As I contemplate ending my blog next year, I have to wonder whether there will be a Holiday Spectacular next year. I don't know. My reasons for ending this blog, if I do, will await that fatal day. But I started this in 2006 without any expectation it would last more than a few weeks or months, so despite the general low readership (one year it drew several thousands of page hits a month for a while, but usually much lower), I can't say it was a failed experiment and I enjoyed it.
You could certainly make an argument that the Holiday Spectacular is really not a spectacular but just a messy conglomeration of what I am thinking about in terms of the holidays and top ten lists, and you would be pretty accurate, but this blog has always been foremost about what I am thinking - its sub-heading - and if I say "Spectacular" - then that's it:
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said
in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither
more nor less.”
“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many
different things.”
“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – – that’s all.”
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
Ten Best New Books I read this year:
10. The Son by Phillip Meyers - A gift. I had not heard of it. I was pleasantly surprised by this picaresque saga of the McCullough family, starting with Eli, kidnapped by Indians in the mid-1800s and ending in modern times with the rich family matron's elderly years. It has a lot of messages, some realistic characterizations, including of Indians, the oil industry, heartbreak, family dysfunction, mental illness, genocide, coming-of-age, and so forth.
9. Cinderella Man by Jeremy Schaap. About the unlikely world heavyweight champion James J. Braddock. You can figure out what it's about by the title. Great story. Inspiring.
8. Woke Racism by John McWhorter. He's one of my favorite writers, period. Professionally a linguist, and one of my two favorite writers on that subject too, he's also my favorite writer on race issues. This one is about the new woke religion and how to defeat it. He figures, he says, that being black, he can get away with writing this common sense without being canceled.
7. Bretherton by W. F. Morris. This is a wonderful WWI novel by a veteran that is hard to even describe, but a war story and a mystery story wrapped in one. One of a kind.
6. American Dirt by Jeanne Cummins - Given to me by a very pro-immigrant family member, I expected it to be righteous, dishonest and annoying, but it wasn't at all. What it was, was a great story of a mother and son running from a cartel's leader who had murdered her husband and wanted to kill her and their child (because, you know, he loved her). It was dramatic, fun and inspiring.
5. Metropolis by Phillip Kerr - This is just one of the Phillip Kerr historical novels I read this year about Bernie Gunther, who raised in Germany, became a detective co-opted by the Nazis, who he hated, but couldn't get away from. There are a lot of great WWII novels, and he writes some of the best.
4. Nancy Wake by Peter Fitzimmons. This is a biography of a female partisan in France during WWII (she was Australian) who was unbelievably tough and effective. So much so, it makes other books I've read on women spies during the war seem tame. You read about people like this and wonder what happened to us. And it also leads us to another book on the list a couple of spots below.
3. A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard 1933-1936. Oh My God, could these two guys write. They were educated, interesting and racist by today's standards. They were also very different and would, through voluminous and often brilliantly written letters, and fight over their views, furiously, but politely. This is the second volume. It ends with a letter to Lovecraft, Robert Howard (who wrote the Conan stories, among others, if you didn't know) from Howard's father, explaining that faced with his mother's impending death, his son blew his own brain's out. I already knew what happened, but still shocking.
2. Anne of Green Gables - by Lucy M. Montgomery. Don't mock me. Wherever Nancy Wake (see two spots above) went she carried two of the books in this series - the first and third. So, I gave these books a chance knowing they were kind of young adult stories about a red-headed orphan who positively affects almost everyone around her written well over a century ago. And, like most everyone in the book, I fell in love with her. It was a better world in many ways.
1. The Collapse of the Third Republic by William L. Shirer - Most famous for his works on Germany in the 1930s-1940s like Berlin Diary and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. But this volume is on France's disastrous 20th century and particularly its embarrassingly incompetent fight and surrender to the Nazis. Learned a lot and in a sad way, enjoyed every word of it. Fascinating.
Did you know this Christmas stuff:
Charles Dickens got the idea for A Christmas Carol, easily the pinnacle of all Xmas stories, taking a walk after a charity event. He wrote the novella over about six weeks in October and November, 1843, and it came out less than a week before Christmas, almost immediately selling out. It was an immediate sensation. Dickens became, as far as we know, the first famous writer to publicly read his own work.
