Book Review: Judgment of Paris

I'm a bit of a foodie and, by extension, a bit of an oenophile.  Due to my literary bent, I don't just like to taste food and wine but read about them as well.  I read cook books, food blogs, magazines, and news articles.  Food writing speaks to me, where most other non-fiction doesn't.  So finding a book that combines encyclopedic information about food (or in this case, wine) with narrative drama, and I am hooked.

Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine is a bit Melvillian in its scope.  George M. Taber seeks to set the record straight on what actually happened in Paris on May 24, 1976, but along the way he encompasses the entire history of wine.  He specifically deals with the growth of the French and California wine industries, which involves a great deal of world history, economics, and climatology.  The chapters on 20th century technological advances in winemaking are very technical and at times tedious. Taber is a trained journalist and as such his narratives are gripping and draw the reader in, but his economic break down of wine trade going into the 21st century reads a bit like the Wall Street Journal: Wine Edition.  He is less than economical in his writing and strays into cliches on occasion— How many ways can one say 'from A-Z' before it becomes overly tired and trite?

As an educational book, the narrative gives the reader an impetus to read the less exciting chapters in order to get back to the main story.  As a narrative, readers could skip chapters 2, 3, 10, 17, 18, and 22 to the end.  This is merely a suggestion to anyone who finds the technical nature of the writing inaccessible.  An easier way to selectively read is to stick to chapters about Grgich, Winiarski, and Spurrier.  Alternatively, for a less than accurate portrayal of events, try watching Bottle Shock, a Lifetime-movie-esque representation of the winning Chardonnay winery.

To be clear, this book is no more inaccessible than Moby Dick or Hunchback of Notre Dame, albeit less likely to become a classic.  And with the wine industry in America booming and wineries popping up in every state, remembering the history of those early vintners is important to understanding how American wines are perceived globally.  The technical aspects, while dry, are really to help make wine more accessible to the uninitiated.

I appreciate Taber's attempt to clarify the nature of the tasting and its original goals which were more educational than competitive.  As a native Californian, I derive great satisfaction from the fact that we won.

Tweet in the New Year

Happy New Year!  I got some reading done over my holiday break, and my new year's resolution is to update more than once a month (on average, that is).

In my progression down the line of literature of questionable merit, I've gone from checkout line books and bargain books to clearance books.  The thing about consumerism is, even if it's destined to be a classic, or it is a classic, you can still find some version of it for less than $5 if you're patient.  I found Casablanca in the $5 movie bin at Walmart.  So, don't judge a book by it's price.

Instead, judge it by its reviews.  Most books only publish the most flattering segments of their best reviews on the literal first page or sometimes on the back of the dust jacket.  If the best they have are two word reviews, what you are reading is likely not the best summary of the reviewers thoughts on that book. And then there's the reviews for the book I just finished:

"Do you hear that? It's the sound of Shakespeare, rolling over in his grave." —The Wall Street Journal
"Sincerest apologies to Shakespeare, Stendhal, and Joyce: how were we to know it would come to this?" — Mashable.com
"A move likely to be greeted by book lovers with a mixture of horror and why-didn't-I-think-of-that jealousy." —Chicago Tribune

Well, the last one isn't so bad.  Clearly, this book must have to do with pop-culture and sensationalism.  Which is half right.  If you like the beyond Cliffs Notes, hyper-condensed versions of books and have a passing familiarity with the internet check out..........


......twitterature: The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less.

Seriously.  And it gets better.  This book was written (presumably on Twitter, but seeing as I don't have an account...) by two college freshmen, Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin.  Not only are they more well-read than you, they are published in a work essentially mocking how much better read they are.  'Cause really, about a dozen of the works included I had never heard of.  Then again, I'm not an English major.

It is possible to use this book to get a feel for what one of the 83 works in the book is about.  However, judging from the ones I have read, don't expect Aciman and Rensin to stick too closely to the plot.  This is after all, meant to be a humorous book.  But if you haven't read a work, don't expect to fully understand the jokes.  Along those lines, it's possible this book could promote reading. Maybe. Nah.

