Smashbomb

"Despite his dodgy politics, Yeats remains an inspiration for his genius and the simple fact that the older he got, the better he wrote. “The Circus Animals’ Desertion” and “Politics”, both written while he was in his seventies, are some of the most memorable poems in the language: Now that my ladder’s gone / I must lie down where all the ladders start / In the foul rag and bone shop of the heart. Top that, young bastards."

Source

Kudos

Christiane Amanpour recommended Peter the Great: His Life and World in Books (curated)

"I try to read as much history as possible, and around Russia’s invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, I devoured this massive tome… and cheekily: I even sent the Russian language version to Vladimir Putin! He’s from St Petersburg and likes to claim Peter the Great’s mantle. The revelation is that Peter was very progressive and Westward-looking. Massie is a fantastic historian-storyteller. I’ve also read his “Catherine the Great,” and of course, “Nicholas and Alexandra.”"

Source

Kudos

CHILLFILTR (46 KP) rated Bola de Sabão by Maria Rui in Music

Jul 11, 2019

Melody wins, every time. This kind of lazy tunefulness is the mark of Maria Rui, and I would say in a larger sense, Brazilian acoustic pop itself. You will not find a deeper field of talented songwriters and effortless singers anywhere else in the world. The language is Portuguese, but the Brazilian flavor lives in the soft g sound we have in "bourgeois"; once you can pick it out it's like pepper on this gorgeous salad of notes.