Christmas Books

[atm711]

I got four books:

l. Bravura! Lucia Chase and the ABT by her son Alex Ewing

2. Thank Heaven - A Memoir by Leslie Caron

3. The Last Empress (Mme. Chiang) by Hannah Pakula

4. The Best Men's Stage Monologues 2008

I am reading the Lucia Chase book and it is fascinating reading about the demise of Mordkin and the beginnings of a new Company, and the astonishing vision of Richard Pleasant. Looking forward to every page. What interests me most about Caron is her early years with Petit. I was glad to get The Last Empress; the Times review was quite good. The Best Men's Monologues includes one by my grandson Matthew.

[Helene]

The Herbfarm Cookbook. Gastroporn at its finest.

[Hans]

I received Undimmed Lustre, Ballet 101, and the first English edition of Je Sais Cuisiner by Ginette Mathiot.

[Rosa]

I received "Cotillion" by Georgette Heyer.

[vipa]

The Ramayana in 4 paperback volumes.

Margaret Atwood - The Year of the Flood

David Foster Wallace - Infinite Jest.

Many months worth of great reading! I'm a lucky person.

[Giannina]

I got "Men and Angels, the art of James C. Christensen", "The Saint and the Sultan" and 3 knitting books. Yum! I didn't get ... well, never mind.

Giannina

[PeggyR]

Nobody gives me presents anymore because I've reached that age when everybody assumes I must already have everything I want (HA!), so my literary gifts to myself this year:

-Lynn Seymour's autobiography

-Richard J. Evans' three volume history of the Third Reich

-A couple of Georgette Heyer novels I haven't read yet - including Cotillion (after half a dozen chapters of Nazis, you really need some Georgette Heyer)

-Paul Moses' The Saint and the Sultan

-The Complete Stories of J.G. Ballard (1,200 pages: if I take this on the bus, the driver will probably charge for an extra seat)

[Helene]

Nobody gives me presents anymore because I've reached that age when everybody assumes I must already have everything I want (HA!), so my literary gifts to myself this year:

-Lynn Seymour's autobiography

This is a great book!

[Marcmomus]

Rudolf Nureyev by Julie Kavanagh

Ballet in Western Culture by Carol Lee

The Cambridge Companion to Ballet ed. by Marion Kant

Ballet and Modern Dance Susan Au

[dirac]

Good topic, atm711. I received books by Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut, neither of which I am likely to read.

I like Seymour's book, too. It's a little TMI in some places and I should have liked to hear more about the ballets and less empurpled prose about "Kenneth pressing his lips to mine" or whatever, but the book's candor is refreshing.

[bart]

Books are best, but it's safer (I think) to ask people to allow you to purchase for yourself.

Counting ballet only,

my literary gifts to myself

are:

Nancy Van Norman Baer, et al., Paris Modern: The Swedish Ballet, 1920-1925

and

Nancy Goldner, et al., The Stravinsky Festival of the New York City Ballet.

I learned about both books on Ballet Talk. A thoughtful Member was kind enough to lend me a copy of the Stravinsky Festival book, which enthralled me so much that I sought out a copy of my own.

The book about the Ballet Suedois, with 8 contributors and many illustrations, revealed a story (richly illustrated) that I knew very little about. The book about the 1972 Stravinsky Festival was a chance to submerge myself a second time into memories of one of the most powerful theatrical experiences of my life.

P.S.: Paris Modern has a good essay by Lynn Garafola, spoiled just a teeny bit for me by her apparent belief that Germany in World War One was a participant in something called the Axis.

[vagansmom]

New York by Edward Rutherford

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (per my request after reading about it here on BA

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

The Complete Novels of Flann O'Brien also per my request after reading about them here

[kfw]

I received David Bentley Hart's The Beauty Of The Infinite: The Aesthetics Of Christian Truth, and with a gift certificate I have ordered the new biography by Robin D.G. Kelley of one of my favorite jazz players, Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an Original.

The book on Lucia Chase and ABT that atm711 mentions is now the subject of an inter-library loan request.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Less than 15 minutes ago I received Marguerite Yourcenar's "MÉMOIRES D´HADRIEN" -(Hadrian's memoirs)-in its Spanish edition-("MEMORIAS DE ADRIANO). It's been more than 15 years since I read it, but I will always remember what a big impact had Antinoo's story on me. Back then I had it in its original language, but then, my french was way better than now. Visiting it again in my native language will post a real thrill. Can't wait to go home to start the reading.

