Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The Once and Future King, by T.H. White

***

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
Camelot has come to be associated with ideas of potential, hope, and promise, but in T.H. White’s book, it’s an even more striking picture of the depravity of man. [...] 
Arthur: “I will impregnate my half sister (it’s a long story—there was witchcraft) and then ineffectually arrange for the murder of the resulting bastard child. I will also devote my life to becoming a staunch advocate for justice and no respecter of persons, except when the person in question is one of my knights, in which case I’ll totally overlook minor infractions like the slaughter of innocents. Oh, and despite Merlin’s explicit warning about my wife and BFF hooking up (and the resulting downfall of my kingdom), I will turn a blind eye to their affair and instead adopt the tried-and-true ‘La la la I can’t hear you’ approach.” 
Other knights: “We will constantly lose our tempers, go off half-cocked, and/or avenge various wrongs (real or imagined) by murdering women, bystanders, and other knights, then apologize to Arthur, who will pardon us as long as we promise not to let it happen again. Then we will totally let it happen again. Also, the only one of us who is remotely virtuous will act like a sanctimonious and self-righteous jerk who is too busy being ‘holy’ to ever actually care about another human being.” [...] 
Some utopia you’ve got there, Arthur. Yessirree.
Full review available here.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Columbo (Series)

****

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:
People take one look at the raincoat and the car, at the unprepossessing manner, and decide that Columbo is not worthy of their respect. He endures snide remarks by the boatload. The wealthy and powerful individuals involved in his cases demean him to his superiors and try to have him thrown off the case. They laugh at him to his face, and they talk to him like he’s five years old.

And how does he respond? He accepts their condescending suggestions and reprimands with humility—sometimes he even seems grateful. He is unfailingly polite and courteous, even in the face of rudeness, anger, and spite. He often acquiesces in the criticisms of others, and laughs along at jokes made at his expense, even though they are none-too-kindly meant. And it’s not because he’s oblivious to their scorn. He knows exactly what they think of him, and it doesn’t seem to bother him one particle. [...]

I wish I could say the same thing about myself. 
Full review available here.