Friday, December 19, 2008

Renaissance Month

Since returning to my hometown of Hershey PA.  I have come across a mixed bag of news. My former employer, Brooks Brothers does not have the pay roll to hire me back before my adventures in Aberdeen. The bad news is that I won't be making much money...however, I will be able to use this month before my departure for self-improvement.  Read literature.  Run more. Experience Culture and other art mediums. Learn to cook. Etc. 

Books to read
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
No Exist and Four Other Plays by Jean-Paul Sartre
Crime And Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Thirteen American Arguments by Howard Fineman
White House Ghosts by Robert Schlesinger

TV To Watch-The Wire (Yes, I know what some of you are thinking.... How could self-improvement include TV? Well The Wire has been recommended to me by just about everyone of my friends... I've been told it is the best...)

Film to Watch
The Maltese Falcon directed by John Huston
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by David Fincher
Bottle Rocket directed by Wes Anderson (the one Wes Anderson I have yet to see)
Frost/Nixon directed by Ron Howard
The Wrestler directed by Darren Aronofsky 

Things to learn
Change Tires
Cook
Mix Drinks
Scottish History and Politics in time for Aberdeen




2 comments:

John Bartholow said...

Let me know what you think of "The Wire". As for Scottish history, be sure to look at the Jacobite rebellions, particularly 1745. Otherwise, you could look at the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland (to protect the Scots from England), the Act of Union of 1707 that unified England and Scotland, but of course go back to Robert Bruce as well. And you could look at the Scottish nationalist movement... it's all the rage supposedly, but the Scots will never ditch the Labour Party.

Tim said...

You're missing a few films:
-SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
-WALL-E
-SYNECDOCHE, NY (I haven't seen it yet, but I hear good things.)
-RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (Ditto.)
-THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (Came out last year, but one of the best films I've ever seen. And that's saying something.)

And you need to see seasons 3 through 8 of the Simpsons. Otherwise, you are not an American. Did you know that?