BOOKS: The History Of Food

The History of Food, by Toussaint Samat is not easy to digest, so to speak. It’s 776 pages. Puns aside this book is like having your cake and eating too. OK enough, but The History of Food is one fascinating book about everybody’s favorite pastime eating. And if you enjoy pigging out on history__sorry__that is if you enjoy history as well as food Samat’s recently retranslated historical compendium of everything culinary hits the spot. Ahh. Do you like honey, well so did Virgil: “Next I come to manna the heavenly gift of honey…” So starts’s Samat’s first chapter that delves quickly into the Amazonian legend of a place where men feed on nothing but bees and honey. Here he moves into a fascinating account of the cultivation and origin of that golden syrup. Is your appetite whetted yet? Hmm. Not interesting think again. Samat writes in such a way as to combine just enough history and information to pique the interest of history buffs. Why? Because food often had an influence on the course of history, armies have warred over it, people have horded it, and the lack of it is often has been devastating. But this is not a political or military book, although these things are mentioned. Instead, you will find Samat writes with a delight for food and combines that with a real interest about its origins, myths, economics, and the customs and cultures that surround it. Even the history of its preparation is here. This book is dense with information. It’s kind of like fruitcake you get a lot with each bite__sorry__ out of control. Well anyway… think of any cuisine or food that you enjoy or don’t for that matter and its here deftly presented in its historical context. Did you know the etymology of the word pea and that peas grew in sand and that the Roman armies would dig them up and feed on them from the sands around Palestine? Well that’s just a small taste of what this books holds… I better stop, nothing worse than puns of bad taste.

BOOKS: Search For Modern China

Hmm... inscrutable china? If you wanted one comprehensive book to understand Chinese history and culture without being too euro-centric what would it be? Is there such a book published in English? The best I have found would be Jonathan Spences’s, Search for Modern China (2^nd ed). Instead of making the beginning of modern Chinese history the arrival of the white man__everything before, then everything after__Spence takes a wider view marking the beginning of modern China from the fall of the Ming Dynasty. This relegates the appearance of Westerners to just another event along China’s long historical scale. Not to say that Spence down plays the role of Western contact, it’s just that he presents it within the context of China’s long history. As a result we see Western/Chinese contact in a clearer perspective. The reader better understands why the Chinese view Westerners as they do. Some obvious reasons: imposition of unfair treaties, cultural interference, etc. Spence does a nice job of rounding this all out and providing just the right details in a book that must have been a labor of love. Spense’s prose is very readable and the book reads more like an interesting story than a historical textbook. And this is not a textbook, it is for the general reader, so don’t be put off by its size, 992 pages. Yips, but it goes fast. Spence shows a deep familiarity with Chinese politics, art, and society and deftly glances over areas of Chinese history that might prove a tangle of complexity to a Western reader not familiar with Chinese places and names. The down side: the treatment of the Cultural Revolution seem to me to deserve more explanation as well as a better analysis. And the book would have benefited from mention of alternative interpretations of Chinese history, which there are many. This aside, Spence has written one of the finest single volume histories of China for the general reader, it’s a great read and an interesting way to learn.

BOOKS: Beautiful Libraries

Royal Library, El Escorial, Spain

The library as a “Temple of Literature,” a beautiful Temple that is… If you never have seen a beautiful library and many have not, Jacques Booser’s, The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World, is an inexpensive way to take a look inside 20 of the most magical places ever built to house books. Sumptuous in a word. These are not the ugly utilitarian libraries most of us know… Go in, slightly moldy smell, grumpy librarian, check out,…. metal shelves, stained carpet…let me out of here! Anyone remember the “lowest bidder” cinder block buildings of the 1960’s and 1970s that populate many a college campus. Yuck! Not in this book. The photos here are by Guillaume de Laubier one of France's foremost photographers of interior design. Coffee table book your thinking? No not really. There’s actually text here, readable and informative. Included in this collection are the are national, university, and religious libraries from 12 countries. The Library of the Institut de France, the Vatican Library, the Royal Library in El Escorial, Spain, the Abbey of Saint Gall the Library, New York Public Library, the Boston Athenaeum, and royal libraries from Vienna and Prague, to name a few. The emphasis in this book is the sheer beauty of these places. If you are not used to associating libraries with beauty you will be stunned. All of these places were built with beauty in mind and came from a mind set that saw the places were books were stored as Temples. All are architectural masterpieces and were built at times when architecture was meant to lift the spirit. These places were meant to be ,“cathedrals of knowledge,” to invite the reader into the fold of the many centuries of human experience. Hmm, well I know… don’t get too carried away, but what do you expect from a librarian. Enjoy some beauty and have a look at this book. Sadly it’s out of print, but used copies can be had. It’s worth it.

