Proust and neuroscience, great books, Marie-Antoinette, Julia, Deutsche Post

"A truly great book (and here I’ll steal Nabokov’s definition of great literature: something the makes the hair on your neck stand on end."

Proust confirms what Neuroscientists discover now - only smell and taste stays in long term memory.



Went to see Marie-Antoinette at Grand Palais, I like her. Spontaneous, genius at play. Went against stuffy court rituals... her only fatal error was to be born as a princess and married into France. If she were a commoner, how lovely it would be, nobody to bother her. Reminds me of the case of Prince Charles, if he were a commoner, there would also have had less problems for him. However, his bad times are over. I am happy for Prince Charles, its a great love story he has with Camilla. :)

In the show, all the paintings were unremarkable - expressions un clear, overall as if swabbed by cotton balls. Except one unfinished pastel sketch by a Polish painter Alexander Kucharski 1741-1919. In this pastel sketch on paper, MA looked royal and kind with an inner expression - unlike the other portraits that are lifeless mannequins. The show was staged very nicely. There were fancy furnitures, teacups etc etc. and the famous diamond necklace - its a replica thats showned. Very clean lines, sober design. Marie-Antoinette did not deserve all this punishment, it was cruel and injust. Of her short life, married away from home at 14 year old , 23 years of court life, then guillotined. Injust. (Will put up pictures when i get them.)

There was a small mobile vendor of macaroon sweet cookies - almost everyone who came out bought a few of these cookies. They share the dainty sweet - a heritage from Marie-Antoinette? This delicate sweet moments of pleasures - robed in a courtly glamourous light - isnt this important, also a great contribution of culture to France ?

Deutsche Post had a Fun card service, sending sl postcards to rl. But I have no sample of those cards on hand. Will try to find some. Their Post Island just terminated on 13Feb08, because sl has done what it could for them.

Film viewed:
Julia 3*
Many shots and scenes that are quite fresh and "authentic" not seen in the usual American/Mexican, Women drunks, rich boy, crazy women scenes.

Tilda Swinden can look absolutely at once destroyed and when with make up , quite an elegant lady. Very good actress.

Every moment feels fresh in this movie.
The dialogue has punch.
The director has original views of standard stories. Attentive to details, an artist.