Non-fiction

[thelunarbee]

I don't know if ever there was a non-fiction thread, but I thought it would be cool to talk about "reality books," if you'll pardon the television derived pun.

Right now I'm into Mythology, especially Norse mythology.
I also enjoy a good biography about freaks like Rasputin and Joan of Arc.

What about the rest of you?

Oh, and one other question. If you had an autobiography, what would you call it?

Mine would be "Practical Invisibilty: A Guide to Life"

[classicgrrl]

I read mountains of non-fiction. Reading "Sleeping with the Extraterrestrials: The Rise of Irrationalism and the Perils of Piety" at the moment. Really good reasoning...

My auto would be called "Unmaking An American Grrl"

classic

[MissKitty]

I love non-fiction. CR tells me that I read "too much" non-fiction and that I ought to go about reading more fluffy fiction to balance it out. Heh. I find a lot of fiction boring, but I rarely find non-fiction borning.

Currently I am plowing my way through a VERY good and HIGHLY recommended book called C (because cowards get cancer too) by British journalist John Diamond. The author, a journalist for over 22 years (and husband to Nigella Lawson of Cooking With Nigella fame), wrote an entertainment column in the Saturday Times, as well as hosting several radio shows for the BBC, when he was diagnosed with throat cancer at the age of 43. He chronicles the illness from pre-cancer days through the diagnosis and various treatments with sparkling humour and brutal honesty.

It is a difficult book to read for me, as I lost my father several years ago to lung cancer. Many of the procedures Mr.Diamond relates are all too familiar to me, and there have been several times I have had to put the book down and have a good cry, because the book does dredge up a lot of memories I have tried to supress. The author hoped the book would be of resource to others diagnosed with cancer, and hoped it would help them to know what sort of things to expect. I wish I had known about it when my Dad was still alive, so he could have read it and been a little more prepared for what lay ahead.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed, or have lost someone to the big C, this book is worth it's weight in gold.

[The Hegemo]

Most of what I read is non-fiction, but most of it's work-related.

I did just finish reading, for fun, Matthew Collin, Guerrilla Radio . It's about the history of Radio B92, the alternative station in Belgrade that became a focal point for a lot of the anti-Milosevic underground in the 90s. The book covers the period from the founding of B92 in 1989 to the defeat of the Milosevic government in 2000. While it never leaves its primary focus of the radio station, there's a lot in here about youth culture more generally, and opposition politics in Serbia.

The book provides a really interesting look at how difficult life was for young people during the Milosevic years, when their only options seemed to be getting drafted to fight in Croatia or Bosnia, becoming a gangster, or emigration. The fact that some did stay behind to oppose what was going on, even at risk of their lives, is pretty awe-inspiring for a coward like me.

The discussion of B92's programming, both news and music, also gives you a lot to think about. Like how important it is to maintain alternative culture in the face of homogenizing trends.

Excellent read...I'd recommend it to anyone.

Oh yeah, you can check out Radio B92 and listen on-line at http://www.b92.net/ It's a pretty cool station, good music, although the DJs, ads and such are all in Serbo-Croat.

[cuddlyevil]

Along the lines of MK's...I've read "Memoir of losing a brother" I forget the author's name at the moment, but I'll post it. It's about a set of identical twin brothers who grow apart during their formative years, but when one is diagnosed with leukemia, everything changes. It's heart-wrenching, but beautiful. If you ever wondered what it is like to have a twin brother or sister, this book comes the closest to actually describing the experience in words...I haven't finished it yet b/c each page of the last couple chapters in the book have made me cry and think about what I'd do if myself or my twin was put in that situation.

Also, for you art nuts: My perpetual read is "the history of hell" what it is, is an art literature book about the representations of hell in artwork over the course of history...it's really interesting and I've learned a helluva lot from it...

[classicgrrl]

Two or three or four or five non-fiction reads currently in the works for me:

1) The Censureship Trials of Lenny Bruce - obviously about the censureship trials of Lenny Bruce. Have not devled into it yet but really looking forward to it.

