From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V2 #159 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Wednesday, September 17 2003 Volume 02 : Number 159 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 14:20:41 -0600 From: "Eric Samuelsen" Subject: [AML] Review: Berlin in New York This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see a showcase performance = in New York of Berlin, a new musical by a very promising young LDS = artist, Erik Orton.=20 Before I tell you about it, a few disclaimers are in order. Erik Orton = is a former student of mine, and I led an intensive WDA workshop of = Berlin while he was here. In addition, he and I have begun a = collaboration to turn my play A Love Affair With Electrons to a musical. = He's a wonderful guy, an absolute credit to BYU and to the Church. = Although I don't want this to be a 'proud papa' type review, I do sort = of feel like a proud papa. I couldn't be more thrilled for him, and I = wish the show the best.=20 Having said that, I must also say that Berlin remains a work in = progress, with some genuine strengths and weaknesses. =20 It's set in Berlin immediately following WWII, and deals primarily with = the Berlin airlift of 1948. It essentially interweaves four story = lines, three historical and one fictional. First, it describes the = career of Ernst Reuter, the first mayor of Berlin. Second, it deals = with the Berlin airlift itself, and especially the efforts of General = William Tunner, who was the main logistical genius that made the airlift = possible. Third, it talks about the Soviet General Sokolovsky, whose = family died in Stalingrad, and who consequently has become ideologically = intransigent, and finally, the one fictional story, follows a young = German woman, Stephanie Herzfeldt, who is raped and impregnated by a = Russian soldier, and who subsequently struggles to survive and provide = for her child in the bombed out rubble of a ruined city. She eventually = meets and falls in love with an American pilot, and that becomes the = main romantic subplot of the second act. =20 As I describe the plot of the play to you, it occurs to me how many = right choices Orton has made. First of all, I like the decision to = focus on Ernst Reuter, a fundamentally decent man in an indecent time. = Reuter was a former communist who rejected Naziism, fled Germany a step = ahead of the SS, lived in exile in Turkey during the war, then returned = to Berlin, where he ran for mayor. As such, he embodies a number of the = political contradictions and tensions of the era, while also providing the play with a powerful and = compelling protagonist. What does it mean to serve as Mayor of a city = not only lacking water, electricity, or working sewage lines, but with = hardly a single standing building or cleared road? And yet, Reuter = coped. =20 The Herzfeldt storyline is also well chosen. The story of Berlin in = 1945-48 is primarily a story about politics, but a story in which the = political became personal in ways I can barely comprehend. To see = politicians making decisions and then to see the impact of those = decisions on the lives or ordinary people makes for compelling drama. Unfortunately, neither of these storylines is explored as fully as they = might have been. Reuter would be more compelling if we actually saw him = do more. For example, Tunner decides Berlin needs a third airfield. We = see him decide that, and we see Reuter working alongside Berlin citizens = to build one. What we don't see is Reuter working as a leader to get it = built. We don't see politics working. Nor, for that matter, do we get a = sufficient sense of Stephanie's day to day struggle to survive. And I = don't care the romantic subplot, but when have I ever? Let's face it, it's not even possible for us to imagine the tangled = politics of Berlin in the forties. Here's a city run by four foreign = nations, each of which 'controls' one sector. And it's basically an = island city, smack dab in the middle of East German, which is Soviet = controlled. French, American, British and Soviet military commanders = had to unanimously agree on ANY action taken by ANY of them. They all = know that power has to, at some point, be transferred back to some = German. But it can't be just any German; it has to be someone who they = ALL can trust, who can work with all of them, and who, most important of = all, wasn't a Nazi. Erik suggests some of the political complexity of = the time, but it really doesn't get explored anywhere near enough. To some degree, in fact, the politics of this piece mirror the politics = of another great musical, Les Mis. Let's face it, Les Mis is = politically na=EFve. A group of young student revolutionaries, who are = Good because they're Idealistic, lead a foolish and ill conceived = revolt, and are mostly slaughtered. It's all very Good guys/Bad guys, = and it doesn't stand up to much scrutiny. Les Mis is still a great = musical, because there are other dramatic values than political ones at = which it excels, but purely politically, it's na=EFve. =20 Well, Berlin is sort of like that, only in Berlin, ca. 1945-48, politics = was EVERYTHING. Frankly, Berlin feels more than a trifle jingoistic. = The Russians are villainous