Paul Lewing on tue 26 jul 11
On Jul 26, 2011, at 8:08 PM, Joseph Herbert wrote:
I believe I will read anything that Simon Winchester writes or has
written.
I have read the book Mel mentioned and found the story fascinating.
Me too. I just picked up "Atlantic", his newest one, from the
library. The most amazing thing about the China book is the list at
the back of all the things the Chinese have invented. It goes on for
about 5 pages. It just never occurs to you that somebody invented
something like the stirrup.
Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com
www.paullewingart.com
Joseph Herbert on tue 26 jul 11
I believe I will read anything that Simon Winchester writes or has written.
I have read the book Mel mentioned and found the story fascinating. An
unusual man, an unusual life. The domestic arrangements seemed
incomprehensible, really. I did think he was first in China in the 20's.
Proving that all those ideas really did start out in China first, even if
they weren't exploited to Western taste. Fire crackers, not machine guns,
that sort of thing.
Also, Krakatoa (big volcano), Crack in the edge of the world (San Francisco
earthquake of 1906), "The map that changed the world" (story of the first
geologic map), The professor and the Madman (a strange contributor to the
OED), and others. I confess I have not read the travel books, but I
imagine I will.
I feel the same way about james McPhee. Like all of it.
Winchester was trained as a geologist (me too) and that plays into several
of his books. Perhaps that is part of the attraction for me. McPhee was
not (I don't think) trained in geology but wrote a very nice series of book=
s
about the geology of the US.
Perhaps one of them will get the urge to write a pottery story...
Joe
Joseph Herbert
Training Developer
Steve Mills on wed 27 jul 11
A little off topic =3D20
Interestingly the Stirrup had made it to Normandy by the 10th Century.=3D20
It's the primary reason the Norman Conquest of Britain was so successful T=
h=3D
e Saxon Armies were predominantly foot soldiers, and those on horseback wer=
e=3D
riding essentially bareback so had no real purchase for mounted fighting. =
T=3D
his effectively removed any advantage they might have had.=3D20
William on the other hand had very well organised Cavalry so.......no conte=
s=3D
t!
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch
On 27 Jul 2011, at 04:47, Paul Lewing wrote:
> On Jul 26, 2011, at 8:08 PM, Joseph Herbert wrote:
>=3D20
> I believe I will read anything that Simon Winchester writes or has
> written.
> I have read the book Mel mentioned and found the story fascinating.
> Me too. I just picked up "Atlantic", his newest one, from the
> library. The most amazing thing about the China book is the list at
> the back of all the things the Chinese have invented. It goes on for
> about 5 pages. It just never occurs to you that somebody invented
> something like the stirrup.
>=3D20
> Paul Lewing
> www.paullewingtile.com
> www.paullewingart.com
Joseph Herbert on wed 27 jul 11
Thanks for the note.
I didn't recognize I was behind by two books. Ah, well.
If you have not seen that extended author interview they have on Cspan with
Winchester, it is worth looking for. He is interviewed, at least partly, i=
n
his writing area. It's about three hours. Streaming.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Winche
Joe
From: Paul Lewing [mailto:pjlewing@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 10:48 PM
To: Joseph Herbert
Cc: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: the man who loved china...
On Jul 26, 2011, at 8:08 PM, Joseph Herbert wrote:
I believe I will read anything that Simon Winchester writes or has written.
I have read the book Mel mentioned and found the story fascinating.
Me too. I just picked up "Atlantic", his newest one, from the library. Th=
e
most amazing thing about the China book is the list at the back of all the
things the Chinese have invented. It goes on for about 5 pages. It just
never occurs to you that somebody invented something like the stirrup.
Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com
>
www.paullewingart.com
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