Wednesday, March 30, 2016

A Moveable Feast - Book Review

Published 1964
A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway A-

I have never been to Paris. But, the Paris that Ernest Hemingway writes about in his memoir, A Moveable Feast, is the Paris I've always imagined. Hemingway vividly chronicles his time in Paris during the early to mid 1920s, when many of his contemporaries wrote and created art there. In this subtle memoir Hemingway writes about his friendships with Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others. He also writes lovingly about his first wife, Hadley Richardson, their infant son (nicknamed) Bumby, and their cat, F. Puss. His tone is unassuming throughout; yet, by the end of the book I began to notice a more passive aggressive Hemingway.

In retrospect, I'm not sure I had an opinion about Ernest Hemingway prior to this book. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how simple yet effective his writing was. Maybe it's all the nostalgia, but A Moveable Feast has the longing of a great love affair and the intrigue of a lover who will never love you back. It's highly quotable and it filled my head with romantic notions of Paris, writing, and French cafes. Aside from the starving artist part (been there, done that), I think most writers have dreamt of their own version of a moveable feast, I certainly have.

A Moveable Feast still moves us - Check out this link via NPR
http://www.npr.org/2015/11/23/457139698/ernest-hemingways-a-moveable-feast-hits-french-bestseller-list-after-paris-attack

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Arranging Time - Album Review

Arranging Time - Pete Yorn
Released March 2016

I use to listen to Musicforthemorningafter after the bars closed. It always seemed like a perfect soundtrack for when you're missing someone or something you wish you had. I own every Pete Yorn (solo) album and Musicforthemorningafter is still his best. But, Arranging Time is a solid outing. It's produced by R.Walt Vincent, the same guy who produced Musicforthemorningafter and Day I Forgot. Arranging Time is poppy, breezy and catchy. Some of the tracks ("Lost Weekend," "Roses" & "Walking Up"), I fell in love with instantly. However, as a whole the album doesn't have the same sting as his 2001 debut. Maybe it's because my bar nights are few and far between... Nevertheless, Arranging Time has potential of being one helluva a summer soundtrack. Turn it up!

Music video for "Lost Weekend"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmWoKdnv_-g