and the Americans are heroic. Now, let me = quickly add that the Berlin airlift WAS an American a moral triumph. = Heck, we fed and clothed the people who had been our bitter enemy. But = our actions were not purely altruistic; we were seeking strategic = advantages too, no less than the Russians were. Besides, when you see the good people of Berlin singing about how = they're rejecting the communists, it's difficult to silence the nagging = voice in the backs of our heads which point out that the very essence of = Naziism was the rejection of Communism. And so we want at least some = acknowledgment of German national guilt in bringing the architects of = the Holocaust to power, or in permitting it to happen. =20 I find myself wondering if there's something in LDS culture that helps = explain the political naivete of the piece. Do we not do politics well? = Perhaps we overemphasize the notion that 'good and virtuous men' work to = defeat 'wicked and designing men,' and miss the very essence of = politics, which is flawed men of differing opinions trying to = compromise, so that solutions can be found to fix things, help, get = water running and roads built. =20 All in all, it was an engaging evening in the theatre. The house was = mostly full. I'm thrilled for Erik and his cast, and am rooting, of = course, for some producer to pick it up for Off-Broadway. The play was = well directed and acted, and Erik's music is lovely. I especially like = the final love song, "Love has no borders," though not the love scene it = supports. =20 Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 15:45:37 -0600 From: "Eric Samuelsen" Subject: RE: [AML] Convictions of Otherness I did indeed read, and glowingly review Lamb. I also left my copy = laying around the house, where my seventeen year old daughter got ahold = of it and read it. She loved it too, and felt that it genuinely = strengthened her testimony. =20 Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 07:51:09 -0600 From: "Kim Madsen" Subject: RE: [AML] Death of the Road Show? In response to Tracie's questions, D. Michael writes: Because cultural activities have the risk of introducing thought into people's minds, and that can be a dangerous thing. Basketball can't do that. It may cause swearing, vicious anger, hurtful comments, and gross unsportsmanlike conduct, but at least no dangerous thinking will occur. No, I'm not being facetious. I'm serious." And just as seriously, you're assigning too much forethought into the process. Sports will always be more interesting to the majority of men in the world, not because of any religious or moral agenda, but because their brains are hardwired to enjoy grunting, sweating, vicious anger and any form of socially acceptable aggressive behavior. Doesn't make men beasts, but it's just the way it is. And because most men find sports very interesting and fulfilling, in their various callings as leaders of our wards and stakes, sports will assume a place of major importance for them. Or not, as the type of leadership changes...In our area, church sports has kind of dwindled to an occasional game of pickup basketball for Young Men's now and again. When my son, now 22, was a teen, that's all the YM did every week--play basketball. He lost interest and quit going for the most part. Sports isn't real high on the agenda of our ward and stake leadership. Many of them are very involved at the high school and community level with sports organizations. Maybe that fills their need and the church level would just be too much time. Another juxtaposition of male/female approach to sports/fitness: A few older (than teenage) guys get together each morning to play at 6:00 AM at the stake house. It's their way of "staying in shape". At the other wardhouse in our stake, women gather to do aerobics, yoga and other forms of exercise. Many men have been sidelined over the years with twisted ankles, pulled groins, etc. The women, on the other hand, have been exercising for 10 years with no mishaps. See what testosterone-fueled competition will do for you? Push you past the point of sanity. Bottom-line, I think, in general, sports have historically held a place of importance in the church social structure, because men organize the church and sports are important to most men. During the 60's & 70's, girls were paid more attention to by the organizers of it all, and sports programs for YW came into being. Now in the early 2000's, in our stake at least, sports for girls are only given a minimal nod, since the girls that are really into sports can't play on the stake/ward level--not because of any guidelines the church may have, but the schools around here have strictures for their team members. Which means the girls who don't participate in sports at school are the ones left to make up church teams, and guess what--not many of them are interested. The program dwindled and died because of lack of interest. Once in a while the stake will attempt to organize a sports night or three day competition in softball or something, but generally wards end up combining to field teams. In our ward, we don't even have a sports director at any level--YM, YW, general or otherwise. My experience tells me the days of glory for church ball are over. I