The Bluestocking, vol 183

Twice the width of Mitt Romney.

Happy Friday!

This week I finished Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half Of A Yellow Sun, which I enjoyed, and which taught me a lot from about the short-lived state of Biafra; then I sampled (and swiftly bailed from) Julian Barnes’s Man in The Red Coat.

Any other suggestions for novels written after 1820 that I have missed reading, but would probably enjoy, are very welcome. NO DICKENS.

Helen

---

Jersey Boys (The Atlantic, 2012)

CHRIS CHRISTIE IS, even in moments of tranquility—of which, in his life, there seem to be none—a torqued-up, joyously belligerent, easily baited, and preternaturally exuberant son of New Jersey, so bringing him to a Bruce Springsteen concert is an exercise in volcano management. Christie, in the presence of Springsteen—whom he would marry if he were gay and if gay people were allowed to marry in the state he governs—loses himself. He is, as is well known, a very large man—twice the width of Mitt Romney—but he is a very large man who dances at Springsteen concerts in front of many thousands of people without giving a damn what they think.

Yes, it’s a bit Pravda to put pieces by your boss (recommended to you by your line manager, no less) in your newsletter, but meh. I’m watching the second series of The Sopranos right now, and so I’m up for some Jersey-based political analysis, particularly when it’s told through the medium of Chris Christie at a Bruce Springsteen concert.

---

I love this clip of Paul Simon explaining how “Bridge Over Troubled Water” arose out of a Bach chorale, gospel chord changes and a scat singer shouting “I’ll be a bridge over deep water”.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla

I have never seen a songwriter break down — note by note — the process by which he wrote a tune like @PaulSimonMusic does here with “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. (1970) What a joyful exchange. 🙏🏼 (via @jfreewright @PaulEWalsh) @openculture

And that in turn reminds me how Nina Simone builds “Little Girl Blue” out of “Good King Wenceslas” and classical progressions. (Surely there’s a podcast out there somewhere which explains The Joy of Bach for the non-musical people like me? I learned so much about music from Producing The Beatles.)

---

Quick Links

1. In 1989, a serial killer was a guest on Bullseye. He’d already killed two people, and a month after trying to win Bully’s special prize, he killed two more. Footage from the show helped witnesses to identify him.

2. This is a very heartwarming story about a guy who found a baby on the subway and adopted him with his (now) husband. Perfect if you need a pick-me-up.

3. I now wish I had used my audiobook recording as an opportunity to settle some old scores, like John Boehner has with Ted Cruz (Twitter).

4. The NYT obituary of Winfred Rembert, who survived being lynched, and became an artist.

5. I went through a real phase of watching Top Gear in the 2000s, and I loved it when Sabine Schmitz shouted at Clarkson that she could drive faster round the Nurburgring in a van. This is a great tribute to someone who truly loved what she did with her life.

6. Wayne Rooney’s son Klay dressed as Captain Sir Tom Moore. Cute or cancellable? You decide.

7. “The Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics says that when you observe or interact with a problem in any way, you can be blamed for it.” This is a useful way of thinking about the odd incentives of politics. (Jaibot)

8. The destructive culture war over “super straight”. (Atlantic)

9. I have many feelings about this, none of them good.

---

PS. I’m on Have I Got News For You Tonight, answering the meta-question: is anything about the current state of the world remotely funny?