BOOKS: I, Claudius

Claudius being declared emperor.

Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus This-that-and-the-other (for I shall not trouble you yet with all my titles) who was once, and not so long ago either, known to my friends and relatives and associates as "Claudius the Idiot…” Wow. I was hooked from the first sentence. I was never much for fictional biography, but Robert Graves 1934 novel, I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54, is a ripping read from the very first sentence. This is a fabulous history lesson hiding inside a novel. Graves book is the novelistic equivalent of, “a spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine (I mean the history lesson) go down.” Set in 1st century Rome this fictional autobiographical memoir recounts the tribulations of the sickly and stammering emperor Claudius. Claudius was surrounded by lust, greed and intrigue. In order to avoid getting poisoned by his imperial family he acted as if he were a drooling idiot. It worked, somewhat. He manages to survive the murderous reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula and ascends to the throne to become the fourth Roman emperor, following Caligula’s assassination. Crafty like a fox he waited out the intrigue on the sidelines until he was the last male heir left. Unknown to anyone in the imperial family he was a wise and able analyst of the Roman politics that surrounded him and it showed when he took power. He proved to be an able emperor as well as a scholar and historian. Eventually, he was murdered by poisonous mushrooms, but his achievements as emperor are notable, especially in his conquest of Britain. I Claudius covers the first half of the story, his ascension to power. Graves takes these basic historical facts and spins them into a work of serious historical literature. Graves was a passionate student of antiquity and a gifted writer and it shows. I Claudius is considered one of the best novels ever written. It is an excellent introduction to the early days of Imperial Rome, an enjoyable way to learn history, an excellent read.

"Hey BossWhere we Going?"

BOOKS: Hart Crane White Buildings

Hart Crane is difficult, probably beyond comprehension, yet if you really work to understand his verse, dig, reread, analyze, there is the reward of satisfaction, a satisfaction for sticking with him long enough to figure his verse out. White Buildings contains many of Crane’s best lyrics, including his erotic masterpiece Voyages. When reading Crane one should not so much try to understand line by line, but instead concentrate on the entire effect of the poem. Th reader should remember Crane was constrained by the times and society he lived in so that there is often an underlying meaning to his work. His sexuality plays a big part in his work and that subtext often flows through his poems.There is a message there, a “golden nugget,” and it is discoverable. Be patient, try again. Because Crane was closeted, his language and his style is often obscure and covers his message. But his message is there, uncovering it is the reward. And Crane had a lot to say, a lot was going on inside, a lot that was painful and it found beautiful expression in his poetry. Crane’s influence on other poets is pervasive and as such Crane has become the poets poet. In “White Buildings,” Crane can become overt at times: “Fondle your shells and sticks,” for instance, as he refers to a lover, yet in the same sequence he introduces feminine imagery. There is something deeper in White Buildings more interior than is readily apparent. Crane succeeds largely because he communicates with the anonymous feelings of his audience. Whatever his sexuality his message is universal, love, pain, despair… Even though many of the themes in White Buildings are abstract and metaphysical, those abstracts and metaphysical aspects are felt by all of us on some level. Even though we may not be able to verbalize those inner feelings Crane does it for us. Crane’s poems are, to use an overused word, profound. So if you have the time, patience and inclination White Buildings is worth a read.

BOOKS: Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words

Did Charles Boycott really invent the boycott? And did the Earl of Sandwich create the first salted beef sandwich? Never gave it much thought? Well John Marciano has. In his recent book, Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words, Merciano sets down a compendium of “word biographies” sure to delight the people who like to know just where the words that they are using come from. Few people care you may counter, but Marciano puts this collection of etymologies together in such a witty and whimsical way that it can easily hold the interest of any reader. And what about Harry Shrapnel? Hmm. What a legacy he has! Merciano, also the author of the “Madeline,” children’s books, uses these “etymologies linked to people” as a gateway, or more precisely as an interesting hook, to introduce the reader to the fascinating world of etymology. Fascinating? Yes for some of us anyway. But give it a try. By using succinct and interesting biographies he pulls the reader into the fascinating history behind language. Words we use everyday, think little about are often linked to characters both grand and dubious. Hopefully those intrigued by the etymologies in Merciano’s book will further delve into the interesting origins of language. Is Merciano correct on the derivations of the words he chooses? Well most of the etymologies are the best guess that can possibly be made at the present. Is that to say, you should doubt? No just enjoy. The only thing wrong with this book is it’s too short. Oh and don’t forget Jules Leotard__ all of you who wear tights.