live in Utah. Anyone's experience different? Kim Madsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 09:18:27 -0600 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: [AML] Interesting Thing Following is a little literary curiosity: you can raed tihs wtihuot a plrobem Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 13:32:37 -0600 From: "Paris Anderson" Subject: Re: [AML] Death of the Road Show? RE: One tiny question, though; is our culture getting preachier? I mean, = Lisa says most of the units in her stake went the heavy didactic route. = That did happen in my experience, but it wasn't the norm. Are we = getting more afraid of something that's mostly just fun? Eric Samuelsen Marsha, Marsha, Marsha Steed: I think. . . that we don't trust one another's intellect, I think people are lazy. Didactic is easy. It doesn't any effort to solve problems. The writers aren't being preachy. They are just getting they manuscript done with the least effort they can. Paris Anderson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 14:20:08 -0600 From: Ivan Angus Wolfe Subject: Re: [AML] SF versus SciFi > SF stands for *real* science ficition, the kind real science fiction > writers write. Scifi is the kind of pseudo science fiction that is > currently at play on the TV star trek shows. It is relatively simple to > tell the difference. In Scifi, the science fictional elements are thrown > in for background or atmosphere. Real Science Fiction (SF) are stories > which, if you took out the science ficitonal element, there would be no > story. > > Thom Of course, I don't buy into the distinction, because in my experience, all the SF/SciFi dichotomy means is "SciFi is Science Fiction I don't like and SF is the stuff I do like." I use SF and SciFi interchangeably myself. It's all good. - --ivan wolfe - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 20:02:50 GMT From: "Jeffrey Needle" Subject: [AML] LARGEY, _Book of Mormon Reference Companion_ (Review) Review Title: Book of Mormon Reference Companion Author: Dennis L. Largey, General Editor Publisher: Deseret Book Year Published: 2003 Number of Pages: 850 Binding: Hardback ISBN: 1-57345-231-9 Price: $49.95 Weight: 5.5 lbs Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle Astute readers will note that I've added a new line to the review header above. Potential buyers of this book should be aware that they will be purchasing nearly 6 pounds of book. Weighty? You bet. The real question - -- is it worth its weight? Depends on what you're looking for. "Book of Mormon Reference Companion" is a massive, thoroughly researched, and beautifully presented single-volume guide to the Book of Mormon. Every person, every place, every thought, every idea introduced, or referenced, in the Book of Mormon, can be found in this book. The articles are remarkable for their completeness as well as their economy of language. A list of contributors is included. Of the 111 listed, 95 are associated with BYU. If this skews the ideological bias of the book, at least the reader is aware of the orthodoxy of the writers. And in an age when so many books on the Book of Mormon are coming off the presses, it is helpful to know up front the bias of the book. Contents Several helpful articles open the volume. "The Book of Mormon: An Overview and Introduction," sets forth to the reader the centrality of the Book of Mormon in the life of the Latter-day Saint: The Book of Mormon is the word of God. The Lord God is its author. It is truly, as Joseph Smith the Prophet explained, the "keystone of our religion" -- the keystone of our witness of Christ, the keystone of our doctrine, the keystone of our testimony (Benson, Conference Report, 1986,4). It has been delivered by a gracious Lord to a generation that desperately needs it; it was sent forth with the Bible to confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace among the people of God (2 Ne. 3:12); it speaks peace and joy to the soul. It can and should serve as a quiet, steadying influence in the lives of those who know of its truthfulness. Often longings for another time and place, those vague but powerful feelings that one has "wandered from a more exalted sphere" (Snow), are satisfied and soothed when reading the Book of Mormon. Reading it is like coming home. It is a gift of God that he expects his children to receive, understand, and experience. (p. 6) I cite this, at length, for several reasons. First, let there be no mistake: the contributors, and the general editor, are true believers in the highest sense. By naming God as the "author" of the Book of Mormon, the editor takes a stand that some may find difficult. What exactly does it mean to call God the "author" of a book? Does it advocate a "dictation theory" of translation? Is there a sense of "inerrancy" being described? But a reading of the above cite from page 6 expresses more than just a categorical stand concerning Book of Mormon authorship. It demonstrates a genuine love, perhaps a consuming love, for the book, and advocates its centrality to all of life. With such a passion, one can understand, and perhaps excuse, the occasional exuberance expressed by the contributors. "The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon" follows the