Darwin among the Machines

As far as we know mind and intelligence exist on an open-ended scale. Perhaps mind is a lucky accident that exists only at our particular depth of field, like some alpine flower that blooms between ten thousand and twelve thousand feet. Or perhaps there is mind at elevations both above and below our own.

- Darwin among the Machines, p. 217.

What do Thomas Hobbes, Erasmus Darwin, Samuel Butler, Alan Turing, Olaf Stapledon, and the RAND Corporation have in common? George B. Dyson explains what they have in common and more in his sometimes uneven but always fascinating book about "evolution of global intelligence" Darwin among the Machines. Dyson relates the story behind the growth of our global digital world through the individual stories of the above thinkers and more. They were all visionaries who saw beyond the everyday into the future and whose ideas led to the development of artificial intelligence and related fields that continue to undergo development in our new century. Dyson is good at relating these stories while weaving them into an evolutionary web that captures the changes that have occurred in the areas of digital computing and telecommunications, and the mechanics of the mind and artificial intelligence over the past century. The story that evolves from all his telling is both exciting and filled with possibilities for the future that border on science fiction. But in retrospect we see that science fiction has a way of becoming science fact. Readers who appreciate and want to learn more about the relationship of technology, humanity and nature will enjoy this book.


Darwin among the Machines by George B. Dyson. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. 1997.

Shirley

Shirley is Charlotte Bronte's only historical novel and in that her most topical one. Written at a time of social unrest, it is set during the period of the Napoleonic Wars, when economic hardship led to riots in the woollen district of Yorkshire. A mill-owner, Robert Moore, is determined to introduce new machinery despite fierce opposition from his workers; he ignores their suffering, and puts his own life at risk. Robert sees marriage to the wealthy Shirley Keeldar as the solution to his difficulties, but he loves his cousin Caroline.
She suffers misery and frustration, and Shirley has her own ideas about the man she will choose to marry. The friendship between the two women, and the contrast between their situations, is at the heart of this compelling novel, which is suffused with Bronte's deep yearning for an earlier time spent as a governess; her longing for a better past.

Shirley is not Charlotte Bronte's best book in the sense that it is less compulsively readable than Jane Eyre (I should note that I have read enjoyed Jane Eyre several times over the years and it is one of my favorite novels). Perhaps the lack of readability is because it is constructed in large part to make certain social statements, in the mode of Dickens, rather than written with a more singular focus on the romantic aspects of the plot (Shirley suffers when compared to most of Dickens' novels). Bronte does, however, express herself with great beauty in certain passages and demonstrates her character: her conviction that women might be as well qualified as men to practice a profession (which sets her apart from most of her own contemporaries); her contempt for the market of marriage; and her experience.
The book is worth reading and for some readers may resonate more positively than it did for me.


Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. Penguin Classics, New York. 2006 (1849)

Dog Days

The monthly Convivium letter from Classical Pursuits has the following to share regarding the "dog days" of summer:

The term "Dog Days" was used by the Greeks (see, e.g., Aristotle's Physics, 199a2), as well as the ancient Romans (who called these days caniculares dies (days of the dogs)) after Sirius (the "Dog Star", in Latin Canicula), the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun. The dog days of summer are also called canicular days. The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose just before or at the same time as sunrise (heliacal rising), which is no longer true, owing to precession of the equinoxes. The Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather. Dog Days were popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" according to Brady's Clavis Calendarium, 1813. (Convivium, August 2009)

The Trojan War

"Both in his exaggerations and his honesty Homer is truer to the Bronze Age than is generally recognized." - Barry Strauss, The Trojan War, p185.



Ever since Heinrich Schliemann discovered the "gold of Troy" archaeologists and historians have been expanding our knowledge of this era at the beginning of Western history. Barry Strauss' account of this era of Bronze Age history is delineated in The Trojan War: A New History. He writes a narrative drawing on recent archaeological data that he uses to explain the events at Troy more than 3,000 years ago based on current evidence.
This book puts the events of the age into perspective with insight on the relations between Troy and the Hittite Empire of Anatolia and its impact on the battles between the Achaean's, as the Greeks were known then, and the Trojans. He comments on the story as found in Homer's Iliad, pointing out those aspects of the epic poem that have some basis in that can be connected with the archaeological data. I found the book to be a useful adjunct to my current rereading of Homer's Iliad and would recommend it to anyone interested in ancient history.

