For Once, the Movie is Better Then the Book

     The Incredible Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera contains the story of three Czechs caught up in the Prague Spring of 1968 and its aftermath. They form a love triangle, although the male member of it is what we would call today a sex addict. 

     Kundera was so displeased with the 1988 film version that he decided not to allow any of his books to be filmed.  In the novel, he digresses into philosophical discourse from ancient Greek and Nietzsche. There is also a section on fecal matter. Rather hard to film that, I would think. It has a fantastic cast: Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, and Daniel Day-Lewis

     It is not that I regret having read the book. I gave it four stars. The film shows the struggle against a totalitarian system and how it impacts lives. The choices we make do have consequences. 

    

My books: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=67a4ca9d-d97c-436c-9409-827b215a8174

My novel:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

 

Thoughts on "The McCartney Legacy Part One" by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair

   There is an astounding amount of detail here in this unauthorized book. Sometimes this makes for slow reading, especially in the recording sessions, since Paul wanted so many overdubs. However, readers are going to appreciate the background and insights here, so this first of two volumes is worth their time. the legal problems that sank the Beatles are spelled out, along with Paul's reaction to the Fab fdour's dissolution, Linda's role in bringing him out of it, and this solo work to the formation of Wings.

     I've said before that my personality is more like John's than the other Beatles. But like Paul, I am a Gemini, and I get the creativity. Not that I am anywhere close to his ability, and certainly not in music or drawing., Writing is my thing. But I keep a snippet or two of something that I will turn into a poem or a story. Seeing Paul incubate something for later on was fascinating. 

    Eventually, I will get the second part, but now I need to write some things myself and I have a few things untouched on my Kindle. But I will close with something I heard from a friend that shows how generous Paul is.

   I taught for a few years at the Hazleton Area High School. One of the nurses grew up near Denny Seiwell, Wings' first drummer. Around the year 2000, Paul came to Philly for a concert. The nure (whom I trust) said that Denny wrote him, saying that he has visa issues in the UK as a US citizen and had to leave the band. (From the book, I learned that given the low pay, Deny had to do session work in NYC.

   Paul wrote back to Denny, saying he understood. Along with the letter were tickets and backstage passes for the Philly show, and a check for $243,000. Paul added that that was all he could get his hands on at the time, but he would send a few more of them.

   Obviously, Paul did not have to do any of this. that he speaks to who he is. 

   Enjoy the book and the music again! My go-to channel on SiriusXM is the Beatles.

    

 

     

My books: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=67a4ca9d-d97c-436c-9409-827b215a8174

My novel:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

As A Fiction/Poetry Reader/Reviewer, Here Is What I Look For

 

    I am honored to be a Fiction Reader for the Northern Appalachia Review, where I was born, a Poetry Editor for the Eleventh Hour Literary Review from Binghamton University, one of the places I went to grad school, an Editorial Assistant for The Petigru Review of the South Carolina Writers Association, and a book reviewer for and through The Tupelo Press and published in the Midwest Book Review. 

    Right now, I am in the middle of reading submissions for two of these publications, and other books appear announced or unannounced.  The GIF below is my reaction to things I do not expect.

https://tenor.com/view/god-father-generosity-deserve-gif-14015070

    Fiction:  For the NAR, we have a specific geographic location. Submitters need not have been born or lived there, or live there currently. When I see something that is not set in the region or has no discernible identification with the region, I stop reading. Below is the map from the website. I think "If you'uns can't read a map, I can't help you 'uns!"

    Outside of that, I want to see more than endless dialogue or a narrator rambling on and on. I want to know what people look like, what the locations look like, and some details about what they eat, drink, smoke, wear, etc. In other words, I want a picture.

 Poetry: I shudder when I see two or three-word lines, 20 or so lines all jammed together, or prose poetry. Yes, I know about the latter. Poet friends and I have discussed this. To me, such things resemble someone going on and on about something. "Prose Poetry" is an oxymoron in my book. Prose is often poetic; think of Updike, Faulkner, and others. 

     If prose is put into some poetic format, that turns me off. I want to see poetic features- not necessarily rhyme- but metaphor, simile, inversion of words, and the like. If there is rhyme, I do not want to see words hammered into place. 

    An example: I recently saw "your desires" paired with "truth's transpires". I shuddered! Not only hammering in rhymes, but a complete misunderstanding of vocabulary. 

    Am I the Final Authbority on writing? By no means am I open about what I like and what I do not like. If there are three of us reviewing what is submitted, I realize that I can be outvoted. And sometimes I like what I read regardless of the form. 

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My books: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=67a4ca9d-d97c-436c-9409-827b215a8174

My novel:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

"Foxholes" -Review of Leonard Kress' New Poetry Book

 Foxholes- Leonard Kress

Poets have written about family members for too many years to count. They have also written about places to the extent that we think some places are more poetic than others.

In this poetry book, Leonard Kress finds poetry not only in family but also in suburban Philadelphia, the Fishtown, Harrowgate, and Center City sections of Philadelphia, Lithuania, and along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Non-family members appear: neighbors, a future serial killer (unnamed but known to those who lived near him), students he taught in Ohio, classmates, former girlfriends, and musical icons from the 1960s.

Using various styles, Kress presents a winsome picture of people and settings from his life. A reflective tone permeates these verses, and the reader enjoys time spent with this delightful book of poetry.

Arthur Turfa, Saluda Reflections, Finishing Line Press, Epiphanies, Alien Buddha Press.