This book breaks all the rules conventions.  The publishing of their bad reviews only kicks off the poking fun at the establishment.  Aciman hails Napoleon as his hero, while Rensin claims a love of all things Nixon.  The book is dedicated to the victims of the Titanic.  And all that before you even get to the introduction.

It's hard to quibble with the inclusion of poetry and plays in their list of great 'books,' but the final entry was surely intended to break their own rules—Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  And, helpfully, there's a glossary at the back for the lingo you may not be familiar with.

Well, I think it's awesome, at least.  And there's a valuable lesson to be learned.  All those plans hatched in your dorm room?  Shoulda followed through. Srsly.

Recent Readings

Here's a catch-up post of what I've been reading.

Not Just a Geek
Book review of Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton

When Wesley Crusher was Put on a Bus in The Next Generation, Wil Wheaton, the actor who portrayed him, mostly fell out of the public consciousness.  Wheaton struggles to regain a reputation in Hollywood, his new hobby-turned-second-career of writing, and coping with The Wesley part of his past.  We learn what it's like to be a struggling actor, child star, stepdad, blogger, and all around geek.  Highly recommended for geek-culture enthusiasts and Trekkies, especially anyone who resented Ensign Crusher.

Inspiring Boredom
Book review of Ennui to Go: The Art of Boredom

I've been browsing the bargain section of the bookstore lately. (Pro tip: bargain hardbacks are still typically more expensive than regular paperbacks.)  Ennui to Go is in vein with the onslaught of quote and fact books that have flooded the bargain section recently.  Most of the book is quotes describing the state of boredom.  Many of the quotes attempt to pin down the causes and relievers of boredom.  One chapter lists definitions of types of boredom terms.  Another chapter lists historical people associated with boredom.  If you're interested in psychology (or philosophy), this book has some interesting insights into lack-of-interest.

Book review of 11,002 Things to be Miserable About

Not quite the bargain section, this book came from the check-out line.  This is book is exactly what it sounds like.  Composed as a stream of consciousness list, part of the fun of the book is juxtaposition (the rest is the shock factor).  One fun game to play is to come up with compelling reasons why some items might make someone miserable.  The extremely disappointing thing is that the editors failed to catch several repeating items, some on facing pages of each other.  Also, this book is not recommended for children or those suffering depression.  Highly recommended for those with macabre humors.

Here are a few examples that particularly resonated with me (from throughout the book): spam, calculus, artificial grape flavoring, being awake at 4 am, nonrecyclables in the recycle bins, vending machines that steal your money, the macarena, militant vegetarians, actors, unexamined lives, American attention spans, evolutionary explanations of love, Shakespeare translated into modern English, manual labor, daytime tv, bureaucracy, divas, work on Sundays, middle school band concerts, bad movie adaptations of good books, freezing rain, trying to sleep on a train, prequels, construction, Antigone, unpaid internships, charging for checked baggage, facebook apps, blinking in photos, books you can't finish, broken flip-flops, LA traffic, infomercials.....

Holly-days

Hollywood likes to cash in on the holidays, like any other corporate monster.  However, frequently the movies bear only a passing resemblance to the celebrations during which they are set. Here are the holidays according to Hollywood:

Jan 1—Take two Tylenol and go back to bed.  Don't worry about making resolutions; just watch a few movies and be told what to think.

Feb 2—On this day we celebrate the mystery of the passage of time and of causality itself, although a small furry creature may be somehow involved.  We are reminded that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  Resolution: be a better person.

Feb 14—Today we celebrate miscommunications and happy endings.  That guy that you think doesn't even know you exist? He totally loves you.  And you will die of old age in each other's arms. Resolution: read He's Just Not That Into You fall in love, be a better person.

March 17—This day is not largely celebrated in Hollywood since the only way in which it differs from any other day is in what color the beer is.  Resolution: find a better hangover cure.

March/April ?—Celebrates prejudice by restarting Mel Gibson's career and getting him back in the news so as to have the largest possible audience for his poor life choices.  Resolution: be a better person than Mel Gibson.

April 1—Today is the national holiday of the internet.  Rick Astley is the patron saint. Resolution: be less gullible watch more YouTube.

May 5—No one knows what this holiday is about, but it seems like a good time to be culturally aware.  And the best way is to watch Steve Martin.  Resolution: find The Three Amigos, buy a pinata.

