A few weekends ago, my wife (easily) convinced me to go watch a film in Paris. More precisely, an extensive interview, about Jim Harrison as the film was soon to be retired from cinemas. This was the first time I was going back to a cinema since Nomadland, last June. I am unsure the film, Seule la Terre est éternelle (Only Earth is forever) is shown anywhere but France as the film producer François Busnel is French (if the dialogies are in English). Anyway, this is quality time spent with Jim Harrison, a few months before he died, listening to him talk or mostly monologue about everything, from food to life and death, and World literature, obviously! In a very homely way, at his desk, driving (enormous) truck or around meals. In a way, there is nothing extraordinary about what he discusses, it could almost be the guy next seat in a remote pub or bar, going a wee bit sentimental after one drink too many. And the way the sessions are separated by long shots of sunset over Western landscapes and other terrific views is somewhat cheesy. Still, I enjoyed the time spent with him there, connecting with his books and the ever present spirit of wilderness and beauty, despite the often sorry live of his characters, suited to the It’s a good day to die motto. In an impressive bonhomie that hides his immense culture (as when he starts talking about Stendhal and Rabelais) and kind remembrance of others, except when expressing incomprehension at being sometimes compared with Hemingway (which is indeed absurd in their opposite relation to Nature, if not to drinks!). I’ve read that 75% of the film viewers (in France) have not read any of his books (but may some have watched Legends of the Fall), which I find harder to understand, but for his readers this is a treat. Plus, the long ride through the Western States, from Montana down to Arizona, was far from unpleasant as it reminded us of this great trip around Yellowstone we took ages ago.
Archive for Wild West
seule laTerre est éternelle
Posted in Books, Kids, Mountains, pictures, Travel with tags automated document analysis, documentary, Jim Harrison, Legends of the Fall, Montana, Rabelais, Stendhal, United States of America, Western film, Wild West, Yellowstone national park, Yellowstone River on May 18, 2022 by xi'anShadows of Self [book review]
Posted in Books, Kids, Statistics, Travel with tags alloy, Brandon Sanderson, candy, Mistborn, Shadows of Self, Statistics, steampunk, Wild West on April 8, 2017 by xi'an
“He’d always found it odd that so many died when they were old, as logic said that was the point in their lives when they’d the most practice not dying.”
Now this is steampunk fantasy, definitely! With little novelty in the setting of the universe. If mixed with a Wild West feeling, though, just like the half-made World …
“Mirabell had been a statistician and psychologist in the third century who had studied why some people worked harder than others.”
Actually, this is the same universe as The Mistborn trilogy, but 300 years later,which allows for some self-referential jokes and satire. Including the notion that the current ruling class could be exactly what the heroes of The Mistborn had fought against!
“Not guns,” Wayne said with a grin. “A different kind of weapon. Math.”
More precisely, this is the (a?) sequel to the Alloy of Law, which I had almost completely forgotten, unlike The Mistborn trilogy, which does not help with the reading as the book refers rather insistently to this Alloy of Law!
“Sir, you said you hired me in part because of my ability to read statistics.”
Nonetheless, it is an interesting plot, with a very nice ambiguity of the main characters, who (again) often feel they may be closer to the dictature that set The Mistborn revolution than to the revolutionaries themselves! And one of the heroes is a statistician (as obvious from the many quotes around!).
“Wayne felt a disturbance stir within him, like his stomach discovering he’d just fed it a bunch of rotten apples. Religion worried him. It could ask men to do things they’d otherwise never do.”
In short, good story, nice style, entertaining dialogues: perfect [mind-candy] travel novel!