The Trojan War: A New History by Barry Strauss. Simon & Schuster, New York. 2006.

Voyage of the Philosophy Steamer

Lenin's Private War

The tremendous outflow of intellectuals that form such a prominent part of the general exodus from Soviet Russia in the first years of the Bolshevist Revolution seems today like the wanderings of some mythical tribe whose bird-signs and moon-signs I now retrieve from the desert dust. We remained unknown to American intellectuals (who bewitched by Communist propaganda, saw us merely as villainous generals, oil magnates and gaunt ladies with lorgnettes). That world is now gone.

- Vladimir Nabokov, Glory, p. 8

In September 1922 a steamer with Russian citizens aboard left Petrograd for the West with a group of the "intelligentsia" of Russia, literary critics philosophers and others . This ship and others would eventually carry more than two hundred into exile in what has been chronicled by Lesley Chamberlain in her book, Lenin's Private War. Subtitled 'The Voyage of the Philosophy Steamer and the Exile of the Intelligentsia", the book, a sort of intellectual history and cultural biography, tells the story of this group of Russian thinkers, most of whom would never return to their homeland. This episode can be seen as the beginning of the closing of Russia to the West and one of the critical steps in the Bolsheviks exertion of complete totalitarian control over the arts and philosophy in the Soviet Union. Among the exiles were well-known thinkers including philosophers Nikolai Berdyaev and Nikolai Lossky; historians Myakotin and Kizevetter; and, many other writers, economists, journalists and social scientists. Their crime simply was they had overstayed their welcome. They did not fit into the plans of Lenin. Fortunately, while they were arrested, their end was one of exile rather than immediate execution.

Lesley Chamberlain vividly delineates the character of key members of this group, highlighting the singular importance of Berdyaev and his Christian idealism that was the antithesis of Lenin's Marxist materialism. The book is fleshed out with details from letters, memoirs and other documents that provide a solid foundation for the story she tells. We learn of their arrest and interrogation and the background leading to their ultimate exile. The irony of this exile is explored in the second half of the book which discusses the difficult world they faced in a Europe that came to be dominated by Hitler in the 1930s. Some of these thinkers faced even worse fates in that world than they had in the Russia from which they had been exiled. Ultimately many fled to the United States or merely went into hiding for the duration of the war. Their exile is magnificently told in this book. Chamberlain has provided us with a fascinating story of separation and hope.


Lenin's Private War by Lesley Chamberlain. St. Martin's Press, New York. 2007 (2006).

Victorian Crime

In the midst of reading Dickens and attending a class at the Newberry Library a classmate recommended a "true crime" history book to our class. I have read that book, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale and can report that it is an excellent read for those interested in Victorian history, true crime stories or Dickens, at least as he relates to the development of the detective profession.

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher presents both the history of an horrific murder in an English Country House in 1860 and the life of Jonathan Whicher, one of the first detectives of Scotland Yard. The details of the crime presage our own era with its JonBenet Ramsey saga. In this instance it centers on the Kent family and their household. Ms. Summerscale does an effective job in presenting the details of the crime, but also focuses on the background of Mr. Whicher in a way that adds to the reader's interest. An additional advantage for this reader were the numerous references to Dickens and his friend Wilkie Collins who popularized the detective novel in Victorian England. The Dickens' character I most closely associate with detective fiction is Inspector Bucket who was introduced in Bleak House in 1853. Dickens interest in true crime continued from his early days as a journalist through his years as England's most popular novelist. This book falls short of the best of Dickens or Collins, but is a great introduction to one corner of the Victorian era, even if it is a grisly one.


The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale. Walker & Company, New York. 2008.

