Links I find interesting at the end of September, 2009.

One more day of work and then I can go on Holiday!  So I will present you with some interesting links I have collected over the past week.

I might as well put this weekly feature, I am now doing, in historical context.

James Joyce for Ordinary Folks?

Would any of my co-workers at DHL want to read Ulysses by James Joyce?  I doubt it.  They called me, at DHL, the Latvian schoolboy for  a reason.  Would any of my colleagues at the English school I now work want to read Ulysses?  Would they make the effort to read the whole novel through?  I doubt it.  So could James Joyce ever be for ordinary folks?  What from I know about Joyce he wasn't ordinary at all.  Or I should say he didn't lead a life given to producing things that  the ordinary man wanted.

The Marc Steyn Musical Hour

Next to David Warren, Marc Steyn is my favourite Canadian pundit.  And he not only writes tremendous columns skewering his political opponents, he writes about music.  His musical tastes are pre Rock & Roll and he of course worships Sinatra.  His first musical podcast, which can be gotten to using the link in the headline, has introduced me to a whole lot of music that, though not as good as Sinatra, is still nonetheless worthwhile to listen to.

Further thought:  Is there a place anywhere in the world that you could walk in and listen to this type of music?  Certainly, not in Wuxi.  All that is imported from the West, is our noisy barbarism -- our rock & roll.  Why is it that the Chinese like country music and despise the baser sorts of rock music I have introduced them to?

The Wind in the Willows

The headlined link above had me wanting to get a hold of this book.  And not three days later, I had someone give me the book.  Children's literature, now that I have a son, is very interesting to me.  Perhaps, one day, I will write some stories of mine own for my son Tony.  

Here is an audio interview with the author of the article.

Marx and Smith, mated in captivity

Do you remember me talking about George Jonas, one of my favorite Canadian Pundits?  Well, I did and I told you he is very good.  Click on the line in the headline to read his take on recent Chinese history.