BOOKS: The List

I once worked with a person who made lists constantly. First thing in the morning she made a list, lists of what she needed to do during the day of course, but also lists of things she forgot, lists of personal things, list of things in the distance future. Her list making took about 45 minutes. Without them she was adrift. Lists like these are practical, we all use them, however there does exist another kind of list__the literary list. In Robert Belknap’s book, The List: The Uses and Pleasures of Cataloguing, Belknap takes a look at list making as a literary device, specifically a literary device in the works of the American writers: Emerson, Whitman, Millville and Thoreau. First though Belknap examines lists through the centuries, ranging from those on Sumerian tablets to Tom Sawyer’s fence painting. After which he then examines why and how lists were the underlying structure in Whitman’s poems, Melville’s novels, Thoreau’s memoirs and Emerson’s essays. Belknap goes into fascinating detail in the literary structure, scope, art, philosophy and intention of the lists that under gird these author’s works. The list is a framework underneath not readily apparent to the reader not looking for its guiding direction. And because that direction brings order out of chaos it strikes an attractive chord with most readers. Belknap provides an incredible new way to view literature. After you read The List, you will start to see them everywhere, both practical lists and literary. Recommended.

"I Can't Believe I Paid The $4.00 Toll!!"

BOOKS: History of Art

Johann Joachim Winckelmann was the librarian that defined western art history. Winckelmann's History of Ancient Art (1764) was one of the first books to become a classic of European literature. His influence was pervasive. It touched the subsequent study of archaeology, art history, painting, sculpture, literature and philosophy. Hey he was one influential librarian. Imagine a librarian defining western aesthetics! Think of the stereotype of a librarians today. Hardly the picture of aesthetics. Winckelmann defined western beauty over centuries. He was the first to categorize and differentiate between Egyptian, Persian, Greek and Roman ideals of beauty. His “History of Art,’ is still available today and well worth the read if you are interested in the Western sense of beauty in art. Winckelmann analyzed what these ancient people understood beauty and how they depicted that beauty in their architecture, painting and sculpture. Why is this important? Because it affects what people in the West believe to be beautiful today. We have inherited are standards from the past. Winckelmann brought that aesthetic past to life, cataloged it and defined it. He examined ideas of beauty over time and space and gave a descriptive and historical account of its conceptual paradigms. Those paradigms have followed us into the 21^st century. What we see as beautiful today is directly related to our ancient past. On his “day job.” so to speak, Winckelmann was a librarian to Count Heinrich von Bunau, a German statesman and historian who had a 42,000 volume library in Dresden containing many works from the ancient authors as well as those the works from Voltaire and Montesquieu. It is here that his interest in art was awaken as he worked in the library and also toured the art treasures of Dresden. In 1763, Winkelmann also became Prefetto delle Antichità of the Vatican library a position once associated with the painter Raphael. Winckelmann was the ultimate taste-maker. Hmm__ a librarian who was an arbiter of style and beauty. Imagine that. Through a librarian the beauty Greek art was carried forward to us today. Recommended reading.

Painting: Fish Magic, Paul Klee

One of my favorite paintings is Paul Klee’s “Fish Magic.” Why? What do I see in this odd surreal jumble of fish? Standing in front of this small painting in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I have seen people pass it by with either a quick glance or even a scuff. Some stare, most don’t. Yet it is one of the most rich expressionist painting ever painted. And the term “expressionist” is the key to understanding this painting as well as Klee. “Fish Magic,” is essentially an “expression of Klee’s view of nature. What the viewer sees here is not realism, but the artist’s view of realism. It is realism filtered and magnified through Klee’s brilliant interpretation of color. It is Klee’s view of nature. And what a fantastic view he had. Colors all bright and swirling with odd fish swimming in a deep blue surrealist environment. A clock with only a few numbers hangs in the middle. An odd piece of muslin stuck on the painting. A strange creature with his heart in his mouth and seaweed hands stands at the bottom of the picture, odd but cute in a way. Disturbing, but attractive. What is this little man doing in a pond of oddly shaped and brightly colored fish? Another figure wearing what seems to be a dunce cap peeks out from the left side of the painting. What does this picture mean? In “Fish Magic,” the aquatic, celestial and earthly intermingle. Klee is taking us somewhere else. somewhere not on this earth, but to a place that can only be imagined. He had a fabulously imaginative mind and his view of life and nature is infectious. His oeuvre contains over 9100 works and his style and range surpass Picasso's. Klee’s work is rich and sophisticated. The basis of Klee’s work is graphic and the expression of his art rests on line, movement and change. The key to understanding his work is to remember it’s representational of his imagination. Let Klee carry you into his world. Follow Klee’s imagination and see where it takes you. He was a colorist at heart and revels in color, all kinds of fantastic color. Klee’s Universe is a system of images and you can become accustomed to those images and by doing so enter into his fantastic world. Beware though; Klee’s work turns dark towards the end of his life as he became influenced by the horrors of WWII and illness. Recommended book: “The Klee Universe,” by Kristine Hopfengart. “Fish Magic,” is part of the Walter Arensberg Collection, located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gallery 168, Modern and Contemporary Art, first floor.

