Better Than Friday - 55 (Patreon)

Hidy ya'll, Happy Friday. 

Thank you for your kind support. 

1. Book in the pipeline - The Radetzky March 

A patron recently recommended this book, looks fantastic.

I don't know anything about the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but I'd very much like to. 

I need to review more history books in general. If anyone has any recommendations, I'm all ears. 

The Radetzky March charts the history of the Trotta family through three generations spanning the rise and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Through the Battle of Solferino, to the entombment of the last Hapsburg emperor, Roth's intelligent compassionate narrative illuminates the crumbling of a way of life.

-Goodreads

The one translated by Michael Hoffman (linked) has an awesome cover, BUT, there's another translated by the brilliant Joachim Neugroschel - Urgh - Decisions.

2. An interesting online course on Georges Bataille 

A friend and patron clued me into this, looks to be an extremely interesting dive into the often difficult concepts from Bataille. 

3. Tom Waits and John Lurie in Fishing with John  

"Sing with me John!"

"It's up one side and back again, along the river of men."

I always think about Tom Waits' shanty singing when I'm at a river. 

Apparently Tom Waits was so pissed at Lurie after filming this episode (getting seasick and so on) that he refused to speak to him for 2 years. 

4. John Cleese On Political Extremism 

A master of comedy with some insightful remarks. 

5. The Melvins Covering Venom's 'In League with Satan' 

My wife said she was once kicked out of Melvin's concert because she was underage and drinking out of a pitcher of beer in the front row. 

That's like the most hardcore thing I've ever heard. 

For those who haven't listened to them, the Melvins were an enormous influence on Nirvana. 

The original song by Venom is also classic. 

A discovery from that podcast I mentioned last week.   

I recently gorged myself on these beautiful blackberries during a walk on Sauvie Island.

Nothing tastes as good as fruit off the vine, and each berry seemed to taste complex and slightly different.