Wednesday Media Consumption Roundup

[mousetrappling]

Books

Fiction: Finished "Midnight Tides" Steven Erikson - which had a much darker ending than I remembered! One thing that's struck me with these recently is that although they are really rather dark there's still a lot of humour to them which helps to make it feel less crushingly awful at times, and there's also a sense of optimism about the essential nature of people (human/non-human both) - there's a fair amount of people being nice to each other despite the general dreadfulness of the world.

Started "The Bonehunters" also Steven Erikson - I think I've read this one before, tho there's a lot of stuff I don't remember at all and I'm not that far in yet, so maybe I haven't. Definitely haven't read the four that come after this one tho!

Non-fiction: Still reading "The Making of the Middle Sea", Cyprian Broodbank - just read a bit about the Hyksos, their capital at Avaris & their defeat by Ahmose I (as he founds the New Kingdom) but not from the "usual" perspective of the Egyptian idea of their history.

Shakespeare: Love's Labour's Lost: Act 4 Scene 1 - yeah, still going too slow, must up my game here.

Listening

Podcasts: ep 5.3 of the History of India - an attempt by a later Gupta family to make history rhyme and build themselves a great empire, only they don't quite pull it off.

ep 85-97 of The History of China - more of the Tang dynasty, including the reign of the Empress Wu who was the only woman to ever reign as the Divine Sovereign (Emperor) in her own right.

ep 181 of The History of Byzantium - another emperor who marries the neice of the late Basil II. No reigning in her own right here!

bonus ep of The History of England - an interview with Elizabeth Chadwick about William Marshal, about whom she's written a book (fiction, but well researched).

ep Eleanor 7 of The History of England Shedcasts - the attempt by Louis & Eleanor to support a marriage for Eleanor's sister that the Pope disapproved of, and their eventual climb down.

ep Marshal I of The History of England Shedcasts - beginning a biography of William Marshal in 15 minute chunks to go along with the Eleanor of Acquitaine one.

ep 213 of The China History Podcast - wrapping up the story of the Jewish refugees in China, as with the end of the Second World War they mostly leave again.

Music: While running I listened to Sarah McLachlan "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy", Emily Portman "The Glamoury" and The Raveonettes "In & Out of Control". To drown out the TV sounds so I could write I listened to a couple of compilations - finished off "Mojo Presents The White Album Recovered CD1" (which had a Big Linda track on it), and started "Now 29 CD1" which is full of nostalgia and will have a Big Mountain track on it.

Watching

ep 4-7 of The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas - still making us hungry, and gathering some recipes to try (tho a surprising amount contain beetroot which J is not keen on so not those ones).

ep 3 of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2018 - Alice Roberts and Aoife McLysaght finishing off the lecture series by talking about diversity within the human species, touching on a whole bunch of ethical issues along the way including whether or not one wants to find out about genetic susceptibility to different diseases. A good set of lectures, really enjoyed watching these.

ep 2 of Earth's Greatest Rivers - this one about the Nile, and the main reason I was recording the series. Less Egypt than I had quite expected, obviously it was focused on the wildlife but even so.

ep 1 of Guitar, Drum & Bass - this'll be a three part series covering the titular instruments, this one was about drums & presented by Stewart Copeland (i.e. of The Police). Interesting look through the history & impact of the drum kit on modern Western (rock/pop etc) music.

ep 2 of The Art that Made Mexico: Paradise, Power & Prayers - we'd almost forgotten we were watching this series as Christmas had gotten in the way. Glad we remembered. This episode was about art associated with power - a lot of murals featured.