is encouraging. The fact that the final includes two of the world's most famous clubs, who are both popular in the U.S., is also helpful.
Paradoxically, although much more live soccer is shown in the U.S. than ever before, the amount of it on free television has decreased because ABC no longer shows the MLS Cup or the MLS All-Star game; they only televise World Cup matches. I am unaware of any other network showing any professional soccer since the NASL days. Thus it is huge that Fox is showing the UCL final, which will be the first match on free English-language television since the 2010 World Cup final. It shows a commitment to the sport from Fox that is encouraging. The fact that the final includes two of the world's most famous clubs, who are both popular in the U.S., is also helpful.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday Night Live
Last night's episode of Saturday Night Live was just about perfect, as the season finale should be. The opening sketch about Europe's financial problems was well-done, highbrow and hilarious at the same time, and the show went from there. Generally this season I have disliked the opening monologue songs that have become an almost weekly occurrence, but Justin Timberlake's about how he wouldn't sing during the episode was spot-on.
I also enjoyed Lady Gaga's acting cameos, especially during the What's That Name? sketch. Every time I see her perform I am more impressed. The twist of having her actually know people's names was a refreshing revision to the sketch's usual pattern. She was good in the digital short, too (which was better than "Mother Lover," but not as good as "Dick in the Box"). Her performance in it was subtle, but it pulled the sketch together.
And, of course, I was thrilled by the Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch. I am inordinately fond of Jimmy Fallon. The theme song always makes me giggle.
The only way the episode could have been better was if Amy Poehler had made an appearance for "Really?!? With Seth and Amy." Seth Meyers did a nice job with it by himself, but it just wasn't the same. It's the season finale, have more guest stars!
I also enjoyed Lady Gaga's acting cameos, especially during the What's That Name? sketch. Every time I see her perform I am more impressed. The twist of having her actually know people's names was a refreshing revision to the sketch's usual pattern. She was good in the digital short, too (which was better than "Mother Lover," but not as good as "Dick in the Box"). Her performance in it was subtle, but it pulled the sketch together.
And, of course, I was thrilled by the Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch. I am inordinately fond of Jimmy Fallon. The theme song always makes me giggle.
The only way the episode could have been better was if Amy Poehler had made an appearance for "Really?!? With Seth and Amy." Seth Meyers did a nice job with it by himself, but it just wasn't the same. It's the season finale, have more guest stars!
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