Guillaume de Machaut, by Siegmund Levarie

 

This brief volume (114 pages) is part of the Great Religious Composers series, and much of the book is a discussion of De Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame. I believe this was his only religious composition; most of his music and poetry were secular. The book covers "Guillaume de Machaut and his time," "Problems of a religious composer," and "Machaut's mass." 

Guillaume de Machaut, by Gilbert Reaney

 

I've become interested in the music and poetry of Guillaume de Machaut, born in 1300. He's more well-known for his secular music, but also for one famous mass. This brief volume (76 pages) in the Oxford Studies of Composers series discusses his life, poetry, musical style, and forms of compositions (lays, virelais, ballades, rondeaux, motets, and the mass).

There there, by Tommy Orange

 

I loved this book about twelve Native Americans who are coming together in Oakland, CA, for a powwow. In chapters that rotate between the many characters, we learn their histories and how they are related to one another. Each of them has a role to play in the climax which revolves around an attempted robbery of the cash prizes available for dancing and other powwow competitions. The writing is wonderful, the characters are compelling, and the plotting is meticulous as the characters all come together for the final scenes. This was my book club's December pick, and I can't wait to discuss it with the other members.

An Inconvenient Truth, by Al Gore

I'm a little late to the party on this collection of climate change books and films, but better late than never!

The film shows Al Gore traveling around the country speaking to groups about the imminent danger of climate change. He has been interested in and advocating for environmental issues since the 1980s, but in the wake of his 2000 loss, he has turned his attention fully to climate change. It's a powerful film and message.

This is a version of An Inconvenient Truth that has been adapted for a young adult audience. It's full of excellent photography and great data visualizations that demonstrate global warming's impact on the planet.

The 2017 film sequel to An Inconvenient Truth shows us Al Gore providing training sessions to others who want to promote environmentalism and address climate change. It shows him teaching others how to be advocates for the environment, playing a major role in the 2015 Paris climate talks, and reflecting on the impact that Trump's 2016 election has already had on the issue. A poignant moment is when Gore quotes Mike Tyson, who said "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

The sequel's action handbook; like the earlier book, this is chock full of great photography and compelling visuals. It includes profiles of many of the activists who have taken up Gore's calling to spread the word about climate change. The second half of the book provides a blueprint for how individuals can become active in the climate change discussion and advocate for change. Each of these activities is broken down into many parts: be an involved citizen, speak at a town hall meeting or forum, write about climate change effectively, start a petition, establish yourself as a climate activist online, magnify your impact with press coverage, talk to children about climate change, talk with climate deniers, find a career in renewable energy, make your business more sustainable, run for office, walk the walk, eat with the planet in mind, vote with your dollars, create and host events, become a Climate Reality Leader, and give your own climate change presentation.

 

Fantasyland, by Kurt Andersen

 

This is a fascinating and provocative look at Americans' penchant for believing the fantastical over the realistic, starting with the earliest colonists all the way up to the current obsession with wacky conspiracy theories and the blatant lies that come out of the Trump administration. It is required reading for anyone who wants to understand how we got to where we are today.

The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present, by Beaumont Newhall

 

This is a history of photography from 1839 through 1949, when it was published. Containing almost exclusively black and white illustrations, it includes hundreds of reproductions. I was mainly interested in Ansel Adams' place in this history; he is covered in a few pages and with two plates: "Boards and Thistles, 1932" and "Mono Lake, California, 1947." I only read a few selections, so can't comment on the entire narrative.

Brassai

 

Brassaï was one of the most influential French photographers of the 20th century. This book collects many of his most famous photos, grouped into these categories: self-portraits, the street, Paris by day, Paris at night, pleasures, society, personages, graffiti, body of a woman, places and things, portraits, and Minotaure. Exclusively black and white, and printed on large plates in an oversized book. Brassaï was known for photographing the underworld, and this collections includes a number of examples of "thugs," gangs, prostitutes, as well as people in bars or at society events.