I will add a little more here. Leonard graduated between my brother Alex and me from Plymouth-Whitemarch HS in Plymouth Meeting, PA. His family lived about 1.5 miles from mine. His sister, Ellie, worked on the school newspaper as I did and graduated a year ahead of me.

Leonard and I lived or went to many of the same places and wrote about them. I will post links to his books and also mine.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GnTGRkFWMAE1zUp?format=jpg&name=360x360

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My book lins:

https://t.co/KyPITr8YSl

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Germany Decides to Re-Arm

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjyjlkewr2o

     Around thirty years ago, my National Guard battalion hosted about a dozen Bundeswehr soldiers during our Annual Training. The Pennsylvania Army National Guard (28th Division) had an exchange arrangement with the German Army. 

     Fifty or so years before that, the 28th Division fought the Wehrmacht in World War II. There was considerable grumbling from my battalion. One complaint was that these exchanges were not good because "we'll be fighting them again." I explained that the recently-reunited Germany was not a danger, but still an ally. Some believed me, some did not,

     Eight decades after V-E Day, the world is different, primarily due to Donald Trump and MAGA Isolationists. He brazenly speaks about obtaining territory of NATO members by any option, has a close relationship with Russia, has abandoned Ukraine (blaming them for the war), and a shocked NATO faces a new reality. 

     I've heard it all. How European NATO members do not pay their way, etc. How we have our own needs in this country, and soon. And now I see how we willingly alienate allies and turn them away from us if not against us in some way.

     Germany needs t increase its military. That will not be popular there, and budget cuts will have to be made. Berlin has no choice but to take these steps, and will have to maintain doing so for the foreseeable future, even post-Putin.

My books:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Arthur-Turfa/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AArthur%2BTurfa

    https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

One Week Until Read Freely Fest- Richland County Main Library, Columbia SC March 28-30

 

    The buzz about this event is getting stronger each day. It's on the Internet and was mentioned at the Readers and Writers Luncheon this week, to name but one place. 

     The last major book event locally was some years ago, even before COVID-19, which certainly did not help revive things any. There will be nationally known authors present, local indie bookstore All Good Books will handle sales, and a group of Indie authors (including yours truly) will be present offering our books. 

   This event is designed for families and everyone. Below is the link, along with links to my books. If you cannot come, contact any of us to purchase a book! and spread the word, please!  Thanks in advance!

https://www.readfreelyfest.com/

My books:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Arthur-Turfa/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AArthur%2BTurfa

    https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

I Am Not Thrilled About Writing This!

      Desiderius  Erasmus and Martin Luther agreed on many things, but not Free Will. Luther wrote his response to Erasmus in 1525. A gifted linguist, Luther wrote in Latin except when he was so irritated at the Dutch scholar that he switched briefly to German:  Erasme, das ist zu viel!  (Erasmus, that is too much!)

    I had a moment like that earlier this week when I saw that my theological alma mater, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC). was hosting a "Glitter Ash Wednesday Service-  Ashes are a statement that death and suffering are real. Glitter is a sign of hope, which does not despair."

   The image could not be loaded, but further down is a video link to the service, which I cannot bring myself to watch yet, if ever.

    Ashes were used by the Hebrews as a sign of mourning. The Church used them and in the 11th Century, the Catholic Church established Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent. Orthodoxy has Great Lent, and the Churches of the Reformation either kept or restored the use of ashes.

    In other words, the Church has gotten along quite well without glitter ashes. The Eucharist/Holy Communion customarily associated with the Imposition of Ashes conveys the hope that there is more than death for humanity.

    My seminary studies began in 1977 at Christ-Seminary Seminex in St. Louis, the offshoot of most of the students, faculty, and staff from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, the flagship seminary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. US Lutheranism in the 1970s experienced tremendous upheavals. After prayerful consideration and conversation with many people, I transferred to LSTC, the flagship seminary of the Lutheran Church in America  (LCA), from 1988 part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). 

     Make no mistake about it. I was fortunate to have been accepted to the LCA and to attend LSTC. Ordained in 1981, I have been proud of the two seminaries I attended. Seminex deployed in 1983 to several LCA seminaries. primarily to Chicago. My ordained ministry was outside of the Midwest, but I proudly stated my ties to LSTC.

     And then, my Das ist zu viel moment from earlier this week. It was not the first, but it marks the first time I have been open about it. On Facebook, and I assume elsewhere, there are negative comments. some come from pastors who openly identify themselves as queer. I am straight, and while I will not say more, my politics and such would not necessarily mark me as a curmudgeon. 

   One of my comments or replies concerned whether ashes without glitter would be available. The official LSTC answer was that traditional ashes would be mixed with glitter. So, and these are my words, anyone wanting ashes without glitter was out of luck.

     When Holy Communion is celebrated, most of us are receptive to offering gluten-free wafers and various alternatives to wine. I serve these days in congregations of the ELCA and The Episcopal Church, so the practices are varied. My point is that protocols exist so that people can commune.   

    Granted, this is one seminary out of eight, and there are around 8,500 congregations in the ELCA. Both numbers are less than what they were when I was ordained. To me, Glitter Ashes fall into the category of jettisoning time-honored traditions and practices. They are a sign of the Church trying to be relevant and "with it". 

    With negative publicity (yes, there have been some voices in favor), LSTC will have more difficulties. Seminary enrollment everywhere has been declining, and ELCA Lutherans wanting to attend seminary may well look elsewhere. 

     All of this is very sad, and I am not thrilled to post this. Lord, have mercy!

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0QXLIEfx_8

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My books:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

My novel:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county