2) Darkness Visible - a writers desent and ascent from depression. One of the best books written on the subject and completely heart-wrenching.

3) The Noonday Demon - a collection of writings about depression. Combines science, psychology, art, and culture. Badly needed and doesnt just focus on the US.

4) Lucky - Alice Sebold's memoir of her rape. For those of you who don't recognize the author's name she wrote Lucky Bones which has been on the NYT best seller list for months. The story line for Lucky Bones isnt unique but it is damn well written that it has been nominated for a pulitzer.

5) Henry and June - 1931-1932 un-expurgated diary of Anis Nin. From her full collection of private journals titled a Journal of Love. Very beautiful.

5) I cant remember the title to this one but it is about 6 MIT students who took Las Vegas for millions of dollars. Since I abhor the gambling community with all of my soul I look forward to reading this too. Looks to be a very exciting read.

edited to add that I just got through reading Sex Tips For Girls and Advanced Sex Tips For Girls. Both hysterical.

classic

[Huxley]

This kind of combines both feilds, but Henry Rollins has a line of books out. They are semi-autobiographical, but most deal with his theories on life and culture. He is a great writer and has a very strong, yet intellectual and understanding voice in his work. even if your not a Rollins Band or Black Flag fan I think open minded people would enjoy his books.

I also just read a book called simply "Who killed Kennedy." I forget the guy who wrote the book, which is a shame, because he did a very good job on the book.

And my autobiography would be called; "Nice Guys Finish last, that's why it took so long for this book to come out." Okay, that probably sucks, but I'm not really up for thinking lively right now. Which I'll think of one later and kick myself.

[MissKitty]

I agree with the Rollins books, Hux. I've read most of them and really enjoyed them...I only wish Hank had a bit more of a sense of humour about situations sometimes. He gets very intense, doesn't he?

If anyone is interested in his books, there are several at Half Price in Southtown Centre in Dayton. I saw them a week or so ago, in the music/entertainment/biography section.

[PoisonIvy]

Classic, do you mean Lovely Bones? I read that book not too long ago. It's ok, but not one of my favorites.

I try to balance out my bookshelf as much as I can. Most of my non-fiction books are on Irish History,Myth and Legend. I have a pretty impressive collection of case studies and books on the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare of the 80's and 90's as well. I just finished Michelle Remembers and now I'm reading Satan Wants You by Arthur Lyons. It's fairly good. The other non-fiction stuff I have is mainly centered around Paganism and true crime. I have odd taste in reading material.

[classicgrrl]

Yeh thats what I meant. I read the book and while it wasnt fantastic I thought it was exceptionally well written. I think her auto may be much better.

I dont read much modern fiction.....I get so snobbish about my fiction! :rolleyes:

At any rate....NOW I am working on Ralph Nader's Crashing the Party and Virginia Wolfe's A Room Of One's Own (which I have always wanted to read), and yes Dating For Dummies.

What r u gonna do?
classic

[Seattle93]

Death Scenes: A Homicide Detective's Scrapbook & Shots in the Dark
A couple of true crime books. I love crime scene photography. Had I not gotten my job I would have taken the classes & civil service exam to do that.

Have a Nice Day, Foley is Good (and the real world is faker than wrestling), Pure Dynamite

I've been a closet pro wrestling fan since I was 8. These are the best that I have read. Supposedly Lou Thesz's book Hooker and Dave Meltzer's book Tributes are excellent as well. Plus I'm next in line for the unauthorized Vince McMahon bio Sex, Lies, and Headlocks.

I'm also working on the Adobe Photoshop 6 manual.

My AB would be called Immature because that's what I am.

[MissKitty]

Picked up Pufnstuf & Other Stuff by David Martindale the other day and am unsure whether or not I will finish it. I'm really having trouble believing that NO ONE involved in the creation, preparation or production of the Krofft shows of the early 70's did drugs.

Like, why was he called PUFNSTUF then!? :rolleyes:

The author is an obvious fan of the shows, and unfortunately it means that there is no dirt in this book. It's all a bit too lovey-dovey, kow-tow and kiss the hem of the Krofft garmets. Good thing I only paid a coupla bucks for it at Half Price.