introductory essay. The story told is familiar, and serves as a good summary of the story as it has come down to us. Next is the "The Structure of the Book of Mormon." I thought this essay deserved more time, and better graphics. The issue of the interplay of the various plates and editing processes can be a confusing matter to many. This essay serves as a starting point for further study of this subject. We now come to the body of the book itself. Topics are arranged alphabetically, with each section headed with a verse from the Book of Mormon, with a prominent word in that verse highlighted. Alma 14:25-26 heads up the "A" entries, with the word "Alma" highlighted. It is esthetically pleasing. The articles themselves fall into several categories. Very brief entries, for example "Mulek, land of," contain just enough information to acquaint the reader with the concept, and then sends the reader to the scriptures, or to other articles in the book, for further enlightenment. Longer articles follow a pattern: the first paragraph offers a succinct summary of the entry. Subsequent paragraphs enlarge upon the subject, often branching off to other articles. When appropriate, maps, graphs and other graphics accompany the article. Extensive bibliographies at the close of many articles give the ambitious student an opportunity to explore the topics more deeply. Some of the entries are massive, with numerous sub-entries. Consider the general heading "Book of Mormon." It spans pages 98-168, and encompasses 29 subheadings. While some may consider this excessive, I found this helpful when trying to find specific information on a topic. Articles that deal with a one of the books that comprise the Book of Mormon are accompanied by a helpful summary chart of the that book. Readers can benefit from getting a bird's-eye view of the text, followed by detailed study. Pages 344-400 deal exclusively with the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon. Multiple comparison charts and chapter summaries enlighten the text. And, uniquely, the section ends with two maps of the Holy Land, identifying place names mentioned in the Isaiah chapters. With each identification of an Isaiah chapter, a comparison chart is given listing selected variants between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Inasmuch as the Book of Mormon is "another testament of Jesus Christ," one would expect a substantial section on the subject. Pages 449-463 present a nice Book of Mormon Christology, incomplete in its reflections of earlier Mormon Christologies, but sufficient to instruct in the current thinking. Included is a lengthy list of the titles of Jesus Christ used in the Book of Mormon, along with relevant references. The section on Lehi (pgs. 506-518) is a good example of how the editors categorized and systematized their study. I'd like to focus on this chapter as instructive and indicative of the whole work: Beginning with "Lehi" (with a 1 superscripted, indicating the first Lehi to appear in the Book of Mormon), we are given an economical, but fairly complete, biography of the prophet, with reflections on his teachings and his impact on his family and his other contemporaries. Following this is a section titled "Summary of major teachings," wherein we are given a listing of Lehi's teachings, and the relevant Book of Mormon references. References to the three other Lehis are then given, along with a brief discussion of the lost Book of Lehi. Special articles are offered covering Lehi's dream and Lehi's journey to the promised land. By assembling the various Lehis, along with phrases that mention Lehi and that are likely familiar to an LDS audience, the reader can gain a top-down perspective, a deeper understanding of the text. Several appendices close the book. First, Appendix A, "Study Guide to the Book of Mormon," is a unique two-part synthesis/cross-reference. Part 1, "Readings in the Book of Mormon," divides the book into thematic groupings of chapters, and lists the articles relevant to those chapters. As an example, under 3 Nephi 1:10 we find the following: Nephi, third book of Lachoneus(1) Giddianhi Nephi(3) Epistles Signs Gadianton robbers Pride In this way, a student reading through the Book of Mormon is made aware of prominent themes in the section he or she reading. The second section, "Subject Groupings," likewise directs the reader to specific articles, but are arranged thematically. Appendix B, "Statements About the Book of Mormon by LDS Church Leaders," compiles such statements by leaders past and present. Appendix C, "Definitions From Webster's 1828 *American Dictionary of the English Language,*" offers selected definitions that the editors thought helpful in understanding the vocabulary and usage of Joseph Smith's time. A general index closes out the book. Evaluation Let me say first that I am impressed with this volume. The contributors have demonstrated a desire to produce a single volume reference work that most every student and/or teacher of the Book of Mormon will find helpful. And given the need for enrichment and depth of study, this volume is most welcome. If you're looking for a critical approach to Book of Mormon studies, this isn't it. The underlying assumption behind the book is that the