Whatcha reading?

[Dr. Medulla]

Bedtime reading:

Only a chapter in, which relates the author's moment of discovery as a teenager hearing "Like a Rolling Stone," which led to his investigation of Dylan, Guthrie, and this massacre. I sure hope that the rest of text isn't going to be so obviously about the author.

Tub reading:

I think I've only listened to this one before, but I can't be sure. As flat as Palahniuk's work has become—it's been years since I've enjoyed something new of his—but his first five or six novels are all quite good. There is a wonderful rhythm to his writing, a matter-of-factness yet mysteriousness to it all, but always moving forward. And whatever the (mis)interpretations of the book/film as some kind of validation for fascism, it seems quite clear to me that it's an argument that late capitalism encourages a spiritual deadness that encourages a violent response that can lead to fascism.

I'm a few days away from finally finishing that lousy Vinyl Detective novel. There's an awful deus ex machina in the middle that defies belief, plus the only interesting twist was quickly reversed. Just a few more days …

[Flex]

it seems quite clear to me that it's an argument that late capitalism encourages a spiritual deadness that encourages a violent response that can lead to fascism.

Too bad that turned out not to have any resonance in the contemporary political and social landscape.

WOuld be interested if the first book turns out to be good.

[Dr. Medulla]

WOuld be interested if the first book turns out to be good.

I'll definitely report back my thoughts on that one. I have hopes that it might be a book I can use in a future seminar.

[Silent Majority]

18) BBC: Myth of a Public Service by Tom Mills. A left-wing sociologist examines the BBC feeble claims of impartiality, in particular around their news services. From their bowing to the establishment in the case of the 1926 general strike, to a forceful support of Blair's lies around Iraq, it's a compelling case and one I've long held sympathy for. From the excellent publisher Verso, this was a real page turner backed up by well researched evidence. I felt like it was quite stringently edited for space. It clips along in a brief 200 pages or so and I feel the author had some of his darlings chopped, perhaps for the worse. Still, I would call this essential reading for everybody, limey, septic, or canuck, for its brilliant burn on establishment media and how it works and how, by its nature, fails to call power to account.


19) ‘Enemies: A History of the F.B.I.’ by Tim Weiner. Audiobook. Evil and incompetent. From the off, and from a structural basis, the FBI was both, a violent, reactionary, anti-democratic organisation made in the image of a monstrous paranoiac: J. Edgar Hoover. This book is one that bends over backwards to be fair to the agency and its intentions, but the facts scream out of every page an indictment against a gross, overfunded barony. A foe to justice for the most part, the arrogance and priorities led to their complete overlook of Al Qaeda in the run up to 9/11. Leaves you wanting to burn the whole thing down.

[pachyderm]

[Dr. Medulla]

18) BBC: Myth of a Public Service by Tom Mills. A left-wing sociologist examines the BBC feeble claims of impartiality, in particular around their news services. From their bowing to the establishment in the case of the 1926 general strike, to a forceful support of Blair's lies around Iraq, it's a compelling case and one I've long held sympathy for. From the excellent publisher Verso, this was a real page turner backed up by well researched evidence. I felt like it was quite stringently edited for space. It clips along in a brief 200 pages or so and I feel the author had some of his darlings chopped, perhaps for the worse. Still, I would call this essential reading for everybody, limey, septic, or canuck, for its brilliant burn on establishment media and how it works and how, by its nature, fails to call power to account.

I always enjoy the feelings of total confusion when I read online discussions about how left wing, how Marxist the CBC is and how it should be shut down. Yes, somehow the state broadcaster in a liberal democracy is Communist.

19) ‘Enemies: A History of the F.B.I.’ by Tim Weiner. Audiobook. Evil and incompetent. From the off, and from a structural basis, the FBI was both, a violent, reactionary, anti-democratic organisation made in the image of a monstrous paranoiac: J. Edgar Hoover. This book is one that bends over backwards to be fair to the agency and its intentions, but the facts scream out of every page an indictment against a gross, overfunded barony. A foe to justice for the most part, the arrogance and priorities led to their complete overlook of Al Qaeda in the run up to 9/11. Leaves you wanting to burn the whole thing down.

Hoover does impress, in a perverse way, in his longevity, owing to building up enough dirt on presidents and other Washington power brokers. All these evil bastards able to dish on each other.

[Inder]

I'm enjoying Norm Macdonald reading his audiobook.

[Silent Majority]

I'm enjoying Norm Macdonald reading his audiobook.

Hilarious and very well written.

[Dr. Medulla]

I'm enjoying Norm Macdonald reading his audiobook.

Hilarious and very well written.

Seconded. I suspect the audio version is superior to the written one (kind of like David Sedaris in that regard). NM is all but without peer in delivery.

[Dr. Medulla]

Zipped thru this the last couple days. Randall is/was in a band called Faithless (never heard of 'em) and is also a leftist activist concerned with how to use music to foster a more humane world. There's a bit of theory in here (albeit crudely handled, owing, perhaps, to his interest in appealing to a general audience), but is much stronger in detailing examples of how structures of authority have tried to use music to pacify (including and especially co-opting popular music) and how others have used it to resist and rebel. This is not simply a work of criticism but a manifesto, an ambition to make music more obviously political and to serve liberation. I'd be inclined to use this book in a more introductory class on popular culture or a general history of rock n roll as a way of challenging those who think popular music is supposed to be a diversion, mere entertainment. To those who are already persuaded of music's political and transformational potential, this will be mainly preaching to the choir.

Also started this this morning (new tub book):

I was in a used book shop with the boss and felt shamed by her stack of books, so I grabbed this. It's dated in that it was written at the height of the culture wars in the 90s for an explicit purpose, but I figure it'll offer something of value in terms of my own attitudes towards how history should be approached.

[Dr. Medulla]

Just started this one. It's been in the back of my mind for a bit because it originated as a 33 1/3 book, albeit one not celebrating an album (plus I'm avoiding starting a new punk book for research). I think one of y'all have read this one, or the original book, but I can't recall who (Kory?). Anyway, it's a neat topic that encourages either an oblivious smugness or a self-satisfied smugness. It's also a question I like because having taste is probably the core of postmodern anxiety given that we invest so much status in good or bad taste, but do so almost always unconsciously.

[Inder]

James reviewed it a few years ago.

Also, probably worth mentioning that CW was caught up in the Ghomeshi stuff.

[Dr. Medulla]

James reviewed it a few years ago.

Right! I think he shared a draft of it with me, but I'd love to (re)read the finished piece.

Also, probably worth mentioning that CW was caught up in the Ghomeshi stuff.

Ick. While I didn't really follow the story much as it emerged, I did wonder how much of an open secret it was in Toronto's hip establishment, and how unusual might have JG been.

[Silent Majority]

James reviewed it a few years ago.

Right! I think he shared a draft of it with me, but I'd love to (re)read the finished piece.

I'll have a look about, see if I can dig the review out. I think it ended up being more half arsed than it should be and self-consciously writerly than I'd do now. I'm really grateful to Inder for that chance.

I'm also percolating a response to your PM, FYI, Neil.

[Dr. Medulla]

James reviewed it a few years ago.

Right! I think he shared a draft of it with me, but I'd love to (re)read the finished piece.

I'll have a look about, see if I can dig the review out. I think it ended up being more half arsed than it should be and self-consciously writerly than I'd do now. I'm really grateful to Inder for that chance.

I'm also percolating a response to your PM, FYI, Neil.

Cool and cool, no rush. I always value your interpretations.