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Richard Wagner, that bastard, but also one of my favorite composers, was married to Minna, and actress. One of his best friends was Hans von Bulow, a famous conductor and champion of Wagner's music. His wife, Cosima, was the daughter of Franz Liszt. Despite the huge age difference and her marriage, Cosima gave birth to three children by Wagner, after which von Bulow finally divorced her, allowing her to marry Wagner (Minna had already died) in 1870. Cosima's birthday was Christmas Eve. When she awoke at Villa Tribschen in (now) Lucerne, Switzerland that Christmas Day, she was serenaded by members of a local orchestra set up on the Villa stairs. The music eventually became known as Siegfried's Idyll, named after their third child, a boy, and later, adapted, became part of Wagner's famous Ring Cycle.
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George Washington took his men on a secret mission, having them cross the Delaware River on Christmas Day night, during a raging storm, attacking Hessian unprepared and drunken troops the next morning in Trenton, gaining an overwhelming victory, before re-crossing with their prisoners.
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“It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us-the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage-may-eventually be gathered together in heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss-except the inventor of the telephone.”
Just before Xmas, Mark Twain wrote that letter to the editor of the New York World. Why did he except Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Maybe to be funny. But, also, some years earlier, Twain, had been offered lots of initial stock in Bell's company, and turned it down, instead lending money to a friend who almost immediately went bankrupt. When he wrote that letter, Twain was financially reeling. Had he bought the stock, things would have perhaps been different. Who knows? And who knows if that is why he sent Alexander Graham Bell to hell?
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Laurel and Hardy's March of the Wooden Soldiers (or Babes in Toyland) is still one of my all-time favorite movies. But, the boys also made a Hal Roach short film called Big Business which was deemed culturally significant enough to be preserved in the National Film Registry. The boys are door-to-door Christmas Tree salesman and end up in a row with a potential customer who destroys their car while they destroy his house. According to Hal Roach, he bought a vacant home to be destroyed. But, a mistake was made and the house next store was destroyed while the owners were away. True? I don't know. Stan Laurel said it wasn't. Roach says it is. It's still a good story.
Ten best all-time comedy acts
I may have actually covered this before, but my views are always changing a little. I answered a question about it on twitter recently (I finally went on this year to support Elon Musk, but it is fun - I really don't participate very much, but love the animal videos).
The hard part is putting it in order, but I am sure my rankings will change with every swift wind:
1. Bill Cosby (I know he's a rapist, but, still a great comic)
2. George Carlin (he got a little raw for me towards the end, but more than anything, his wordplay was genius)
3. Don Rickles (The king of insults)
4. Robin Williams (There is no competition for improv)
5. Richard Pryor (I have cried laughing listening to him)
6. Eddie Murphy (Ditto)
7. Burns & Allen (I love listening to the short little bits they did to close their show, usually ending with "Say Goodnight, Gracie." "Goodnight, Gracie."
8. Rodney Dangerfield (A genius of one liners)
9. Henny Youngman (The original genius of one liners)
10. Bob Hope (Thanks for the memories, Bob)
Runners-up: David Steinberg, Dennis Miller
The Christmas Song List
Every year for quite a while I present a best of Christmas song list in the Holiday Spectacular. It doesn't change much year to year, but it does a little. This is the new one:
1. Fairytale of New York. I learned recently that my favorite Xmas tune has been the most popular Xmas tune in Britain so far this century. It's about a guy in a drunk tank who is thinking about his past love who he met in New York some years ago. I guess in his mind, they both join in singing about their romance, first joyously, then insultingly. But, in the end, it's his optimism, with no reason we can see, that makes the song a tearjerker. I'd listen to it with the lyrics in hand if you have not tried it before as Shane MacGowan, the lead male singer, was probably drunk and with a tough raspy accent. Kirsty MacColl, on the other hand, sings clear as a bell. She died young in a tragic accident, but love her stuff, which I have listened to more and more.
2. New York City Christmas by Rob Thomas. Still my number 2, it's almost perfect.
3. Baby, it's cold outside. At one point it was no. 1. I still love it and it might get to be no. 1 again. The great Frank Loesser wrote it for his wife, Lynn, to sing at Christmas parties. She was furious when he sold it to the movies. The Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer version is my favorite and Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel's version next. But there are many.
4. Cool Yule. A Steve Allen song sung by Louis Armstrong. Climbed up a notch this year.
5. Game of Bells. A combination of the theme from Game of Thrones and Silver Bells by LJE, three French women, is just great.