Book of Mormon is truly scripture, truly history. The question is not whether the book is true, but rather how this true book can be read, appreciated, lived and loved. And while the speculative is avoided, the articles contain both depth and breadth sufficient to satisfy the curious student. And, in delivering clear explanations for Book of Mormon concepts, this book becomes a valuable sourcebook for teachers, whatever their level of expertise. I do have one complaint. This is a very heavy book. I can't see folks toting this around to class or to a study. Of course, when you're producing such a massive volume, this is to be expected. In this day of computers and the internet, a CD containing the text of the book would have been a real gift. I currently use the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible in my personal study. The publishers wisely included a CD of the translation with each copy, making it more likely today's students and teachers will use it in study. A CD of the "Book of Mormon Reference Companion," included with the book, would have greatly enhanced its usability in teaching situations. Potential purchasers will have to weigh the $50 price tag against their desire for such a reference work. Considering the amount of information offered, it seems a good deal to me. Given the volume's stated purpose -- a faith-promoting, dependable, and complete reference guide to the Book of Mormon -- one would be hard pressed to argue that it doesn't meet its goal. I am very pleased with this book, and happily recommend it. - ----------------------------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 13:25:01 -0700 From: Jeff Needle Subject: Re: [AML] AML-Review Archives Update As always, I'll be glad to take a look at it. It may be that other reviewers may want the book. But if not, here's my info: Jeffrey Needle 566 Naples St. #229 Chula Vista, CA 91911 Take care. At 03:27 AM 9/13/2003, you wrote: >I should say I just RE-joined the list, because I lurked for a while >before my book was published. I offered the PDF version, because I can >send it direct. If you request a bound review copy, I can forward your >request to the publisher, and MAYBE they'll send a copy. We can give it a try. [snip] - ---------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com jeffneedle@tns.net - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 14:51:43 -0600 From: Margaret Young Subject: RE: [AML] The Critic's Obligation Jeff, could you please supply all the authors on this list with your contact information--home address, etc.? Is there a specific time when you're open to visits? Is a photo adequate in case we can't get to your place in person? Could we maybe organize a reviewers/authors party where we play some really cool games like tearing off squares of toilet paper and telling one interesting fact about ourselves per square? P.s. You know I love you. (Not a joke.) ________________ Margaret Young 1027 JKHB English Department Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602-6280 Tel: 801-422-4705 Fax: 801-422-0221 - -----Original Message----- I'll reveal something here that is a bit embarrassing, but nonetheless true. I have a tendency to be more sympathetic in my reviews if the book came directly from the author. [snip] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 16:04:33 -0500 From: "Walters, Isaac C" Subject: [AML] Form and Content in Theatre (was: Doctrine and Cultural Filters) The discussion about Doctrine and Cultural Filters spurred me to share = some of the thoughts I have been having about my own work as a Mormon = theatre director. So while this is not a direct response to earlier = posts, please allow me to share some thoughts, mainly so I can get your = insights. Please forgive me if I stray slightly from the mainly = literary thrust of the list to explore some performance issues. As a Mormon theatre director, I feel compelled to find a way of creating = theatre that comes out of who I am, both culturally and doctrinally, as = a Mormon. So I ask a lot of people (including members of this list): = "What is Mormon theatre? How do you create it?" Not surprisingly, many = of the answers I get are about content. If a play is about Mormons or = Mormon issues or by Mormons then it is Mormon theatre. As a director I have to question that because all of my training is in = form. As a graduate student, my teachers and colleagues could care less = about the content of the material I presented. They only cared if I = presented it in an engaging and innovative manner. And yet as a good = Mormon who knows that "every thing which inviteth to do good, and to = persuade to believe in Christ . . . is of God", I cannot accept form as = the end all and be all of Mormon theatre. The answer, of course, is that form and content must complement each = other. Either by itself is not enough. And yet, as I look around at = what little of theatre I can see in Mormondom I find that everywhere = people are concerned about content, but put it in a form (borrowed from = the artistic world around us) that contradicts gospel principles as I = see them. Let me give an example. The principle way of thinking about acting in America, and consequently = in the Mormon world, is based on