[filmflam]

I just moved out to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, so naturally I've been revisiting Walden By H.D. Thoreau. I read a couple pages, become disgusted with myself, read a couple more, realize it's overly idealistic, read a couple more pages, feel shitty for being so cynical, put it down, go buy something.

[LadyJo]

Marie Antoinette The Journey by Antonia Fraser is an excellent read, if you enjoy historical biography. Fraser takes a tragic, misunderstood figure and makes her human.

My autobiography? Shits and Giggles, cause sometimes you just gotta laugh.

[JesusPresley]

I finally, after several attempts, finished "Ten Men Dead - The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike" It really is a fascinating and emotionally draining read. I cannot fathom beliving so deeply in anything to put myself through what these lads did. It's also compelling in the sense that you're not sure who the bad guys are. The Sein Feinn and the IRA terrorists or the UDA and the Protestant Loyalists ? I emerged on the side of the IRA, because of the hard-line tactics of Thatcher's government and the overall arrogance of the British Empire.
The book also presents a good, concise history of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland.

[classicgrrl]

Bachelor Girl by Betsy Israel

Very,very good read. Traces the life of the single girl in American roughly beginning with the industrial age on. Am half way through it (right around the time of Virgina Wolf). Really gives a good idea of how hard it was/is to be a single woman in the US. Fairly factual without being preachy or trying to draw conclusions. Allows the reader to do this for themsevles.

to my knowledge there are precious few books like this on the market....
classic

[Juliana]

I'm not so big on the non-fiction, though I always feel like I'm supposed to be, what with the history background, and all.

One that I would like to read came out last year sometime, called "Theodore Rex" or at least I *think* that is the title.

I don't know, I'm just a big fan of the fiction.

Classic- what is the name of the one about the MIT kids in Vegas? That sounds really interesting.

[yohann269]

If you like history try

A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Really good book if you want to know what really happened in US history.

[Juliana]

Originally posted by yohann269
If you like history try

A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Really good book if you want to know what really happened in US history.

Is this along the lines of "lies my teacher told me?"

I did not like that book at ALL

[yohann269]

Originally posted by Juliana


Is this along the lines of "lies my teacher told me?"

I did not like that book at ALL

No it is a history book based on journals, diaries, and personal accounts of US history from when Columbus landed.

[MissKitty]

Currently plowing my way through the very fascinating book Space is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra, by John F Swzed.

Whether or not you dig the spaced-out, back-beat, minor key craziness of his musical style, this book about the man himself is a truely compelling read. Born Herman Blount in pre-WW1 Birmingham, Sun Ra was a serious and studious child. He excelled in all of his studies, read every book the library offered, taught himself to sight-read music and began writing his own arrangements at the age of fourteen. He went on to study classical piano at Alabama State College for Negroes. He moved to Chicago and worked with the "Father of Swing" Fletcher Henderson, citing him as a major influence when he formed his Arkestra a few years later.

Sun Ra was a voracious reader. He taught himself several languages, studied heiroglyphics, Egyptology, and even read The Bible in seven different languages in an attempt to unlock its mysteries. He was among the first to use electronics in his music, and was one of the first to own and use a theramin. He sought out the newest technology and used it to achieve some of the most far-out jazz that has ever been. The man is still light years ahead of his time, and he passed on several years ago!!

Highly, highly recommended book.

[filmflam]

Originally posted by yohann269


No it is a history book based on journals, diaries, and personal accounts of US history from when Columbus landed.

Yeah, Zinn's book is definitely worth reading. He uses primary sources to plow through the patriotic bullshit that clouds the truth over time. It's as biased as any historical compendium, and has been discredited as revisionist history by critics. A lot of its appeal rests in the "I know a secret" pathology, but it doesn
't go anywhere near run-of-the-mill conspiracy theories. I think it's good stuff because it explores the motives of both the well known major players and the unknown commoners. It flows as one cohesive story, but you can also skip around to specific eras that you're interested in. If you think his perspective is wrong, you can always look at his sources and figure it out for yourself. I'd recommend it to anyone with a positive outlook on life; it'll piss you off.