July 4—This day celebrates victory over alien invasions, especially those covered up by the government and encourages us to demand full disclosure.  Or possibly celebrates fighting the nation we descended from. Yeah, that doesn't seem right.  Resolution: be more like Bill Pullman.

Oct 31—This day allows us to confront our fears of death thru watching supernatural beings gruesomely kill everyone. Not that far off from the real holiday, actually.  Resolution: survive till the sequel.  Alternative celebrations center around Tim Burton or Tim Curry.

Nov 5—This day centers on anarachy, revolt and explosions. (Wait, isn't this completely backward?) Also, a guy that vaguely looks like the phantom of the opera.  Resolution: research gun powder plot, be a better informed voter blow stuff up.

Nov 7—During the days leading up to this day, some people will be watching lots of documentaries.  The rest of us spend this time wishing Jack Bauer were on the ticket.  Resolution: vote for the guy who is willing to interrogate negotiate.

Nov ?—This holiday is entirely about football. Large amounts of food are cooked ahead of time so you can spend the entire day in front of the television.  Resolution: find a way for society to be even lazier and be thankful for it.

Dec 25—There is a lot of controversy around this holiday.  The mythos of talking animals, sentient ice beings, and anti-gravity has a cult following particularly strong among the vertically challenged.  The other tradition is based largely on two stories.  In one a man is woken up by four three ghosts, who show him what life will be like when he's dead.  The other... has fewer ghosts.  Resolution: give gifts to show what a good person you are, especially if you kept your resolutions.

Art vs. Craft vs. Crafts

"What is art?" is a question that every artist and critic seeks to answer.  Why are certain projects relegated to crafts, a category seemingly lower than art? 

art*—the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.


Art is concerned with aesthetics. Is it beautiful? Not all art is beautiful. Not all art is meant to be.  Does it elevate its subject? Does it draw out thought or emotion from the viewer? Art has a material value (how much it cost to make) but also intrinsic, religious, nationalistic, and psychological value.  The intrinsic value places a piece of art against the hierarchy of all other art and judges its art-ness.  By that scale, we may say that crafts have low intrinsic value, even if they possess other artistic values.


Visual arts (because music, etc. doesn't enter into a discussion of arts and crafts) have formal elements that define and regulate style which is how intrinsic value is largely judged.  The elements are composition, plane, balance, line, depth, perspective, space, shape, light, color, texture, and content. All arts and crafts will employ all of these to varying degrees.  Execution of these elements constitutes technique.  For our purposes, visual arts refers to 2D, 3D, graphic/digital art, and architecture.


craft*—an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, esp.manual skill.


By defining where crafts fall, we are  also defining a specific aspect of art: Technique vs. Creation.  Art is linked to creation/creativity, an emotional and intellectual process.  Rules of technique are bent and changed to accommodate "the artistic process."  Crafts, on the other hand, remain static once their technique has been developed (barring new technology, but that rarely changes the final look of the product).  The layout of Hobby Lobby may help discern this distinction.  The store is divided into 2 (for our purposes) major sections.  The art supplies tend to be more expensive and less likely to come with step by step instructions, except for a few books that can be purchased separately. Crafts supplies tend to come in kits or with some pieces ready made.  


A word about crafts: Many crafts, like scrapbooking, are more likely to be considered hobbies than a calling.  Groups have knitting parties or swap meets.  But we should recognize that crafts historically have more of a function than art does (architecture is the notable exception).  Many hobbies of today were the livelihoods of craftsmen in the last century even.  With the rise of the homesteading movement and the local movement (from which we get the term 'locavore'), we are seeing a recovery of craft and craftsmanship that had all but disappeared in recent decades.  And I am for this. Far from being simply kitschy, crafts teach self-reliance in an industrialized world.


*FDD: 
art, n. This word has no definition. 
craft, n. A fool's substitute for brains.

