On this viewing of the TV adaptation of James A. Michener's epic novel - we're two-thirds through the series, as I type this - what I've noticed most is how, though passage of time has brought massive changes in lifestyle, especially in the 21st century, in deeper aspects nothing much has changed. The pattern of killing, retribution killing, then killing again, remains. Much of today's killing is done far away from the USA in the Middle East; retribution occasionally occurs here at home as well as directly, abroad. It's as though this nation, born in blood, is fated to live on in blood. There were some good men then (fictional in this case, but actual also), there are good men now, but never enough - then or now.
My 2008 archived post on Centennial is HERE.
Husband's new blog/website Cabinet Card Photographers has taken him many long hours of research work, which he has enjoyed and pronounced addictive.
Fall foliage Prediction Map -
It's interactive - could come in useful for leaf-peepers.
MASSES
by Carl Sandburg
Among the mountains I wandered and saw blue haze and red crag and was amazed;
On the beach where the long push under the endless tide maneuvers, I stood silent;
Under the stars on the prairie watching the Dipper slant over the horizon’s grass, I was full of thoughts.
Great men, pageants of war and labor, soldiers and workers, mothers lifting their children—these all I touched, and felt the solemn thrill of them.
And then one day I got a true look at the Poor, millions of the Poor, patient and toiling; more patient than crags, tides, and stars; innumerable, patient as the darkness of night—and all broken, humble ruins of nations.
If an infinite number of rednecks
fired an infinite number of shotguns
at an infinite number of road signs,
they'd eventually recreate
the complete works of Shakespeare
in Braille.
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| I discovered the truth of it when on vacation, meeting Himself, in 2003. |
Wot - no astrology?
This Twitter offering, from #Rejected Horoscopes, might be good for a titter:
We found that binge-watching the TV epic highlighted the flashback sequences necessary for the original viewers who watched episodes separated by a week. It slowed the drama a bit but not much.
ReplyDeleteanyjazz ~ Yes, though I never mind seeing bits and pieces of it all over again. I could happily finish watching the last chapter, then begin again at chapter one - but I know you wouldn't enjoy that! ;-) So instead, I've bought an old copy of the novel. It's too many years since I first read it. There's lots in the book that is not included in the TV series.
ReplyDeleteIt's rare indeed to find a TV series that can surpass, or even rival, the book. Off the cuff I can't think of one, though there's few I bother to watch these days. I leave that to Mrs RJ who has a thirst for such things - both book and TV. Given the enormous amount of work anyjazz has injected into his latest blog - it's a terrific work of research - I'm surprised he has any time to watch TV.
ReplyDelete"If an infinite number of rednecks
fired an infinite number of shotguns
at an infinite number of road signs,
they'd eventually recreate
the complete works of Shakespeare
in Braille."
Is this another way of saying - rednecks = monkeys? Could be an insult to monkeys!
RJ Adams ~ LOL! I suspected someone (probably you, if you saw it) would likely say that about the "infinite number" bit! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnyjazz spent at least a couple of years compiling and researching his Cabinet Card site - he's still adding to it and checking, editing; still has to compile an index of cities and states involved, which could bring in interested parties from those writing local histories (if that is still done in these days of Facebook and smartphones)