[thelunarbee]

A Reader's Manifesto: An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness in American Literary Prose.

I am so glad that a book like this exists!

[classicgrrl]

thanks lunarbee, I think I might have to pick this up!!!

weirdly enough - I like pretentiousness in my music, not in my literature.

I am human. I am hypocritical. sue me.

[MissKitty]

Oh. My. God. I got an early xmas giftie from CR in the form of two new music books: I. Me.Mine by my favorite Beatle, George Harrison, *swoon* and My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize: The Creation Records Story by David Cavanagh.

It was a difficult decision on which to read first, but The Creation Records Story won out. I've only just started it but can HIGHLY recommend it to anyone interested in the British indie scene of the early 80's. A compelling read, I've only just put it down to type this wee review and will probably not sleep a wink tonight since Creation founder Alan McGee has just met my fave band of the 80's, The Jesus & Mary Chain, in the middle of chapter four.

My only complaint is that the author tends to flit about between the various indie factions of the early 80s (Factory Records, Rough Trade, Cherry Red, Postcard) and it is mildy confusing to try to keep up with it all. Luckily, I have a pretty good working knowledge of indie labels, their promotion and distribution process, otherwise I may be floundering in deep waters. Still, it is a great read and I'll write a follow-up once I've finished it.

[deime]

I'm not a big reader, usually take a book or two with me on vacation or those long airplane rides, prefer biographies

Tim Burton, Patti Smith, Richard Branson, Bob Geldof, Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson)

or titles with a non-fiction slant

two of my all time fave books
All I Really need to know I learned in Kindergarten (hey I'm still a kid at heart)
The Undertaking, Life Studies from the Dismal trade - Thomas Lynch (helped me get through my grandmother's passing a few years ago - about a small undertaker in Michigan, great wry, writing style)

Recent reads
The Piano Shop on the left bank - great read & learn about history of pianos
Gig - Americans talk about their jobs - from a Wal-Mart greeter to Metallica roadie for all vegetarians out there skip the Meatprocessing plant human resources manager one, I about threw up on the plane after finishing that one

[classicgrrl]

Bringing Down The House - Ben Mezrich

Exciting and intriguing read about the MIT Blackjack Clubs that took Vegas for over a billion dollars. Fascinating to find out how they did it and how elaborate the system really was...

fast read too. you'll finish it in a couple of days.

[PoisonIvy]

I'm reading "The Devil's Knot" right now, it's about the West Memphis 3 case. I've found this one fills in a lot of holes that were present in "The Blood of Innocents." It's a much better book overall.

Edited to add: Thanks to whoever recommended "The Culture of Fear." I'm sorry, I can't remember who it was. I ordered it this morning and I can't wait to read it.

[Sovrana]

Originally posted by DudeMan
[B]I'm in the middle of Donna Tartt's "Secret History".

I read this when it was published. I was realy excited about such a young writer getting impressive nods of approval. And I still remember it being very good. I was excited to see that she has finally written another...I thought we lost her. Though I will wait for the paperback this time....I'm running out of bookmarks for all my current reads. :)

[Bethy1983]

I always prefer true stories. My personal favorite is about a little girl named Karen, who had cerebral palsy. The book, Karen, was written by her mother and first published in the mid 1950's.

This is a little girl with a mammouth struggle. There are moments that make you cry, make you laugh and make you think.

My favorite was when these people were staring at Karen at the beach because of her crutches, and the woman says "oh, you poor thing", to which Karen sunnily replies "Why?"
"Y-y-you're crippled." "Not really. I have ears to hear, and Mom says I sing better than most people my age." Then smiling, she walked away. This is a beautiful piece de resistance .