Themes of R&J as depicted in Discworld

I recently read Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals.  One of the most striking things about the book was Pratchett's retelling of various scenes from Romeo and Juliet.  And I'm not talking the balcony scene.  The most moving of the scenes was his retelling of Mercutio's death— complete with thugs, wizards,  a werewolf, and an orc. What struck me most was that by pulling out the plot and basic structure while disguising the overly familiar characters you can see the themes and tensions of the play more clearly.  I should note, this seems to work better for literature, rather than performance, where if you get to far from the original you usually impose your own themes on what is there, rather than shed light on the issues at play.  Some of the themes that came thru in Unseen Academicals' treatment of the story (which are certainly present in the original, but frequently take a back seat) are: the power of labels, the senselessness of violence/revenge, the impressionableness of children and the need for parents to set a good example (aka 'bad parenting'), and the dangers of mob rule.  Honor, familial and personal, gets a special focus, because instead of families at war, Pratchett depicts sports teams supporters.

Here's where I put specific illustrations, but I gave the book back to my dad already. So, you'll have to read it for yourself.  And, if you're a stickler for reading books in order, you'll have to read the other 30ish Discworld books that precede it.

Write It Right: The Celebrated Cynic's Language Peeves Deciphered, Appraised, and Annotated for 21st-Century Readers

Language is both a natural phenomenon and a science.  It evolves from earlier forms, and it's rules are descriptive rather than proscriptive, like physics.  But unlike physics, the rules change. More like biology, then, especially ostriches and bats.  The point is language rules never apply 100% of the time.  And there may be a time when a rule ceases to exist altogether.  Will/shall usage used to be a big deal grammatically, but when was the last time you used shall except for a conscious effect?

Ambrose Bierce, of The Devil's Dictionary fame, was a usage critic on top of being a journalist and satirist.  In his 'blacklist', Write It Right, he lists his grammatical pet peeves.  Last year, Jan Freeman, a modern usage critic, "appraised and annotated" Bierce's famous list.  I stumbled on this book in Barnes and Noble and jumped for joy that my favorite cynic had another volume to add to my library that I hadn't previously heard of.  I didn't expect my entire view of how language evolves to be shaped by this book, but I am now an aspiring usage maven.

Most of Bierce's entries are, for various reasons, now obsolete. Bierce resists slang, particularly anything commercial (paying your dues) or American, which was seen as less refined than British English by American scholars of his day.  And many of his peeves appear to be unique to him and have no basis in traditional grammar rules.  Bierce spends most of his time trying to pin a single exact meaning for each term and to expurgate all other meanings under the banner of clarity. (See first example.)  Each entry lists the word Bierce is banning, usually as a substitute for another word—wet for wetted (Bierce believes in regular past tense forms ending in -ed.) Next he provides an example in quotes (which sometimes illustrates something entirely different).  And if he felt it necessary, a diatribe on what is wrong with the example.  I have listed Bierce's entry in bold following the style of the book.  Following each entry, Freeman describes the history of the usage Bierce condemns—what etymological dictionaries say, usage by creditable authors, and how the argument stands today. Frequently she analyzes Bierce's reasoning and makes fun of him. A very few entries—Authoress and Former—get wholesale agreement from Freeman. Here are my favorite examples, illustrating Bierce's whim and Freeman's wit and wisdom:

Space for Period. "A long space of time." Space is so different a thing from time that the two do not go well together.
If Bierce had been reading physics, instead of news of the war in Mexico, he might have heard of "the space-time manifold of relativity" before he disappeared around the end of 1913. If he had lived another few years, the OED would have published the S volume, showing that space had meant "duration, period" even before it meant "extent, area," and that both senses were current in the 14th century. Bierce being Bierce, he would probably have concluded that the 14th century needed a good editor; but "space of time" is so natural that even Bierce, not surprisingly, used expressions like "a moment's space" in his published work.

Over for About, In, or Concerning. "Don't cry over spilt milk." "He rejoiced over his acquittal."
Over had been used in this way since Old English, but what was good enough for King Alfred, William Caxton, Shakespeare, and Hardy was apparently too imprecise for Ambrose G. Bierce.

Finally, some vocab you'll run across in this book that made this non-maven's head spin:

solecism— a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage
neologism— a new word, meaning, usage or phrase
maven— a person who has special knowledge or experience, an expert
pleonasm— the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy
shibboleth— a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth
lexicography— the writing, editing, or compiling of dictionaries
etymon— an earlier form of a word in the same language or an ancestor language