The Critic Recommends

We Think the World of You is the only novel of J. R. Ackerly, long the literary editor of the BBC magazine The Listener. Although its themes are those of desire, class, sex and gender, justice and love, its central character is a dog, Evie.

Here is a brief synopsis & I'm quoting from the fly-leaf:

"This powerful short novel, with its extraordinary mixture of acute social realism & dark fantasy...[is] 'a fairy tale for adults.' Frank, the narrator, is a middle-aged civil servant....in love with Johnny, a young, married working-class man with a sweetly easygoing nature." The story shifts from Frank's struggle with Johnny's wife & parents for access to Johnny when he is briefly in prison to "a strange focus in Johnny's dog--a beautiful... German shepherd.... And it is she... who becomes the improbable and undeniable guardian of Frank's inner world."

This is not an "animal story." Before penning this entry I asked Mama to read We Think the World of You. She is definitely anti-animal stories; she resisted all attempts in her youth to read novels, watch television shows or attend films "about animals." Yet she found this subtle, hilarious and ultimately devasting novel about bitterness, longing and the mask of fulfillment a first-rate example of mid-2oth century fiction.

We Think the World of You was adapted as a film staring Alan Bates & Gary Oldman & directed by Colin Gregg; the film is [close to] equally fine in that it captures the humor & subtlety of the original.

I absolutely think the world of this novel. Please take the time to discover it for yourself; it'll be time well spent.

And for more critical insights on books of my choosing, see my post of July 22, 2006, "Good and Evil."

Memories

Frank Sinatra said it best:
Thanks for the memory
Of letters I destroyed
Books that we enjoyed
Tonight the way things look
I need a book by sigmund freud...

As a regular reader of my blog you already know of my chewing preferences: paper [it could be a letter] & especially books, hardback or paper. But as I hummed Sinatra's tune, I realized that no baby pictures of Me have been released to my public. Until Now.

Above, the Formal Picture. Shot by a dog photographer in her studio, this remains the best facsimilie of my true appearance as a young pup. It captures my beauty & strength as it suggests that this pup's inate qualities promise a great & wonderful future.

Below, 2 pictures shot shortly after I arrived chez Mama et Papa. [note the look of sheer terror expressed only in my eyes & the bravery of my body language]

Although untutored & inexperienced in the ways of raising an exceptional pup, they tried their best-- for example, Mama held me in her arms for my first 72 hours in the home, sacrificing her lunch to reassure me of her love. Their care & concern allowed me to develop into the bruiser & public intellectual that I am today.











This entry would be incomplete without acknowledging that a baby lived with Mama et Papa long before I arrived. The baby is a grown up now, but such was not always the case. Here is a shot of my good friend, bro Allan:

To see a picture of Allan as a grown up, go to the entry for August 4, 2006.

Mercury Absent

I'll be on leave 'til August 27th. In the meantime, please review my previous entries, especially "Mercury Rising" and "Silk & Denim: the ends of the Earth." Also feel free to scroll down to the end of the screen, perusing entries as they tickle your fancy.

Then click on "Archives" to read early entries. And don't forget to read my Mama's profile & click on "View my Complete Profile" to learn more about Mama.

Au revoir til the next time, Mercury

Silk & Denim: Ends of the Earth

Kashan Persian Carpet
Wilber, Nebraska rug

Qom Persian carpet
Wilber, Nebraska rug

There are times when a Dog must open her heart & mind to the wonders & ingenuity of human aesthetic endeavors. Today's topic, rugs, exemplifies extreme opposites on several levels: geograhpic, high art & folk art, specialized & common labor and perhaps you will note others.

Previously I discussed Persian carpets & showed pictures of wool rugs. Today I shall show you silk Persian carpets side by side with a contemporary denim rug from Nebraska.

Above are two gorgeousl silk rugs with pictures showing both front & back. Notice how the intricate design is clear on both sides, each side special in its own way. Each carpet design is particular to its region or city. The red silk above is from the holy city of Qom; the light colored, from Khashan.

And if only you could feel the carpets: although silk, they feel like velvet! To learn more about Persian carpets & to see many examples, follow this link:

http://tehran.stanford.edu/Images/Persian_Carpet/carpet_history.html

The other 2 photos show me sitting on a denim rug made in & imported from Nebraska. To this day, Nebraska is still in part a farm state & independent farmers use every resource available in their effort to remain efficacious in the face of encroaching agribusiness. So, for example, when a farmer's jeans finally wear out, they're certainly not thrown out. To the contrary they become the material from which this rug is fashioned.

This particular rug was crafted in Wilber, Nebraska, home of the largest Czech population in the United States. To learn more about Wilber & its rich heritage click this link:

http://www.ci.wilber.ne.us/

I hope you've enjoyed this small display of rugs from different ends of the earth. A demain, Mercury.