If you need something a little heartwarming, maybe a bit sappy, try Karen by Marie Killalea:)

[The Hegemo]

Just finished The Original Canadian City Dweller's Almanac: Facts, Rants, Anecdotes and Unsupported Assertions for Urban Residents by Hal Niedzviecki and Darren Wershler-Henry. Kind of a young hipster's guide to life in urban Canada. Not bad, funny in parts...includes some pretty good comics. But of course they'd revoke my honorary Canadian status if I didn't point out that it's awfully Toronto-centric ;)

[classicgrrl]

Donna Tart's new one sucks doodie balls. Terrible writing. Almost as if a 16 year old wrote it.

However Middlesex is the bomb...from the dude who wrote Virgin Suicides.

currently reading The Bitch In The House. I've been into women's studies for awhile now.....goodness knows why :rolleyes:

[kcneon]

Originally posted by MissKitty
My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize: The Creation Records Story by David Cavanagh. :D Must find this one. And have to say I'm curious about the George Harrison book as well--when was that written?

Right now I'm reading House of Gucci about the crazy Italian family with way too much money in their possession! It's been a great read, tho the author must have had some moodswings or something when she wrote it. Her timelines tend to be all over the place. She'll talk about an event in 1989 and then throw in something that barely relates that will happen in 1995. That's been a little annoying. But the story is very interesting.

These guys actually ran their business with no thought to paying taxes, keeping inventory or analyzing anything financially! Simply amazing! And there was a lot of backstabbing going on once the kids started to take over the company. What I've really enjoyed has been learning about the timing of the fashion industry in general. When designers became important for example. Recommended if you're one of those gals that just has to pick up a Vogue every now and then! ;)

[DudeMan]

I just read a really really interesting book called "Emma's War", by Deborah Scroggins.

It's about an idealistic british aid-worker in the Sudan, who marries an African warlord who, without telling her, was launching a bloody campaign to take over a rebel group called the Sudan People's LIberation Army. His murderous quest for power soon puts him in the middle of geopolitics when large oil reserves are found in that part of the country. She soon gets caught up in this and begins to shift from idealism to partisanship.

This is an engrossing story that reads like a good, narrative fiction novel. It was excerpted in Vogue magazine last year, which says something about how entertaining it is since Vogue isn't really known for its journalism. You get a very good feel for the tribal & gang wars, and also how idealism can run off-track with tragic results.

[yoshomon]

I'm reading 'Society of the Spectacle' by Guy Debord. It is one of the most complete critical looks at modern society ever written.

I like Zinn a lot... I still haven't gotten his new biography of Emma Goldman (the coolest women who ever lived?), but it looks good.

[MissKitty]

My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize: The Creation Records Story follow-up:

Finished this whilst in the UK over the holidays and can HIGHLY recommend it to everyone even vaguely interested in indie music. It is a fairly comprehensive guide to the UK indie scene from the late 70's thru 1999, obviously focusing on Creation Records, but touching on loads of other indie labels such as Factory, Mute, Rough Trade and Postcard, to name just a few.

It chronicles the life of Creation founder Alan McGee, but author David Cavanaugh has really done his homework, and gives an indepth on most of the Creation family--including the artists who released on Creation (The Jesus & Mary Chain, Felt, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fanclub, The Jazz Butcher, and, of course, Oasis, to name only a few) and the folks who worked there (including Jim Reid's ex-girlie girl Laurence, an extremely hard working indie girl, vital to the label until McGee's drug taking spiraled out of control).

Oh and there is loads of juicy dishing about the drugs, the scene and the scensters.

An excellent read.

[classicgrrl]

The Love They Lost
-->Stephanie Staal

This was her Master's thesis about our parent's divorces. She really fills a void with this - it's incredibly honest, no new age feel good crap. Many stories rang true for me as I'm sure it will for alot in our little community. Also shows how our generation coped and is attempting to turn out positive. Very straight up and puts other books written psychologists and doctors to shame.

[deime]

Looking to check out "Color - A Natural History of the Palette" by Victoria Finlay - she took several years to research how & why colors (black, red, white, blue, etc) were created & history & politics behind them, anyone else read anything about this book?

[MissKitty]

I'd been wanting to read this since it came out in '97 but could never justify the $15 for such a thin book (only 288 pages) with large type and lots of pix. Luckily for me, someone finally sold it to Half Price Books, and now it is mine.

