Things of Interest

I thought I would pimp some things that have caught my interest in the past few weeks.

John Adams. This seven-part miniseries by HBO is fantastic. If one was a fan of Deadwood or Rome than one is going to like HBO's latest historical drama. (Don't fret for those that didn't like those other two shows...John Adams is free from some of the rated-R ridiculousness that alienated some people from Deadwood and Rome). Nonetheless I along with Jenny were utterly enthralled by the miniseries. Paul Gimatti and Laura Linney were outstanding as John and Abigail Adams. The guy that played Thomas Jefferson, Stephen Dillane, was simply transcendent. I had this idea of who Jefferson was and Dillane perfectly brought that image to life. The beauty of the miniseries is that it breathed fresh air into a historical era that people are familiar with (to a degree). It brought that era to life in a vivid and believable manner.

The Last Campaign: Robert Kennedy and the 82 Days that Inspired America by Thurston Clarke. The book the Last Campaign documents the inspirational and ultimately tragic presidential bid of Bobby Kennedy in the spring of 1968. That subject has always held a special place with me as its a subject that I thoughtfully researched while in college (it was my senior thesis). Ever since then RFK has become one of my favorite historical figures. There was something so honest and inspirational with his campaign that it continues to leave a strong impression on me. Clarke's book is an excellent recounting of his campaign and what it meant to the people around Kennedy but also what it meant to the American citizens that Kennedy touched. I hate to speculate how this country would have been different if Kennedy would have won the nomination and the election--mainly because it makes me sad--but there's no question that Kennedy's authenticity in dealing with poverty, negotiating peace overseas, and bringing harmony to the races would have resulted in our country being in a better place than it is now. I know...that's a pretty bold statement but the Nixon era led us down a path of so much anguish that it's shadow of disillusionment and cynicism continues to hover over the country. Click here to read an excerpt.

Working on a Dream by Bruce Springsteen.

What a shocker...

...although I would say that this album doesn't measure up to his last effort, Magic. But there are some standout tracks--besides the title track. "My Lucky Day" sounds like a quintessential 80's Springsteen rocker. "This Life" and "Surprise, Surprise" continues Springsteen's flirting with pop music. I wouldn't argue that these two songs are great but they are good tunes.

That's all for now.