Topic: What are you currently reading?

[SonicMan46]

There is presently no vaccine against plague in the US as the previous one has been discarded but there is a new vaccine in the animal trial phase currently being tested.

The following was big news to me: one of my daughters lives in a suburb of Lansing, MI which is home to MSU.
Robert Brubaker, is a Michigan State University professor known as the 'Plague guru" in the US!  a quote from Orent's book p. 37

"Brubaker was one of the first scientists in the West to discover that plague had plasmids - those extra rings of DNA outside the plague chromosome that contain some of the germ's most deadly devices." 

Anne - boy, you're really getting into this subject -    Now talking about plasmids - this stuff can really get fascinating - but for those 'new' to the unicellular organisms, bacteria are unicellular but do not have a nucleus (which in more advanced organisms contain the chromosomes); thus, the chromosome(s) simply 'float' w/i the single cell; plasmids are kind of 'accessory' DNA components that are still being investigated, so much to be learned & discovered.

Also for those who may not know 'how' ubiquitous bacteria may be - look at the quote below from Wikipedia - it is amazing how each of us are so dependent on bacteria! 

There are approximately 10 times as many bacterial cells as human cells in the human body, with large numbers of bacteria on the skin and in the digestive tract.....

[SonicMan46]

Anne - where are you?    Can't believe I was the last one to leave a post here - 

The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Blues (2005) by David Evans, who is a Professor of Music at the University of Memphis (he directs an ethnomusicology Ph.D. program there); a well recognized 'expert' in the blues as a teacher, researcher (field work), and performer - can't beat his credentials! 

About half way through this book - an excellent & short introduction - best for those wanting an 'introduction' to this music; early chapters on the history & types of blues, followed by 'very short' bios on the performers (again, fine for those not familiar w/ these performers); ending chapters on CD recommendations (again brief and basic); in addition, another chapter on further resources, i.e. books, DVDs, web sites, etc.

For those not familiar w/ this music, Evans' book is a good beginning - short & easily understood; there are plenty of other more 'in depth' & 'biographical' sources; also, recommendations for specific recordings can be started w/ Evans' listings, but more detailed books are available; suggestions: 1) All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues (2003) - ready for a new edition!; and 2) MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide (2002) - not as good w/ mixed reviews.  Also, just saw that the Rough Guide series has come out w/ a blues guide - can't comment but will check it out! 

   

[Solitary Wanderer]

Anne - where are you?    Can't believe I was the last one to leave a post here - 

The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Blues (2005) by David Evans, who is a Professor of Music at the University of Memphis (he directs an ethnomusicology Ph.D. program there); a well recognized 'expert' in the blues as a teacher, researcher (field work), and performer - can't beat his credentials! 

About half way through this book - an excellent & short introduction - best for those wanting an 'introduction' to this music; early chapters on the history & types of blues, followed by 'very short' bios on the performers (again, fine for those not familiar w/ these performers); ending chapters on CD recommendations (again brief and basic); in addition, another chapter on further resources, i.e. books, DVDs, web sites, etc.

For those not familiar w/ this music, Evans' book is a good beginning - short & easily understood; there are plenty of other more 'in depth' & 'biographical' sources; also, recommendations for specific recordings can be started w/ Evans' listings, but more detailed books are available; suggestions: 1) All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues (2003) - ready for a new edition!; and 2) MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide (2002) - not as good w/ mixed reviews.  Also, just saw that the Rough Guide series has come out w/ a blues guide - can't comment but will check it out! 

   

Thanks for the info Dave. I'm enjoying your Blues/Bluegrass/Trad. Country' journey.

I, like you, love to delve into different musical genres and buy the boxsets and books and throughly immerse myself in the culture and artists of it all. Its alot of fun and mu fave hobby

I'm currently considering the Big Bands from the 40s as my next project.

Back On Topic I'm currently reading this:



Its good but mainly reads as a long gripe about Tina Sinatra's third stepmother. Evil personified apparently. There are a number of enjoyable annecdotes too.

[SonicMan46]

Thanks for the info Dave. I'm enjoying your Blues/Bluegrass/Trad. Country' journey.

