Anne Blythe & Co.

The Dark Side of Anne with an E...

"A rediscovered work of fiction by L.M. Montgomery, handed to the publisher on the same day she died in 1942, could change the way Canadians think about the famous author of "Anne of Green Gables" and her writing. "The Blythes Are Quoted" is the last book in a series that began with "Anne of Green Gables," set in Prince Edward Island and first published in 1908. It takes the story of Anne and Gilbert Blythe, and their six children and housekeeper Susan Baker 20 years beyond anything previously published "and some of its subject matter is darker than we might expect," the publisher says.
The intriguing book, which hasn't before now been published in its entirety, is divided into two sections, one set before the First World War and one after." Apparently it's full of surprises...

Tim's Nightmare Revisited

Nightmare Revisited is a cover album of songs from the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was released in September, 2008 by Walt Disney Records. In addition to the album's eighteen covers are two re-recordings by original composer Danny Elfman, of the "Opening" and "Closing" tracks. My favorite song has got to be Marilyn Manson's great rendition of "This Is Halloween". The album also features the last song Korn recorded before entering their hiatus, their cover of "Kidnap the Sandy Claws".

Pumpkins Anniversary

"Fourteen years ago this week: the Smashing Pumpkins released their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, on Virgin Records. For the first and only time in the band’s career, the epic multi-disc album debuted at number one on the Billboard Charts. The album earned the band seven Grammy Award nominations, and won best hard rock performance for “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”. Mellon Collie was intended to be a concept album symbolizing the cycle of life and death.

As a whole, the album expanded the band’s repertoire by incorporating diverse musical styles, giving the band multiple dimensions. Upon its release, head Pumpkin Billy Corgan described the album as an interpretation of “the human condition of mortal sorrow”...."

Return of Winnie-the-Pooh

Last week, Dutton Children's Books released "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood," the first authorized sequel to A.A. Milne's beloved Winnie-the-Pooh stories, which were first published in the 1920s. Over the years the Pooh Properties Trust has received many unsolicited proposals for a sequel, but it only recently approved British writer David Benedictus as the author of the first new Pooh book in nearly 80 years.I just got my hands on a copy and can't wait to start reading it. Here's a review from the New York Times.

Put A Bullet In The Radio!

"With her third record, Miranda Lambert remains country's most refreshing act, and not just because she makes firearms seem like a matter-of-fact female accessory. The playlist is her most varied yet: "Airstream Song" is a string-band dropout fantasy that includes a nod to fellow "red-dirt girl" Emmylou Harris, while a redneck-surrealist cover of John Prine's "That's the Way That the World Goes 'Round" rocks enough to get the girl booked at Lollapalooza. Lambert's Second Amendment talk goes beyond posturing: "Time to Get a Gun" (by Fred Eaglesmith) is more about working-class powerlessness than being trigger-happy. And on "Maintain the Pain," she shoots her car radio. Hey, Nashville: What d'ya think she's sayin' there?"

Forbidden Fruit

So, what's the best way to get youngsters to read books other than writing splendid ones like Rowling and Pullman? You guessed it, ban them or at least forbid them to be read. Here's an interesting article concerning Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird.

Harry Potter, Huck Finn, Holden Caufeild and Lyra Belaqua have all come under the scrutiny of book banning and burning in recent years and young folks really wanted to check them out for just that reason.Now it's Boo Radley under the cosh. Start screaming about banning Dawkins and Hitchens a bit more, make their names household words, please. You go Boo Radley and get some press!

New Tom Waits cd

"Tom Waits will release a live album of material taken from his 2008 Glitter and Doom tour.
"Yeah, it's coming out at Thanksgiving," Waits revealed to CBC Radio. "A lot of applause, followed by a song, and after the song there's more applause, and then there's a song. And it goes like that all the way through."
The album will join Nighthawks At The Diner and Big Time in the Tom Waits live recordings catalogue.
Glitter and Doom Live is set for release on November 24."

Washington's Apotheosis

This depiction of George Washington is certainly getting some scrutiny because of how it figures in Dan Brown's latest best selling novel, The Lost Symbol.

You don't need to travel to Europe anymore to find ancient mysteries and symbols that intrigue Dr.Robert Langdon. Read the exciting book if you like this kind of thing.

Great Week For Sherraine

What an accomplishment. It seems this is the best ever Canadian result for any fencer in the history of the sport. Really great for fencing in general, eh what! I thought I'd post this photo of the four medalists on my new site here.

Some good media coverage is still around too. The Universal Sports live coverage was the best. It was absolutely brilliant watching the Shutova bout as it was unfolding in Turkey! Way to go SS!

The Great Derangement

Matt Taibbi's new book, The Great Derangement looks like something I'd like to read. I really enjoy Taibbi's articles for Rolling Stone magazine. Makes for a good start to this brand new blog site....actually it's a new template procedure for me...I've been slow in catching up with the inovative folks at Blogger®....this book cover art is cool, eh. Looks like a 60's poster for the Fillmore West. You can access the older version of this site and its archives by clicking on the link on the right.