Reading Pairs of Books


A 'Lit'tle Gimmick

I've hit upon a gimmick which I'm sure is not unique or new,
But it seems it will be fun to liven up one's reading for a bit.
I take the books I am reading, or will read, two by two
And thus pairing them create a list of potential reading 'lit'!
- August 2009 - uncollected rhymes


Here are some sample pairings of books I am reading or have read all of which are in my library:


The Trojan War by Barry Strauss and War & Peace by Tolstoy
An Iliad by Alessandro Barrico and Ilium by Dan Simmons
The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Dickens and Drood by Dan Simmons
Journey for Our Time by Marquise de Custine and Journey into Fear by Eric Ambler
Blindness by Jose Saramago and Eyeless in Gaza by Aldous Huxley
Gulag by Anne Applebaum and The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn
Cancer Ward by Solzhenitsyn and Ward No. 6 by Chekhov
The Tree of Man by Patrick White and Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
Gravity's Rainbow by Pynchon and The Rainbow by Lawrence
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin and The Rivals by Sheridan
Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym and Decadence by Maxim Gorky
Noble House by James Clavell and Heatbreak House by Bernard Shaw
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace and Poison in Jest by John Dickson Carr


What do you think of the gimmick?

Rose Wilder Lane & her Mother


I never read the "Little House" books when I was growing up and my only acquaintance with them and their author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, was through the extremely popular television series based on the stories.
Presumably the popularity of the books, which predated the television hype, was not due to the same saccharin qualities that permeated the faux-rustic TV show.

I did, however, read The Discovery of Freedom, a unique and iconic personal view of the history of the idea of freedom, penned by her daughter Rose Wilder Lane. It is a foundational document for many latter-day libertarians and a great read for those who love the history of ideas. For those who are interested in these two very long-lived and lively women The New Yorker has a fascinating article about their lives by Judith Thurman in the current issue. There are a host of interesting details including a discussion over Rose's controversial "editing" of the Little House books, apparently a collaborative effort.


The Discovery of Freedom by Rose Wilder Lane. Fox & Wilkes. 1993 (1943).

A Love Story

Never the Sinner

Many years ago I read Compulsion, Meyer Levin's fictional novelization of the Leopold and Loeb case. It was a great read, both suspenseful and provocative in its presentation. Last night I saw a production of Never the Sinner, playwright John Logan's taut dramatization of the essentials of the same case. In Logan's telling the focus was on the relationship of the two young men, Leopold and Loeb who either in spite of or because of their contrasting personalities formed an erotic bond that became one aspect of their criminal behavior.
Logan's emphasis of this relationship as what he called "a love story" provides sensation and titillation of a sort, but there is also the relationship of Robert Crowe, the prosecutor, and Clarence Darrow, the renowned defense attorney who represent two different approaches to the case that are fundamentally in opposition, not just because they are on opposite sides of the court room.

The production by Project 891 Theatre Company, a newcomer to Chicago's crowded theater scene, is excellent with great direction by Michael Rashid with the support of a talented crew. The key quartet of players is also excellent with each actor shining in his respective role: Ron Popp and Matt Hays as Leopold and Loeb (Hays was particularly effective as a charmer who had the whole house mesmerized by his gregarious amorality); and, Robert Kaercher and Gary Murphy as Crowe and Darrow (both of whom had fine moments with Murphy moving in his compassionate arguments for preserving the lives of the two young men and opposing capital punishment). The scenes shifted back and forth quickly both in time and from court room to the trysts of Leopold and Loeb. This was handled efficiently with a staging that at moments had a ballet-like choreographic quality.

I enjoyed this fine production by a new theater company and I look forward to seeing more of their work in the future.

Tristram Shandy

Never poor Wight of a Dedicator had less hopes from his Dedication, than I have from this of mine; for it is written in a bye corner of the kingdom, and in a retir'd thatch'd house, where I live in a constant endeavour to fence against the infirmities of ill health, and other evils of life, by mirth; being firmly persuaded that every time a man smiles,--but much more so, when he laughs, it adds something to this Fragment of Life.
- Laurence Sterne, prologue to Tristram Shandy


The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (Tristram Shandy) is a novel by Laurence Sterne. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next 10 years.

As its title suggests, the book is ostensibly Tristram's narration of his life story. But central to the novel is the theme of not explaining anything simply, thus there are explanatory diversions to add context and colour to his tale, to the extent that we do not even reach Tristram's own birth until Volume III. However, beginning the narrative before one has been born is not unique in literature, for example see the opening chapter of David Copperfield. Consequently, apart from Tristram as narrator, the most familiar and important characters in the book are his father Walter, his mother, his Uncle Toby, Toby's servant Trim, and a supporting cast of minor characters including Doctor Slop and the parson Yorick (no doubt inspired by Shakespeare).

