# The past few days



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Well, I took a few days off, which I guess will be the norm. I'd like to catch up a bit.

First, I've been reading Paul Johnson's _A History of the American People_. I'm going to finish so that I can say that I did, but my advice to you is not to start. It's mediocre, at best. Go straight to the excellent books by Penguin and the Oxford U Press. Start with Alan Taylor's _American Colonies_. Great, great book. You will thank me!

Among my recent discoveries (this means that they're new to me, not the world - nothing, it seems, is new to the world, everything is cliche already) was Everybody Digs Bill Evans.










Very mellow, very nice; listened to it once last night and once this morning. Lots of sweet harmonies there. You expect it to be about Bill Evans, but as of 2 listenings this amateur listener is also impressed by the drums - and no wonder, as I looked it up and found out they are none other than Paul Motian (he's becoming my favorite jazz drummer, though of course I don't know enough to have such a thing yet) and Philly Joe Jones of, oh, _'Round About Minight_, _Blue Train_, and a dozen other classic Blue Note albums. (You should probably get those before you get this album - and of Motian's stuff, _Conception Vessel_ is the album that kindled my respect and love.)

















Otherwise, my notable listening has mostly been stuff I'm familiar with. I recently listened to The Parley of Instruments playing Dowland's Lachrimae: that's on Helios and it's very nice; also from Helios, I listened to the Gothic Voices' album "The Garden of Zephirus," which was recommended in Jan Swafford's _Vintage Guide to Classical Music_. While I was in the mood I listened Books 4 and 5 of Monteverdi's Madrigals, on Naxos by Delitiae Musicae and Marco Longhini. So I've been doiing the Renaissance secular song thing. Worthwhile. (Be sure to check Archiv if Amazon says they're not available.)

Of these, I declare _Everybody Digs Bill Evans_ the winner. Of the Bill Evans albums I've heard (which are _Alone_ and _Waltz for Debbie_), it is definitely my favorite so far - though I should give _Waltz for Debbie_ another listen here soon to confirm my opinion.

The biggest disappointment of the past few days has been The Beach Boys' _Pet Sounds_. I'll have to read up on that and find out what's so good about it.

Finally, it's cheating because I haven't actually listened to it in the past few days, but here is the wonderful _Conception Vessel_:


----------



## Truvianni (Apr 21, 2011)

I happen to be a fan of Paul Johnson, I remember being impressed by his book "history of the world" in the 20th century up till 1980 or something like that. Actually I prefer Johnson to Norman Davies. The problem sometimes however is when well known history professors write books for the public is that they tend to try to make them interesting at the expense of the facts or by perhaps over simplifying the truth or sometimes even by sensationalizing historical events in order to sell more copies. I personally have heard about the book you mention and have even read fragments of it though not really enough to form an opinion but I will bear in my mind your opinion.


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

You mean Alan Taylor's book? You'll love it.

Paul Johnson has too many politically motivated asides for me. So many that I think he might have written his book in response to Zinn's book. It also greatly disturbs me that he credits European immunity to smallpox to European knowledge - which isn't true at all, and also implies that the Native Americans were too stupid to learn what the Europeans knew. Well, I'm only 1/4 of the way through, and this is my first book by Mr. Johnson.


----------



## Truvianni (Apr 21, 2011)

Yes, he does tend to have that European supremecy thing yet I like how presents the facts when he does that of course. Have ever read Norman Davies?


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

No, but I have his book _Europe_ and I plan to read it. It looks ok, having browsed it. But it'd better really be ok because it's a monstrous book.


----------