the work of the Russian director = Stanislavski. He says that it is the job of the actor to "become" = another person or character, to transform themselves both inside and out = until they are no longer themselves but some one else. All of his = training techniques are to help actors accomplish that goal. However, = he recognizes that inherent in this desire is an element of deception. = The actor is not someone else, they are themselves. He justifies this = deception by saying that the actor is trying to express a higher "truth" = about the human condition. However, this deception is blasted by later = theatre makers such as Brecht and Grotowski who attempt to create new = (and they believe more truthful) forms for their content. I have heard many justifications for Stanislavski's premise by Mormon = actors--that it creates empathy for other people, that it is a gift for = an audience, or even repeating Stanislavski's claim to a higher truth. = I can see the value and even the validity for each of these arguments. = My concern is that I do not find any discussion or concern about the = inherent deception that is the basis for this way of working. As = someone who is attempting to be "truthful in all my dealings with my = fellow man" I question if this is the best form for gospel content. A few years ago I got together a group of people to try to create = different forms, different ways of thinking about acting and theatre, = based on our understanding of the gospel. As we began, we created a = series of working assumptions for ourselves. They are: 1. The goal of theatre is to create Zion, the City of Holiness, the = perfection of Beauty, where the people are of one heart and one mind, = and dwell in righteousness; and there are no poor among them. 2. The way we invite the Spirit of God onto the stage is through the = use of our souls, which are composed of our minds, our spirits, and our = bodies. Of those three the easiest to control is the body. 3. Our personal spiritual lives outside the rehearsal room radically = effects our ability to bring the Spirit of God into the rehearsal and = into performance. 4. The way to a deeper spiritual place is by asking questions and = believing answers will be revealed. 5. Lying automatically drives the spirit away. Therefore, acting based = on deceit will drive the spirit away. Everything that happens on stage = must be real. 6. Moral agency is a fundamental part of our Heavenly Father's plan. = Mankind must be free to choose for themselves how they will act and how = they will respond. Theatre and acting must ensure that agency for the = audience. To that original list I would add: 7. Acting is a response to the other people with whom we are creating: = the other performers, the author, the director, and the audience, etc. So I put these assumptions to you Mormon minds out there. As I look for = new forms to match the content of the gospel, am I on track? Or is = there something fundamental that I am missing? Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Isaac Walters Resist what resists in you, become yourself. --The Mahabharata - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 14:48:34 -0600 From: Margaret Young Subject: RE: [AML] Gloria International Film Festival Lineup One slight correction to Thomas Baggaley's post on the Gloria Film Fest. Wayne Lee is one of two co-producers of _Elevehtn Hour Laborers_, which Richard Dutcher is directing. The other producer is Robert Foster. We're excited about what has already been filmed. I'm planning on putting more information in _Irreantum_. ________________ Margaret Young 1027 JKHB English Department Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602-6280 Tel: 801-422-4705 Fax: 801-422-0221 - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 17:11:46 EDT From: JanaRiess@aol.com Subject: [AML] Definitions of Knowledge In a message dated 9/16/03 2:57:52 PM, owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com writes: >NPR's Weekend Edition has been running occasional interviews with one A.J. >Jacobs, who is reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. He is introduced >as questing to become the world's "smartest man." This is nonsense. He >could >perhaps become the world's "most informed man," and a champion Jeopardy! >contestant, but this is only peripherally related to wisdom or even general >intelligence. I vaguely remember from college that there are two separate words for knowledge in Greek -- gnosis, and then another word that is best translated "practical wisdom." I don't remember what that word was, though, and I'm not sure what that says about my knowledge OR my wisdom. Anyone know? Jana Riess - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 14:46:59 -0700 (PDT) From: "R.W. Rasband" Subject: Re: [AML] The Value of Reading? I'm feeling pessimistic today, so take this with a grain of salt. During the 20th century the Germans were known as the most culturally advanced nation in the world. Their art, science, literature and music led out. Everyone knows Beethoven, Mozart and Bach. You've heard of Kant and Goethe, even if you have never read them. Expressionism was a tremendously influential style of art. Literate people are aware of Einstein and Heisenberg. And