Most of the action is concerned with domestic upsets or misunderstandings, which find humour in the opposing temperaments of Walter—splenetic, rational and somewhat sarcastic—and Uncle Toby, who is gentle, uncomplicated and a lover of his fellow man. "The long-nosed Stranger of Strasburg": Book IV opens with a story from one of Walter's favourite books, a collection of stories in Latin about noses.

In between such events, Tristram as narrator finds himself discoursing at length on sexual practices, insults, the influence of one's name, noses, as well as explorations of obstetrics, siege warfare and philosophy, as he struggles to marshal his material and finish the story of his life. What makes this novel remarkable is the seeming modernity of the technique and style. As with Rabelais, Sterne does not follow the "rules" for writing a novel, thus one encounters multiple allusions to other writers and their works and interjections of many kinds into the novel so that you begin to wonder what kind of book this is. Sterne was particularly influenced by Rabelais and his bawdy humor is no doubt due in part to that influence. This is not an easy read but one worth taking in small sections, a bit at a time. Having read Tristram Shandy you may be ready for twenty-first century post-modern literature or you may want to hang up the idea of literature altogether.

Finding the Right Book

The Magic Path

Julia Keller, in The Chicago Tribune yesterday, called it "The Magical mystical path linking book and reader". It being that moment when you, the reader, find a book that is just right for you - when you acquire or become aware of the book.
Sometimes it is not the right time as when I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time as a senior in high school.
Even though I was a veteran reader with Shakespeare, Hardy, Eliot, Dreiser and others under my belt, I was not ready for Jane Austen. Only later after college as an "adult" would I return to Pride and Prejudice and discover the humor and wisdom that was there all along, even when I was not ready for it.


Most of my connections come from browsing used book stores and finding strange books by authors unknown to me (usually dead authors). That is how I found B. Traven's Death Ship. I sometimes follow up on recommendations from friends or bookstore (the smaller the better) clerks; thus finding authors like Par Lagerkvist and his amazing novel The Dwarf, and Giuseppe di Lampedusa's The Leopard, possibly the greatest historical novel of all time. The magic can even happen on-line as when earlier this year due to my obsession with Robert Musil I encountered a blog by Damon Young, a philosopher from Australia and found his inspirational book of philosophy and the reading life, Distraction.


Whether the path is through dusty corridors and shelves in used book shops or the electronic byways of the Internet (with the help of "Google") it is magic, but I don't buy the "mystical" part (just call it serendipitous). And it certainly is wonderful magic when it leads you to a new (to you) author and book that resonates with your life and reading. The wonder of the book is renewed again and again.

The Old Curiosity Shop

Following the publication of Nicholas Nickleby Charles Dickens started a new publication called Master Humphrey's Clock that was to be a miscellany of selections by various writers including Dickens himself. One of the first short pieces was The Old Curiosity Shop, a Tale of Master Humphrey, but when the public demanded another novel Dickens expanded his concept for this story into his next novel.
The Old Curiosity Shop is the story of a young girl, Nell and her Grandfather. Nell is one of Dickens young girls who are beautiful and, in this case, possesses a certain strength. Her Grandfather is addicted to gambling and seems to need the care of Nell more than she needs his care. Her innocence holds some appeal but I have found her appeal is limited and insufficient to hold my interest. Early in the story Nell and her Grandfather leave London due to his indebtedness to an evil dwarf named Daniel Quilp. If this brief outline suggests the melodramatic it is not far from it. The interest of the reader is maintained primarily through Dickens ability to create fascinating evil characters in Quilp and Nell's brother Fred. Quilp seems to be almost satanic in the way his character and physical appearance are described when he is introduced in chapters three and four. Later he is described as engaging in a "demon dance" (p. 170) and when he tells Mrs. Nubbles that he "doesn't eat babies" neither she nor you as the reader are sure that he is telling the truth, although he may prefer to just torment characters rather than actually eat them.