Uh-Oh This Guy Is About To Fall In Love

BOOKS:Virgil Thompson, A Reader

Thompson at work.

Music critics can be stuffy and obscure and who reads them anyway? Do their opinions matter? And who would read a compilation of such writings, especially if they were mostly a collection of old newspaper columns? Well, you might want to give a look at “Virgil Thompson, A Reader, Selected Writings 1924-1984,” (2002). Thompson was unique among critics. He was both a gifted composer and a gifted writer. He knew music and dissected it with a first rate mind. In addition, he communicated this musical erudition with the direct and clear communication of a newspaper man. He worked for New York’s Herald Tribune and the New York Review of Books. Thompson’s writing sets the standard for musical criticism. He is witty, funny and thought provoking. If you love music especially classical music Thompson’s essays are without equal. This particular collection of essays covers making a living as a musician, his relationship to his contemporaries, such as Vladiamir Horowitz and Aaron Copeland, and two pieces about himself. Unfortunately there are no pieces about his personal life, partly because he didn’t write much about his secretive personal life and partly because he was evasive when he did. Either way this book is a fine showcase of Thompson’s sharp mind and his musical expertise. Recommended.

"That's What I Think Of Your Stinkin Dog Training Program."

Dog speaks his mind! Image

Observations: Giraffes Always Look Down On You

BOOKS:Combined Fleet Decoded

Midway, RG Smith

If you enjoy intelligence, this is the book, military intelligence that is and specifically World War II Pacific Theater military intelligence. John Prados book, now sadly out of print, “Combined Fleet Decoded, The Secret History Of American Intelligence and The Japanese Navy in World War II” (1995) reads like a well researched espionage novel. Based on an array of sources, Prados covers in detail how US military Intelligence out smarted the Japanese Navy step by step in their attempt to dominate the Pacific with their massive navy. He covers every aspect of Pacific intelligence, from radio intercepts to vital information from prisoners and document translation. Prados fill his 832 pages with much detail and skill and an espionage enthusiast has a lot to cogitate on due to the dazzling thoroughness of Prados’s research. Taking this information Prados does a major reassessment of the battles and campaigns of the Pacific Theater and how they played out in terms of the secret information available to the US Navel Command. This intelligence angle brings a fresh understanding to the Pacific War and its battles that have been written about many times before. In a broader sense Prados book reveals and proves the importance of quality intelligence in war. This book is a pleasure to read on every page and filled with many surprises. For example, a point that struck me was the poor ship recognition skills of Japanese pilots, which hurt them badly. Is it possible to report a spotted carrier as a cruiser? Apparently this happened often leading the Japanese to believe there were no carriers in sight. Mistake. Remember Midway? Prados fills the book with such unknown tidbits that make the book a treasure trove of new angles and facts. A used copy of this book can be had on Amazon.

BOOK: Hadrian

Hadrian's Wall, 120 AD, Britain

The Roman Emperor Hadrian’s (reign – 117AD-138AD) character always been hard for historians to pin down. At best he was complex, but more accurately he was a puzzle. Contemporary sources describe him as both This is not to say that things are not known about his reign, but when it comes to his character and personality much is left unknown. Hadrian left little of a “paper trail,” his memoirs, if they really existed, are lost. (And of course everyone knows about Hadrian’s Wall). Recently, British scholar Anthony Everitt in his book, “Hadrian And The Triumph of Rome,” tries with some speculation and some success to piece together Hadrian’s complex character and the times in which he lived. It’s been about a hundred years since a historian has tried to unravel Hadrian’s life. I believe that was Bernard Henderson's 1923, “Life and Principate of the Emperor Hadrian.” Still a worthwhile book to read by the way. (There was also in 1997 Anthony R. Birley’s, (1997) Hadrian. The Restless Emperor,” which I have not read). The strong point of Everitt’s book are his two assertions that Hadrian’s genius lie in his insight in ending Rome’s territorial expansion that had become economically untenable and in his decision to Hellenize Rome by making Athens the empire’s cultural center thereby flooding the empire with Greek learning and culture. The downside to Everitt’s biography is his speculation about Hadrian’s character, personal life and his love affair with Antinous. The fact is we just don’t know. There is circumstantial evidence, but still much speculation is required. To Everitt’s credit he does point that out. However, given what historians do know it seems that Everitt has made the best and most logical “guess” to date. Most likely what Everitt speculates about did happen, but the reader should keep in mind the uncertainty that surrounds this aspect of Hadrian’s life. Everitt’s biography is well written and interesting and a must read for anyone interested in the times of Hadrian and his immediate predecessor Trajan.

Winter Has Arrived!

Photo: MailOnline