yet look where it led them. Remember the scene in Spielberg's "Schindler's List" during the liquidation of the ghetto when a German officer pauses from his machine-gunning of Jews to play a gorgeous piece of classical music on a stray piano. Hugh Nibley served his mission in Germany and believed ever afterward that for all of its culture it was the birthplace of the materialistic, exclusively secular modern world. A world where people are treated not as children of God but as raw material for experimentation. Art and literature, I have come to believe, do not help you if you are not also seeking the spirit. Indeed, they make some people worse. Hitler adored Wagner's operas. Reading must always be accompanied with prayer and humility. (End of sermon.) R.W. Rasband Heber City, UT rrasband@yahoo.com - --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 16:28:50 -0600 From: "Paris Anderson" Subject: Re: [AML] Introduction: Tequitia Andrews Maybe I didn't explain very well, Tequitia. I'm a lily-a**ed Mormon boy. My ancestors were pioneers and all that. I've done everything Mormon--mission, temple, etc. I go to Church, and I can't understand what the hell they're talking about. Maybe I got so bored hearing the same stuff over and over that I made myself deaf. Maybe I decided the things I hear at Church and in "Mormon Society" are so far from the truth of my life that I won't listen. Whatever the reason I have to study spiritual literature of other faiths or societies in order understand myself and feel connected. They teach a lot of the same truth we teach in our Church, but they use a slightly different vocabulary. They illuminate a slightly different aspect of truth I had never considered. Would n't it be better if I read spiritual literature (fiction) of my own faith that illuminated aspects of the truths I have grow deaf to? Wouldn't it be great if there was a different voice that I could hear? Come on, Tequitia, I'm not the only one who has grown sick of sweet. This probably doesn't say what I mean to say either. Paris Anderson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:41:18 -0700 (PDT) From: "R.W. Rasband" Subject: [AML] Re: Amazon Reviews The only official prohibition Amazon.com makes is that you are not to include in your review "profanity, obscenities or spiteful remarks." That last phrase is the one that is the most subjective, of course. In my opinion you can go to the reviews of any controversial book at Amazon and find many, many vigorously stated, even vituperous opinions that someone might find "spiteful." I have posted 273 reviews at Amazon; I have written many more that have been rejected for reasons that are unknown to me. (They must have been offensive to someone at the company.) I have only had 2 reviews removed after having been initially posted and received helpful votes. One was the aforementioned review of Abanes' destestable book. The other was a one-star review of Norman Finkelstein's "The Holocaust Industry" in which he all but accuses Jews of having made up the Holocaust so they could profit from guilt. I called it "a bitter, splenetic left-wing screed" which must have offended some bitter, splenetic, left-wing customers. But I think Amazon prefers positive reviews, anyway. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 19:58:36 EDT From: Terashan@aol.com Subject: [AML] Re: Introduction: Tequitia Andrews WoW! I didn't expect such a response. But I must say that after re-reading my post, I realized that there was a story for me to tell. I'm currently reading Escaping Into The Open: The Art of Writing True by Elizabeth Berg and she talks alot about writing with authenticity. Reading this book, along with the encouragement from those of you who responded to my post, I'm anxious to write down these ideas that I have been toying with in my head. Tequitia Andrews - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 18:33:46 -0600 From: "Annette Lyon" Subject: Re: [AML] Romance A.E. Cannon's book being rejected because it's too literary means only one thing: she didn't know the audience of the line she was submitting to. I can think of dozens of markets where literary writing wouldn't be acceptable, from books to magazines to newspapers. Isn't knowing your audience one of the prime rules of writing? And it's not as if "too literary" is some oxy moron like "too good." Annette Lyon - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 20:25:34 -0600 From: "Jongiorgi Enos" Subject: Re: [AML] New Role for Christopher Gorham Of course, his roles in the TV shows "Felicity" and "Popular" might have something to do with it, too. Especially considering that Gina Matthews, the Executive Producer of "Popular" (where she got to know and like Gorham back in 1999, long before TOSOH was shot) is now the Executive Producer of "Jake 2.0" and just so happened to cast people she already knew and liked... So, regardless of how neat and accepted we think we are, and how cool people feel when their DVD copy of TOSOH has a Disney logo on it, it is quite likely that Gorham's role in TOSOH, sadly, had absolutely nothing to do with his being cast in "Jake 2.0". The cynic: Jongiorgi Enos - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V2 #159 ******************************