Dickens is effective in creating a mood and establishing contrasting themes of dark and light, night and day, old and young, city and country, big and small and cleanliness and filth; fundamentally depicting a battle between good and evil. Rather than creating another novel that indites social evils like Oliver Twist or Nicholas, Dickens uses biblical allusions and references to Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress to establish the story of Nell and her Grandfather as, at least partly, an allegorical tale. Over the next two weeks I will find out what fate holds for this duo and where their peregrinations through the countryside lead them. This was Dickens most popular novel since his original success with Pickwick Papers; I do not share the opinion of those who made it so, but find enough redeeming features to keep me reading.


The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. Penguin Classics, New York. 2003 (1841)

Running and Shostakovich

As I run early in the morning the sun is just beginning to light up the horizon over the lake with dawn imminent.
Saturday morning the neck of land reaching around the northern part of Belmont Harbor showed trees that were clearly outlined while further in the distance the trees and the horizon beyond was in a mist as if painted by some long forgotten impressionist painter. The urge to stop and enjoy the view was great but I moved on at a pace dictated by the music surging through my head from the digital music player I carried in my pocket. The player, not much bigger than a business card, was playing the first movement of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. For almost forty years one of my favorites, it expresses the tension and arc of a lifetime with moments of sublime beauty that rival nature's dawn. A large section of the movement has a strong pulsating beat over which the violins play a soaring beautiful melody. This music enhanced my run providing a beat for my own movement; one that I attempted to synchronize with my body's motion.
I enjoy running at the dawn with music I love. It is one of life's better moments.

Fatal Lies

"He was aware that everything he did was merely a game, merely something to help him over this time at school, this larval period of his existence. It was without relation to his real personality, which would emerge only later, at some time still a long way off in the future."
- The Confusions of Young Torless, Robert Musil


It was, in part, the inspiration of Robert Musil's novella, The Confusions of Young Torless, about a young cadet struggling toward self-definition while experiencing the erotic tensions of puberty, that led Frank Tallis to write the mystery novel Fatal Lies.
The heart of the mystery is the machinations a small group of cadets led by Kiefer Wolf, a precocious underclassman. They are attending a private boys' school, Saint Florian, that is replete with ancient traditions and eccentric teachers. It is this story line that draws on Musil's novella most directly with the addition of explicit Nietzschean influences on young Wolf. But the key to the success of Tallis' novel is his intelligent use of the setting of fin-de-siecle Vienna and the blend of medicine, music, psychology and history that makes this a satisfying read. The lead detective, Reinhardt and his ally, Dr. Max Liebermann, an expert in the new psychiatric methods of Sigmund Freud, are both intelligent and believable characters in this well-constructed mystery. Each of the main characters must deal with their own issues and their stories are only slightly less interesting than the primary mystery. I was eagerly apprehensive most of the novel as the plot and sub-plots moved forward with alacrity. The climax was also satisfying; So much so that I look forward to reading Tallis' two previous mysteries (also set in Vienna).


Fatal Lies by Frank Tallis. Random House, New York. 2009.

Nicholas Nickleby III

Nicholas Nickleby ends well for Nicholas and his sister Kate. Along with their mother they can look forward to a much brighter future than the one that they faced as the novel began. In creating this 'happy' ending Dickens left many of the most eccentric comic characters by the wayside, gone are the Crummles and Miss Knagg along with other minor characters buried amongst the many, many pages of the early sections of the novel.
Whether this is a flaw in the novel (perhaps) or not the last section of the story does move rapidly to tie up loose ends and provide answers to the more intricate mysteries of relations among the characters. For the details of these answers I suggest you read the novel.

In spite of its seeming lack of structure, a claim which is belied by the strong arcs of both Nicholas' education in life and Ralph Nickleby's search for rewards for his greed and miserliness, the novel is Dickens' first success in the genre (his previous three books being journalistic and picaresque treats, but not novels). One theme that is embodied in this novel is expressed by Newman Noggs as Nicholas despairs that the schemes of Ralph and Arthur Gride will defeat him, his family and Madeline Bray (his one true love). Newman responds with what may be considered the main theme of the novel:

'Hope to the last,' said Newman, clapping him on the back. 'Always hope, that's a dear boy. Never leave off hoping, it don't answer. Don't leave a stone unturned. It's always something to know know you've done the most you could. But don't leave off hoping, or it's of no use doing anything. Hope, hope to the last!'