I, like you, love to delve into different musical genres and buy the boxsets and books and throughly immerse myself in the culture and artists of it all. Its alot of fun and mu fave hobby

I'm currently considering the Big Bands from the 40s as my next project.

Back On Topic I'm currently reading this:



Its good but mainly reads as a long gripe about Tina Sinatra's third stepmother. Evil personified apparently. There are a number of enjoyable annecdotes too.

Hello, SW - just re-exploring my 'other' musical interests (which I do every 3-4 years - been delayed a little because of the 'classical' music forum) - love Sinatra and have finally converted my wife over to his 'greatness' - believe she was too influenced by his background & presumed Mafia connections - don't care since the issue is his voice!    I've not read the book mentioned, but have looked @ the reviews and guess it just did not interest me.  Dave 

[Anne]

Anne - where are you?    Can't believe I was the last one to leave a post here - 


Hi!
Thank you for shedding some light on plasmids.  This second book I'm reading, Plague by Wendy Orent is more technical regarding the incredible adjustments that the plague bacterium uses to defeat man's immune system.

Before I'm finished, I'll have to draw a picture for myself.  I like the comparison of a plane coming in under the radar.  No wonder the deaths occur so swiftly!  A person is almost dead before the immune system knows there's an enemy even on the horizon!

Yops, the V antigen, Lipid A.  These plus other things have to go into the picture.  It is fascinating how Y. pestis has so many methods at its disposal for killing other cells.  It really is a professional killing machine.

I was reading the book and that's why I had not replied.

Vladimir Motin says, "Yersinia pestis is the yardstick.  It is the deadliest of all disease agents, the one by which all other germs are measured."

[rockerreds]

Paul Theroux-Fong and the Indians

[karlhenning]

Wodehouse, The Mating Season

Characteristically brilliant.

[Heather Harrison]

Last night, I read "Candide" by Voltaire.  It is quite a hilarious satire, poking fun at the overly optimistic philosophy of Leibniz and at the culture of its time.  The story sends its characters through a ridiculous array of misfortunes, with the naive Candide believing almost to the end that this is the best of all possible worlds.  In April, the University of Utah School of Music is presenting Bernstein's opera on the subject; I will be looking forward to seeing their production.  I'm glad I finally got around to reading it (somehow, I managed to miss out on it in college).

Heather

[Kullervo]

Death in Venice by Thomas Mann

 

[Steve]

You do mean, Der Tod in Venedig? You should be reading it in German 

[karlhenning]

Wodehouse, The Mating Season

Characteristically brilliant.

Told you so:

He concluded by announcing sombrely that the first item on the programme would be a Violin Solo by Miss Eustacia Pulbrook, managing to convey the suggestion that, while he knew as well as we did that Eustacia was going to be about as corny as they come, he advised us to make the most of her, because after that we should have the Kegley-Bassington family at our throats.

Except for knowing that when you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all, I’m not really an authority on violin solos, so cannot state definitely whether La Pulbrook’s was or was not a credit to the accomplices who had taught her the use of the instrument. It was loud in spots and less loud in other spots, and it had the quality which I have noticed in all violin solos, of seeming to last much longer than it actually did . . . .

[Kullervo]

You do mean, Der Tod in Venedig? You should be reading it in German 

Ich kann nicht

[Harry]

Ich kann nicht

O, reading German is nothing, writing it is horror.

[Maciek]

Told you so:

it had the quality which I have noticed in all violin solos, of seeming to last much longer than it actually did . . . .

 

[Bogey]

A short bio on Washington as we are going to make Mt. Vernon one of our stops while visiting the east coast:

[Sergeant Rock]

"...it had the quality which I have noticed in all violin solos, of seeming to last much longer than it actually did...

Must've been one of Reger's.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

Reger, at King's Deverill? I can scarce believe it! 

[Mozart]

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again


The Tempest

[M forever]

I am still reading this:



It's great, one of the best books about archaeological subjects I have read (and I have read many because that's a very strong hobby interest of mine).

[Mozart]

What's the symbol on the cover of?