[Mme. Hermine]

The Joffrey Ballet by Sasha Anawalt; I bought it for myself, does that count?

[PeggyR]

Just gave myself two post-Christmas/pre-New Year book gifts: the Jowitt biography of Jerome Robbins, and Mindy Aloff's 'Hippo in a Tutu'. The latter sounds like fun: it's about dance in Disney animation.

[dirac]

Less than 15 minutes ago I received Marguerite Yourcenar's "MÉMOIRES D´HADRIEN" -(Hadrian's memoirs)-in its Spanish edition-("MEMORIAS DE ADRIANO). It's been more than 15 years since I read it, but I will always remember what a big impact had Antinoo's story on me. Back then I had it in its original language, but then, my french was way better than now. Visiting it again in my native language will post a real thrill. Can't wait to go home to start the reading.

I've never been able to read it in anything but English, so I envy you. Great book.

The Joffrey Ballet by Sasha Anawalt; I bought it for myself, does that count?

Sure. In my experience the gift books I am usually best pleased with are the ones I buy for myself.

Thanks for posting, all.

[Helene]

The Joffrey Ballet by Sasha Anawalt; I bought it for myself, does that count?

Si, Oui, Yes! Always

[sandik]

... Ballet and Modern Dance Susan Au

I'm so glad to see this mentioned! I've used this as a primary text when I've taught dance history, and have always liked it. It's not as US-centric as some other survey texts, and there's a nice balance between general historical information and specific detail. Plus, the style is very read-able -- I think you'll enjoy it.

[sandik]

...and the first English edition of Je Sais Cuisiner by Ginette Mathiot.

Me too -- I'm really looking forward to cooking out of it!

[Ray]

A book I took out of the library near Xmas: The Lexicographer's Dilemma, by Jack Lynch. Reviewed Thursday in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/books/01....html?ref=books.

I think the thesis of the book, that "correct English" has a very recent history, might be especially interesting in light of our aesthetic conversations/debates on "correctness" in ballet styles and practice. And it's just fun to read.

For an excerpt click here.

[sandik]

A book I took out of the library near Xmas: The Lexicographer's Dilemma, by Jack Lynch. Reviewed Thursday in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/books/01....html?ref=books.

I think the thesis of the book, that "correct English" has a very recent history, might be especially interesting in light of our aesthetic conversations/debates on "correctness" in ballet styles and practice. And it's just fun to read.

For an excerpt click here.

Oh, this sounds good -- I'll scamper off and put it on my library hold list!

[Ed Waffle]

Nobody gives me presents anymore because I've reached that age when everybody assumes I must already have everything I want (HA!), so my literary gifts to myself this year:

-Lynn Seymour's autobiography

-Richard J. Evans' three volume history of the Third Reich

-A couple of Georgette Heyer novels I haven't read yet - including Cotillion (after half a dozen chapters of Nazis, you really need some Georgette Heyer)

-Paul Moses' The Saint and the Sultan

-The Complete Stories of J.G. Ballard (1,200 pages: if I take this on the bus, the driver will probably charge for an extra seat)

(emphasis added)

I look forward to reading any discussion of this amazing study--particularly the third one, "The Third Reich at War". It may be that I am simply too old or have read too much Holocaust literature over the years but Evans methodical and ultimately shattering account of the Final Solution as the Wermacht moved east was simply too much concentrated evil for me to continue reading. When I caught myself flipping through the index to find passages that described the destruction of German cities toward the end of the war in Europe--Marshall Zhukov lining up thousands of pieces of artillery wheel to wheel before beginning the final bombardment of Berlin for example--I realized that this was simply the wrong book at the wrong time at least for me.

Which is not to criticize Evans in any way--he seems know more than anyone about Europe, 1933 to 1945 and the reviewers of the entire trilogy or individual books wore out the thesarus in coming up with new ways to praise them.

[Ed Waffle]

For Christmas--although bit late with this

"Thomas Hardy: The Complete Poems"

Claire Tomalin's biography of Hardy.

"At the Hong Kong Movies: 1988 to the Handover" Paul Fonoroff

"Stardom, Italian Style" Marcia Landry

[vagansmom]

On New Year's Day, I received another book: Kathryn Stockett's The Help. It's written in first person by three different characters, two of whom are black maids/nannies in early 1960's Mississippi, and the third a young white woman who wants to write their stories. Stockett does a fine job conveying life in that era. It's her first book, so I am looking forward to equally thought-provoking books from her in the future.