- p. 641, Nicholas Nickleby

As I reader you have hope for the good in Nicholas and Newman and John Browdie with the support of the Cherryble brothers; and, you have hope that the evil of Ralph Nickleby, Gride and Squeers will receive justice. You hope to the last.


Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. Penguin Classics, New York. 2003 (1839).

Jacques Brel

Last night I saw a performance of Jacques Brel's Lonesome Losers of the Night as conceived by Arnold Johnston and Fred Ansevino. The Theater on the Lake at Fullerton Parkway was the site for this Theo Ubique Theatre Co. and Michael James presentation of a revue of the songs of Jacques Brel. The setting was a waterfront bar with four in the cast, Jeremy Trager as the bartender, Jenny Lamb as the Whore, and Eric Martin and Chris Damiano as two sailors. After an overture (all the music was provided by the excellent pianist Joshua Stephen Kartes) the ensemble introduced the evening with the song Amsterdam. There followed twenty more selections over about an hour and a half directed by Fred Anzevino. I enjoyed the ballads 'My Childhood' and 'I Don't Know Why' the best, as sung by Martin and Lamb, respectively. Of course the evening was not complete without a rendition of 'Don't Leave Me' (Ne Me Quitte Pas) sung well by Lamb and Damiano.
It was an enjoyable evening of song highlighting love and loss and the joys of drinking. Jacques Brell would have approved of this presentation.

Buckley & National Review

Right Time, Right Place: 
Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement 

by Richard Brookhiser




I have read National Review on an intermittent basis since I was a teenager in high school. About the time I was moving from Graduate School into the 'real' world Richard Brookhiser, the author of Right Time, Right Place: Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement, was in high school. He became a journalist overnight when his essay regarding Viet Nam War protesters was published by Willam F. Buckley's National Review. In short order Brookhiser went to Yale, became an intern at National Review and following graduation became one of its editors as well. This book chronicles both his life as a journalist at National Review and highlights of the political scene on which he has commented over the last thirty years. It is an interesting story told well by Brookhiser. He had an inside seat on the right and intimate knowledge of the state of conservative journalism at National Review which was the primary journal of conservative commentary from its founding into the new century. I enjoyed the writing and the personal side of Brookhiser's story for this book is very much a memoir of his life as a journalist and writer of political biographies of Washington, Hamilton, the Adams family and others. Right Time is a political/historical memoir I would recommend to all who enjoy good writing and good reading.

View all my reviews

Reminders of Home

Graceland

Living near Belmont Harbor and the lake I am accustomed to the drone of jet planes for the better part of a week each June when the Air and Water Show is in town. This experience made me feel at home this evening as I attended a performance of the world premiere production of Graceland by Ellen Fairey at Profiles Theatre.
In addition to the drone of jets Graceland provided a real sense of being in Chicago and the characters who inhabited the world of this play were each very real in their own way. Even though they had moments of messing around with mythology the play itself had a classical balance as the relationships of the two fathers (one dead) and sons mirrored each other. The result was an exciting, even electric evening of theater with great performances by the whole ensemble.

I thought Jackson Challinor was especially convincing as Miles the teenage cemetery worker who is on the cusp of manhood. His tentative moments with Sarah (Cheryl Graeff) were exquisite. Yet the edgy scenes between Sarah and her brother Sam (EricBurgher) were also convincing as they each tried to deal with the loss of their father. The best moments occurred as the relationships slowly developed and came together over the short ninety minutes of the drama. Comic moments relieved the tension, and the wonder of the sky at the end left me with a good feeling about their world. This is a play worth seeing again.