I'm unsure exactly what to say about it, having finished it the other evening. It is a very honest book--brutally honest. Dee Dee simply told his life as it was, warts and all. Not that he didn't continually contradict himself between chapters, because he did, depending on his mood at the particular time of writing. Sometimes the other Ramones were his "Brudders" and other times they were a bunch of "f*cking creeps." He hated them a lot, and he loved them a lot.

Most of the time, however, Dee Dee hated himself. He hated that he had a seriously f*cked-up, dysfunctional family, he hated that he had been abused as a child and hated the fact that he couldn't rise above it. He hated himself for myriad reasons, most of them ingrained into his psyche by the years of abuse and neglect, and feelings of worthlessness. Of course he turned to drugs--and at a very young age too. He had no one to tell him it was wrong. He had no one to tell him they cared for him.

His relationships with women were the same--somehow he always seemed to wind up with hookers and whores, and he never seemed to realize they were what they were before he was living with them. Several tried to kill him--the stories of Connie stabbing him with a blade, going at him with a broken wine bottle and trashing his apartment are actually told with a relative fondness and warmth.

Dee Dee is also brutally honest about his addictions. To be quite honest I am surprised he lasted as long as he did, given his excesses. Here is an excerpt from when The Ramones were filming Rock & Roll High School:

"Marc and I were drinking ourselves into oblivion, twenty double martinis a night. Booze and pills and cocaine. We were sick. It was as if we were trying to poison ourselves....As far as most people were concerned, if I died it would only serve to make the group bigger. Not one person said, this is an emergency. You ought to get yourself together."

And another excerpt, this one set in between Ramones tours:
"I would try to make up for how mundane life was in Whitestone by starting my day off with six or seven joints of Buddha Thai. When I got really frustrated, I'd go to McDonalds on Francis Lewis Blvd and cop some coke from Tony Blow."

It gets incredibly grim after he quits The Ramones and tries to go solo. He tries to form a band with Stiv Bators and Johnny Thunders. He remarks on how sick they both look, not realizing that he looked the same. He admits to being shocked at how bad all his friends had ended up--Stiv, Thunders, Richard Hell and Cheetah Chrome.

However, the book didn't depress me as I thought it might. Dee Dee readily admitted that had he not been "saved" by The Ramones that he'd have ended up doing hard time.

[classicgrrl]

"As a society, we seem to be more in love with business and place greater faith in its prerogatives than ever before. What is good for corporate America is good for Americans."

"...there are simply no countervailing voices to question the power of business and faith in the market. Not only do we see corporate intervention as the answer to our social ills--to fialing schools, overcrowded prisons, rising medical costs--but we view its transformation of the global economy as a benefit to us all."

Ilene Philipson - Married To The Job

things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
good book.

[LadyJo]

Am currently reading Fashion Victim: Our love-hate relationship with dressing shopping and the cost of style by Michelle Lee.
Lee, a former fashion editor, does an expose on the cheap labor used to make our clothes, the trend driven market, how designers grease the palms of fashionistas, the controversy surrounding fur, and much more. A real eye opener.

[Juliana]

Has anybody read The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America yet?

I heard the author on Book Nook the other day, and it sounds *really* interesting.

[classicgrrl]

Fatland.
Great read. Not the liberal posturing I expected. Good balance of the politics regarding obesity in America - he touches on everything from culture and race to poverity and lifestyle. He puts most of the blame on the consumer and in fact on the baby boomers whom he calls "the boundary-less generation"- no axe to grind there I guess :D

He also does some good exposure on how profitable obesity is for corporate America. And how it directly contributes to type 2 diabetes. He did his homework and it shows.

[yoshomon]

Televisionaries: The Red Army Faction Story by Tom Vague

Wow, this book was intense. There's something that really interests me about the RAF, even though I disagree with their tactics and politics. Vague writes it in the style of a timeline and includes communiques and photos. It's also cool because Vague tells the leftist story, the rightwing story, and his story when describing events that are still debated (like the death of Baader and crew in prison).