Named: Mercury Rising

What's in a name? Plenty. This entry explains how my Official AKC-registered Name, Mercury Murphy Roushanzamir, came into being. Sit back, relax, & follow the links; you'll be rewarded with a world tour through geography, history, society & cultures.

Mercury: For a number of years, Mama has been fascinated with the biography of Freddie Mercury. His life history is poignant & powerful, tracing an early example of what is now the not uncommon experience of serial global emigration. It is also a sweet story of how a lost soul found confirmation of his most magnificant dreams & in so doing made musical history. Follow this link for more about Freddie Mercury:

http://www.freddie.ru/e/bio/

Mercury is also the name of the winged God, messanger of Zeus in ancient Roman cosmology [Hermes in Greek--another positive association for Mama].

And the mid-20th century American dime displays a pastiche of Mercury [pictured as a woman with a winged cap]. For a history of the Mercury dime see:

http://www.limunltd.com/numismatica/articles/mercury-dime.html

Also planet Mercury, called "a planet of extremes;" This seems to fit with Mama's personality and the projection of her persona onto me-- a Dog. [Often, as I've observed, humans want to endow other life forms & even inanimate objects with "personalities" & other human characteristics. The word "anthropomorphizing" means attributing human qualities to objects.] In any case go to this website

http://www.solarsystem.org.uk/mercury/

for information about the planet and a scale map of the solar system!

Roushanzamir: In the early 20th century Persians didn't use last names. But when the Father of the Shah reigned, all Persian men were directed to choose last names & enter a system of state registration. Many chose the names of their city [e.g. Shirazi/Shiraz] or their profession [Najar/carpenter]. Papa's grandfather, true to his philosophical & poetic approach to life, chose a name with more abstract/metaphorical meaning: Roushanzamir. Roushan means godly light; zamir, human consciousness. Together they encapsulate a profound concept: a fusion of the heavens with the ashes, the bipolar opposition which is humanity.

And then there is:




Murphy:

Mercury suggests the artistry of Freddie Mercury, information & speed associated with the mythical Roman God, & the extremes of the planet closest to our sun. Roushanzamir, aside from its metaphoric nuances, is the surname of Mama & Papa. But Murphy? Alas, this whim arose in conversation between Mama et grandpere [pictured above left]. The latter, on learning of my first name, insisted that was absolutely incorrect.

"Her name is Murphy," he said.

Mama responded, "No, she is Mercury."

Grandpere dit: "Murphy."

Mama, ever gentle, kind, respectful & loving, suggests a compromise: "Murphy shall be her middle name," said she.

Rattan & Wool: Preview

Today a brief but Fascinating introduction [if I do say so myself] to two examples of Folk Art from different parts of the world.

To the upper left [directly behind me] is a fine old piece of Japanese rattan. Bought in Nagoya, Honshu in the early 1950s, it demonstrates the rugged durability & lasting beauty of the simple art of the bamboo weave. Bamboo plays a large part in the economic, intellectual, and material cultures especially, but not only, in Asia.

"Bamboo is a mystical plant as a symbol of strength, flexibility, tenacity, endurance and compromise. [B]amboo has for centuries been integral to religions ceremonies, art, music and daily life. It is the paper, the brush and the inspiration of poems and paintings. Among the earliest historical records, 2nd century B.C. were written on green bamboo strips strung together in a bundle with silk thread. Instruments made of bamboo create unique resonance." --http://kauai.net/bambooweb/whybamboo.html

I am sitting on a relatively modern Persian rug. Woven from wool it is an example of an everyday floor rug. As such it receives a certain amount of abuse since in Persia floors, covered by these beautiful but utilitarian carpets, are the chairs, sofas, dining tables and play areas in even most 21st century homes.

Soon to come: an entry focused on the special silk carpets, both old & new. Their beauty is such that both fronts & backs of these carpets are demonstrations of the ingenuity & talents of Persian weavers throughout the centuries.

By the way, if you visit Tehran, make an effort to visit the Carpet Museum located in city center.

Note: Pauvre Mama. See her pants & shoes? But surely my happy smile makes up for her photographic error. Cheers for now.

Twins Sing the Blues

Greetings from the shingles trenches.

Today I donned a blue t-shirt similar to the one Mama chose this morning. The smile on her face suggests that she loves the idea of being Twins.

Mais, pauvre mama, pale et triste. Yet shows her happy face. Such courage, such valor; so gallant in the face of pain. How I admire Mama!

Please send her all your best wishes for the speediest recovery possible & thanks to all who have already done so. Au revoir (til we meet again), M-squared.