Nicholas Nickleby II

Now that we have completed reading two thirds of Nicholas Nickleby some of Dickens' main themes are emerging. Dickens was passionate about the theater and that passion is quite evident in this novel. Once Nicholas has left the "boys' school" run by the Squeers he soon takes up with a theater troupe. He is successful translating plays from French into English and doing some acting.
This leads me to the theme of illusion and reality which we discussed in our last class. Once you start looking for examples of this you can find it in almost every chapter. In the first scenes of the novel we see Nicholas' family lose their modest wealth when his father's investments are more illusory than real. Nicholas' mother turns to her brother-in-law for help upon the death of her husband only to find any notion of family bonds is also an illusion. Of course the "school" where Nicholas is posted by his uncle Ralph is an utter illusion, much to the detriment of the boys confined therein. As we read further in the novel we find that characters are more likely to not be what they first seem to be; finally, it is somewhat ironic that Nicholas would find himself in a theater troupe learning the profession of creating illusions for a paying audience.

The number of characters seems to be growing geometrically as is typical in most of Dicken's novels, but most of the characters introduced so far are interesting enough to keep the reader's attention. Nicholas' growth and education (this novel is a bildungsroman of sorts) is the most interesting aspect of the novel for this reader. But I wonder what it would be like to have the story told from the point of view of his sister Kate?
Two last comments on the novel so far: 1) The city of London is very much a character in the novel with Dickens sharing his love for this city more than once probably drawing on the experiences he had on the long walks that he often took (cf. pp. 390 & 446, and 2) the narrator includes brief comments on the state of novel-writing itself (p. 345). The chapters comprising the final third of this novel will share with us of the fate of Nicholas and Kate.


Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. Penguin Classics, New York. 2003 (1839).

Ready or Not

Last night I attended a performance of the play Ready or Not written by John Enright and produced by Barely Concealed Productions at the Dream Theatre. It is an entertaining romantic comedy with suspense, humor and love interests. It is filled with sufficient twists and turns to keep surprising you until the very end. The story begins with the return of Eddie Brennan, after a year in a Mexican jail, to his home and wife, Susan. Tom McGrath and Danielle Gennaoui were both excellent in the roles of Eddie and Susan.
It is when Eddie finds out that Susan is planning to leave him for his co-worker Kyle McCormak the plot begins to unfold and the suspense builds right up to the end keeping the audience in suspense as to the outcome. The arrival of Norma Vasquez, a Mexican friend and colleague of Eddie, adds to the interpersonal complexities as they develop on the stage.

I found the performances of both Tamika Morales as Norma and Jeremy Menekseoglu as Kyle were particularly effective and convincing. Under Jeremy's direction the play moved at a perfect pace that kept me enthralled throughout the evening. I enjoyed the word play and the attention to detail that was evident in the production. This is an intelligent play that treats serious issues with a light touch (I must give credit to my friend Joe Plauche for that last thought). As a regular theater attendee I both appreciate and enjoy a play when it makes me think. This play did and it made for a great evening of theater for me and one I would recommend to all.

"In a game of seduction never fall in love."

-Colette

Last night I viewed the Stephen Frears' film Cheri. It was a beautiful adaptation of the novels Cheri and Le fin de Cheri by Colette. Capturing the beauty of the "Belle Epoque" Frears had the help of Michelle Pfeiffer who looked younger than her real age as the aging Courtesan Lea de Lonval. Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates as Madame Peloux, the mother of Cheri, are excellent in their roles.
Cheri is played well by a photogenic Rupert Friend who I have previously seen as Joan Plowright's young friend in Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (a film I would also highly recommend). I must also recommend the musical score for Cheri by Alexandre Desplat who has won awards for several of his previous film scores including The Queen and The Beat that my Heart Skipped (another of my favorite films). Overall this film version of Colette's novels is a delightful film that I enjoyed so much I will probably see it again.

Proud to Run


This morning at 8.04am I participated in the annual "Proud to Run" 5K. It is part of the Gay Pride week festivities that lead up to the parade on Sunday.
It was a perfect morning for a run, temperature in the seventies with a nice breeze off the lake at Montrose Harbor. My friends Kyle and Kathy Tschaen joined me before the race as they were participating in the 10K section. As they say, a good run was had by all, and even though Kyle did have an aching Achilles tendon he made it through with 'legs' to spare. After the race we watched "The Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps" strut their stuff to appropriately gay music. They were delightfully outrageous in a very disciplined and entertaining way. Most of the rest of my day will be relaxing the aching muscles of my lower extremities and remembering the fun that made the aches worthwhile.