[MissKitty]

Originally posted by classicgrrl
Fatland.
Great read. Not the liberal posturing I expected.

I'm just finishing this book as well--excellent read and very well researched. Highly recommended.

[classicgrrl]

MK - you and I should trade reading lists LOL!! We seem to be on the same wave length when it comes to books!

[MissKitty]

Am just finishing up "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?: The Story of The Carter Family" by Mark Zwonitzer and Charles Hirshberg. This is a long overdue book about the most important family in American music history. It is the first major biography of the Carter Family, the musical pioneers who almost single-handedly established the sounds and traditions that grew into modern folk, country, and bluegrass music - a style celebrated in O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The original line-up included A.P. Carter, his wife Sara, and Sara's cousin Maybelle. For fun, A.P., Sara, and Maybelle (who married A.P.'s brother "Eck" Carter) would play and sing the hymns and ballads known in their Poor Valley community, occasionally adding songs A.P. had collected during his travels. Then, in 1927, they traveled to Bristol, Tennessee, to audition for a New York record executive who was hunting "hillbilly" talent and offering an amazing fifty dollars per song for any he recorded. These Bristol recording sessions would become generally accepted as the "Big Bang" of country music, producing two of its first stars: Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.

By the early 1930s, the Carter Family was the most bankable country music group in America, with total sales of more than a million records. They performed daily shows on a 500,000 watt border radio powerhouse called XERA, which although broadcast out of Mexico could reach all the way to Alberta, Canada! By the time they were in Del Rio, unbeknownst to the outside world, Sara had left A.P and procured a divorce. She then married A.P.'s cousin Coy Bayes, but still continued to record with A.P. and Maybelle for a short while longer. By the early 1940's however, Sara and Coy moved to California for good, and the original lineup never recorded together again.

Maybelle and her daughters (Helen, June, and Anita) took up the Carter torch and carried it to a new generation of fans, working in Richmond, Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Springfield, Missouri, before ascending to country music's ultimate stage, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. Nearly fifty years in the business won Maybelle the title "Mother of Country Music" and the adoration of generations of guitar players and just plain listeners.

There are so many interesting stories about the family, and about those who were influenced by them, that it'd take me forever to type them all. There are stories about Hank Williams, Chet Atkins, and Johnny Cash (who married June Carter) just to name a few.

If you are at all interested in real country music, bluegrass, folk or Americana in general, this is a must-read. Highly recommended!

[classicgrrl]

I'm ordering it into the store...thank you MK!

[cuddlyevil]

Newest read: Scanty particulars by Rachel Holmes. It's about Queen Victoria's most famous military doctor, Dr. James M. Barry who helped bring advances in women's care, patient rights, proper cleaning of tools and equipment, and in the research and treatment of venerial diseases. But, the kicker is Dr. Barry had a bit of a secret to effemanate ways...

[rachel-toronto]

Originally posted by classicgrrl

5) Henry and June - 1931-1932 un-expurgated diary of Anis Nin. From her full collection of private journals titled a Journal of Love. Very beautiful.

that's a great read. all of her diaries show so much insight to her sexuality, yet much mystery to what was happening in the world around her.

nin's husband hugo captured her psyche so accurately: "You fall in love with people's minds."

[yvette7ica]

I am currently reading Pigs at the Trough by Ariana Huffington. Very good so far. She puts a light hearted and humourous spin on money squandering CEO's and their governtmental ties.

Affluenza (can't remember the authors) is pretty good, also. I finished it a couple months back and I can't remember a lot of it, but they did have some interesting statistics in regards to consumerism, bankrupcy, etc. It's not too serious of a read, but still informative.