6. All I want for Xmas is you. I love this Vince Vaughn and the Vandals one-hit wonder. It was recorded before the Mariah Carey hit of the same name.
7. Joy to the World. I still think Whitney's may be the greatest female voice I've ever heard.
8. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Like many of these songs there are many versions, but Dean Martin's is the best.
9. Linus and Lucy (from a Charlie Brown Christmas – I think of it as a Christmas song). I never get tired of Vince Guaraldi's classic piano piece.
10. The Perfect Christmas. I find Daniela Andrade's voice hypnotic. Maybe my favorite living singer. I love a lot of her songs, including her Christmas takes.
11. Oiche Chiuin (I left off the Gaelic accent marks) or Silent Night by Enya is also one of my favorites. She grows on me every year. My favorite Gaelic musician, ethereal sounding Aine Minogue, who rarely performs outside the Boston area in small venues, has a wonderful instrumental version too.
12. Christmas Time is Here. Version by the above-mentioned angel-voiced Daniela Andrade. What a talent, but she does mostly unique covers of others works and may never be as famous, no matter how enchanted I am.
13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. An oldy, but I like the Barenaked Ladies version (with Sarah McLachlan) best. I only realized recently I like a lot of their music. You have to just keep trying things, new and old.
14. Ave Maria. Christina Perri's version is her best Christmas song. Another beautiful voice not famous enough for me.
15. Adeste Fideles (Oh, Come All You Faithful), also by Enya. New to the list.
16. Noel Nouvelle by Aine Minogue is a good example of her Celtic artistry. I can listen to her all day, and though her Christmas pieces are not my absolute favorites of hers, this one still makes the list.
17. Christmas by Maria Carey. For the time being I like this one better than her All I want for Christmas is You.
18. Sometimes I have as many as three Trans-Siberian Orchestra pieces. This year just one - A Mad Russian's Christmas. They are all a little similar, but still love them.
19. From a Distance. I've said it before, I can't stand Bette Midler personally, but she's a great singer and hers is the best version.
20. Frosty the Snow Man (Jimmy Durante version ONLY).
New Music of 2022
I know a number of people like me who just enjoy music regardless of the genre, although we all have our likes and dislikes. Personally, I like a melody. Too many people I know are stuck in their genres and never even consider listening to something that's not in it. I find it a little sad, but that's me and they can do whatever they want. These below are some songs or pieces that I discovered this year that I just love. Usually I knew the composer but never really listened attentively before. I have to leave foreign accent marks out because it would be too much trouble to put them in.
Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetana
Dance of the Comedians by the same guy
A Midsummer's Night Dream by Felix Mendelssohn
Mazurek by Antonin Dvorak, whose work I increasingly admire
The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra by Max Bruch
Adela by Joaquin Rodrigo
Cristo Redentor by Donald Byrd for the movie A Bronx Tale
Forest Tale by Vesislava
Legende by George Enescu, a Romanian, the Romanian composer I was not familiar with
While my Guitar Gently Weeps, obviously by George Harrison, but absolutely loved a better version by The Jeff Healy Band, who I never heard of until this September
California Sun by the Riverias, surf music
The Spirit of Radio by Rush, not a group I was big on, but who I've listened to a bit now (not a cover band, but inspired by Yes)
God rest ye Merry Gentleman by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. The song's a classic but never heard the version before and it made my Christmas play list.
That's enough.
My own Christmas Miracle
So, anyone who knows me well knows that I don't really believe in metaphysical stuff, ghosts, ESP, faith healing, etc., though I have had some weird experiences. But, this Christmas I had a strange "coincidence" happen.
There I was, shopping a few days before Christmas. I was in a mall and spotted a jewelry store advertising crystals, which can be pretty. So, I went in. There was a young woman behind the cabinets and no one else in the store. She asked if I wanted help and I said that I was just looking. She started to show me some crystal necklaces that were pretty, maybe 20-30 in a cabinet. She started telling me about the special powers of the crystals.
I asked her if she really believed that stuff. She said absolutely and gave me her spiel. Then she asked me if I believed in things like ESP.
So, I said, no, but I'll tell you what, if you can tell me among these crystals, which one is my birthstone, I'll buy something.
She said, immediately - amethyst.
Cost me $90 bucks. Damn.
That's the spectacular. Be back next year, for a while at least.
