Structured Rambling

You don't need to ever go to a movie theatre again. Paul's suggestion: don't!

Paul talks about speculative fiction, and how some of its best writers proved that their escapism is more real than many of the best writing reality. Apologies to Cormac McCarthy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormac_McCarthy Shippey, Tom.  J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century . London: HarperCollins , 2001.

Paul talks about what was once a very fine show: HBO's  Westworld. 

Paul discusses the reinterest in Norse Faith around the world, and how--what a shock!--it has all the same issues as every other religion out there.  McIntosh, Christopher. Beyond the North Wind. Newburyport: Weiser. 2019. Sturlusson, Snorri. The Poetic Edda. 

Paul discusses the complex source of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power in anticipation of the forthcoming Amazon series. Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion , Boston: Houghton Mifflin ,

Paul talks about being a feminist and how it's impossible to be a good one if you have a Y chromosome. Also, books. Brust, Stephen.  Jhereg. Ace: USA, 1983 . Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Riverside Shakespeare . Houghton Mufflin: New York, 1996.                                                    King Lear. The Riverside Shakespeare . Houghton Mufflin: New York, 1996.                      ...

The audio was wrong on the first one. Use this one! Hey, man, Paul's gonna look at, like, the book that kicked off the whole Beat Generation groove and made Jim Morrisson realize that, like, any cat can spout nonsense and call it poetry. Dig it! Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. Viking: New York, 1957. 

Paul reviews a movie he really wanted to see: The Northman! Can it possibly live up to the hype? Eggers, Robert.  The Northman.  USA: Universal, 2022

In a world divided, shocked by murdered black people and murdered elementary students, Paul implores us to see the message from the greatest unifier in all of literature: Atticus Finch. Lee, Harper.  To Kill a Mockingbird.  New York: Hatchett, 1960. 

For Ramona, Janne, and especially Senia, And for Gloria. She knows why. 

Paul talks Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize winner The Road,  and how this grim, horrifying book still has a touch of love and hope.  McCarthy, Cormac.  The Road.  New York, Vintage: 2006. 

Thos who like him, like him a lot! Tolkien, J.R.R.  The Hobbit.  London: Harper Collins, 2010. 

Paul discusses the history of the adoption of the Maple Leaf, its history and the replacement of the Red Ensign, and why he's flying the latter in his yard these days. 

Inspired by current events, Paul wonders if the writers who knew war really needed war to create. He asks the age-old question: "War--unh--good God, y'all--what is it good for?" Spoiler: the answer is "Absolutely nuthin'!" Lennon, John and Yoko Ono. "Give Peace a Chance." Give Peace a Chance/Remember Love Single .  Apple: UK, 1969. Starr, Edwin. "War.&q...

Paul cracks open just how horrifying the abuse of English is in that double plus good dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Orwell, George. 1984.  Toronto: Signet Classics, 1977. Rage Against the Machine. "Testify." The Battle of Los Angeles. USA: Epic, 1999. 

What do you get when you give a bunch of tweens an island to themsleves? Chaos and mayhem! And parallels to our own times. Golding, William.  Lord of the Flies.  London: Faber and Faber, 1988. 

Paul talks about some of his favourite recent live-action superhero shows, including the Netflix Defenders, the Disney+ shows, and HBO Max's Titans. 

Paul picks apart the abuse of the elements in this 1977 Governor General Award Winner.  Findley, Timothy.  The Wars.  Toronto: Penguin, 1977. 

The first episode of 2022 has been--like everything these days--delayed due to COVID. Paul talks about his favourite films, TV shows, albums, and--of course!--books of 2021.  Find the entire list here: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8864790044362597696/898794928096278104

Paul talks about a perfect novel, a work of art, and a book that shows us through its folksy meanderings and mountains of injustice what people really are, and what they really should be. Springsteen, Bruce. "The Ghost of Tom Joad," from The Ghost of Tom Joad . USA: Columbia, 1995. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006. 

In a comedown from the Hallowe'en season, Paul explores the roots of great Victorian horror and its ability to play upon our most basic fears despite all of our modern comforts. This rambling episode sees references to  Dracula by Bram Stoker,  The Wolfman  (2010) by Joe Johnston,  Dr, Jekyl and Mr. Hyde and  The Inivisible Man. 

Paul's favourite novel EVER is Frank Herbert's 1965 science-fiction masterwork,  Dune.  Visionary Canuck Denis Villeneuve  adapted about the first half of the book into a blockbuster. Paul saw it. Paul talks about it.  Villeneuve, Denis.  Dune.  Legendary Pictures: USA, 2021. 

Paul looks at the under-appreciated but undefinable historical Viking fiction novel Eaters of the Dead which was written as an adaptation of Beowulf. Paul also briefly discusses the pretty darn good film adaptation with the far superior title: The 13th Warrior. Crichton, Michael. Eaters of the Dead. New York: Ballantine, 1992.  McTiernan, John. The 13th Warrior . USA: Touchstone Pictures, 1999.   

Paul looks at the first three seasons of the fine HBO anthology series  True Detective , created by by Nic Pizzolatto. S'a good show. 

In honour of Sept 30's National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Paul takes a brief look at some texts related to this topic, and the bad Westerners have done reflected in literature. Conrad, Joseph.  Heart of Darkness & Tales of Unrest. London: Arcturus, 2010. Coppola, Francis Ford.  Apocalypse Now . USA: United Artists, 1979.