You Are What You Read: The First Word

The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally

Viking Books, 2007

Out of all of the mysteries of the human mind, the origination and evolution of language remains one of the most controversial and highly contested. In The First Word, Christine Kenneally provides a deft overview of this complex subject. From Darwin to Chomsky to the human genome project this story of linguistic evolution provides much food for thought.

xposted to You Are What You Read

You Are What You Read: Ormond McGill

Last weekend I re-read the late Ormond McGill's classic work Hypnotism and Mysticism in India.

Like a lot of McGill's books, HAMII is a lot of stage bunkum mixed with actual esoteric wisdom. Learn about the Indian Rope trick, thought projection, advanced yoga breathing techniques, distant mental influencing, and more!

Highly recommended.

F For Fake

The Criterion Collection recently issued an amazing 2-DVD set of Orson Welles' final masterpiece F For Fake.

This is Welles at his finest, exploring the role of filmmaker as charlatan, counterfeiter, and magician. All of Welles' films play with illusion and ambiguity but Orson was at the peak of his powers here.

Also included is the original 9 minute trailer, a masterpiece in its own right.