[MissKitty]

Just finished reading The Gates of Remembrance by Frederick Bligh Bond. I was drawn to seek out this book after having a very odd experience at Glastonbury Abbey when CR and I went there several years ago. While roaming the Abbey ruins, I had the overwhelming sense of being "watched" and the sense of unease freaked me out enough that we ended up leaving a lot sooner than we had reckoned. Upon coming home and having the film I took there developed I discovered two photos that appeared to have some sort of "presence" in them. I sent them off to a guy who is an expert of the paranormal, and he deemed the pix as true ghost manifestations. For a long time I couldn't even look at the photos. Recently, however, I began making a scrapbook of different ruins we'd visited, and the photos resurfaced. I decided to find out more about the manifestations and who they might be. Hence my stumbling across this book.

Born in 1864, Bond was an archaeologist, architech, a resident of Somerset County in England, and most significantly, an experimenter in psychic research. In 1907 he saw his chance to gratify all those interests and conditions, and he took it. The result was two major archaeological discoveries--and the professional ruin of Bond, who wrote of his findings in The Gates of Remembrance.

Glastonbury Abbey is the oldest ecclesiastical establishment in England. Historically, the site's origins go back to St.Patrick and St.Bridget in the fifth century. Legend traces the ruins to Joseph of Arimathea, a follower of Jesus, who is supposed to have brought the cup of the Last Supper to Glastonbury. This cup became the Holy Grail. The rise of the land upon which the Abbey was built is also supposed to be the legendary Isle of Avalon, where King Arthur went to die.

In 1534, after breaking with Roman Catholicism and forming his own Church of England, King Henry VIII began confiscating his country's monastaries. The Glastonbury monks pledged their allegiance to the new church in hopes of saving the Abbey from destruction, but it was not to be. Henry responded by beheading the Abbot, disbanding the abbey and stripping it of everything of value. By the 20th century there was very little left of the once impressive structure.

In 1907 the Church of England asked Bond to excavate the site, and he jumped wholeheartedly into the mission. To determine where to begin excavations, Bond and his assistant, Captain John Bartlett, relied upon some very unusal collaborators. Using "automatic writing," a method of supposed communication with the dead, they elicited the help of some 16th century monks who call themselves "The Watchers." The pair made great progress and eventually unearthed the original foundation outline of the great church. They also made a sensational discovery--locating the long-lost chapel of King Edgar who died in 975 and is one of three kings buried at Glastonbury. Later they predicted the location of another missing chapel--the Loretto.

The Watchers not only told them where the missing chapels were, but also of life in the Abbey and fascinating details that had been lost in the mists of time.

All of this and more is in this book, which caused quite a sensation when it was originally published in 1917. It also caused Bonds downfall. He was branded a fraud and possibly insane. His architectural commissions dwindled and his work at Glastonbury was suspended by the Church of England. He died alone of a heart attack in 1945.

The same week I finally located this book, I got an email from a lady in England, unknown to me, who had heard about my pictures from the paranormal expert. She sent me a copy of a photo she took at Glastonbury last year, and her picture also shows a very eerie manifestation in the same area as my picture. I'm still unsure as to whether or not we caught one of The Watchers on film, but after reading this book I certainly believe it might be so.

I plan to drag CR back to Glastonbury as soon as I can!

[chicodaman]

where are the pics? curiosity killed, ... well, you know.

[MissKitty]

The purple mist above me was deemed a "manifestation"
http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/sep01/glastonburyghost1012.jpg

This is the one that gives me the creeps though. If you look closely at the top part of the "mist" you can see a partial face.
http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/sep01/glastonburyghost1011.jpg

To view Jude's picture, click here (http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/jul03/Abbey.html)

[yvette7ica]

That pic gave me chills...glad it was daylight when i saw it, but it still creeped me out...thanks...(shiver)

[chicodaman]

very cool.

[MissKitty]

Originally posted by The Hegemo
I did just finish reading, for fun, Matthew Collin, Guerrilla Radio . It's about the history of Radio B92, the alternative station in Belgrade that became a focal point for a lot of the anti-Milosevic underground in the 90s. The book covers the period from the founding of B92 in 1989 to the defeat of the Milosevic government in 2000. While it never leaves its primary focus of the radio station, there's a lot in here about youth culture more generally, and opposition politics in Serbia.


I finally located this book and it is a fascinating, insightful read. Thank you so much, Hegemo, for recommending this book!