Talkin' Moscow Blues PDF Download

Author: Josef Škvorecký
Publisher: New York : Ecco Press
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Author: Neil A. Wynn
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1604735473
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 302

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Contributions from Christopher G. Bakriges, Sean Creighton, Jeffrey Green, Leighton Grist, Bob Groom, Rainer E. Lotz, Paul Oliver, Catherine Parsonage, Iris Schmeisser, Roberta Freund Schwartz, Robert Springer, Rupert Till, Guido van Rijn, David Webster, Jen Wilson, and Neil A. Wynn This unique collection of essays examines the flow of African American music and musicians across the Atlantic to Europe from the time of slavery to the twentieth century. In a sweeping examination of different musical forms--spirituals, blues, jazz, skiffle, and orchestral music--the contributors consider the reception and influence of black music on a number of different European audiences, particularly in Britain, but also France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The essayists approach the subject through diverse historical, musicological, and philosophical perspectives. A number of essays document little-known performances and recordings of African American musicians in Europe. Several pieces, including one by Paul Oliver, focus on the appeal of the blues to British listeners. At the same time, these considerations often reveal the ambiguous nature of European responses to black music and in so doing add to our knowledge of transatlantic race relations.

Author: Jeffrey M. Heath
Publisher: Dundurn
ISBN: 1554882699
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
Profiles in Canadian Literature is a wide-ranging series of essays on Canadian authors. Each profile acquaints the reader with the writer's work, providing insight into themes, techniques, and special characteristics, as well as a chronology of the author's life. Finally, there is a bibliography of primary works and criticism that suggests avenues for further study. "I know of no better introduction to these writers, and the studies in question are full of basic information not readily obtainable elsewhere." -U of T Quarterly

Author: Brian K. Goodman
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674292944
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 363

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Book Description
How risky encounters between American and Czech writers behind the Iron Curtain shaped the art and politics of the Cold War and helped define an era of dissent. “In some indescribable way, we are each other’s continuation,” Arthur Miller wrote of the imprisoned Czech playwright Václav Havel. After a Soviet-led invasion ended the Prague Spring, many US-based writers experienced a similar shock of solidarity. Brian Goodman examines the surprising and consequential connections between American and Czech literary cultures during the Cold War—connections that influenced art and politics on both sides of the Iron Curtain. American writers had long been attracted to Prague, a city they associated with the spectral figure of Franz Kafka. Goodman reconstructs the Czech journeys of Allen Ginsberg, Philip Roth, and John Updike, as well as their friendships with nonconformists like Havel, Josef Škvorecký, Ivan Klíma, and Milan Kundera. Czechoslovakia, meanwhile, was home to a literary counterculture shaped by years of engagement with American sources, from Moby-Dick and the Beats to Dixieland jazz and rock ’n’ roll. Czechs eagerly followed cultural trends in the United States, creatively appropriating works by authors like Langston Hughes and Ernest Hemingway, sometimes at considerable risk to themselves. The Nonconformists tells the story of a group of writers who crossed boundaries of language and politics, rearranging them in the process. The transnational circulation of literature played an important role in the formation of new subcultures and reading publics, reshaping political imaginations and transforming the city of Kafka into a global capital of dissent. From the postwar dream of a “Czechoslovak road to socialism” to the neoconservative embrace of Eastern bloc dissidence on the eve of the Velvet Revolution, history was changed by a collision of literary cultures.

Author: Alexander Wöll
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134089082
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
This book explores democracy and democratization in Eastern Europe, focusing on the influence of politically important literary and historical myths in pre-communist and communist Eastern Europe and Russia.

Author: Sam Solecki
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
A book-by-book study of Josef Skvorecky's fiction that investigates the elements of Skvorecky's work, establishing a framework for future critical work. Skvorecky left Czechoslovakia in the wake of the 1968 invasion and settled in Canada. In the course of the next 20 years, he wrote many novels, and gradually developed a reputation as one of Canada's finest novelists. In 1985 he received the Governor General's Award for Fiction.

Author: Michael Urban
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501717200
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
Michael Urban chronicles the advent of blues music in Russia and explores the significance of the genre in the turbulent, postcommunist society. Russians, he explains, have taken a music originating in the "low" culture of the American South and transformed it into an object of "high" culture, fashioning a social identity that distinguishes blues adherents from both the discredited Soviet past and the vulgar consumerism associated with the country's Westernization. While adapting the idiom to their own conditions, Russia's bliuzmeny (bluesmen) have absorbed the blues ethos encoded in the music by their American forebears, using it to invert their social world, thus deriving dignity and satisfaction from those very things that give one the blues.Based on more than forty interviews with blues musicians and fans, nightclub managers, and others, Russia Gets the Blues reveals the fascinating history of blues in Russia, from the initial mimicry of British blues-rock to the recent emergence of a specifically "Russian blues." The gradual mastering of the idiom in Russia has been conditioned by the culture of the country's intelligentsia, a fact explaining why, on one hand, bliuzmeny feel compelled to proselytize on behalf of the music, to share with others this treasure of "world culture," while, on the other, they perform blues almost exclusively in English—which almost no one understands—and condemn any and all efforts to make the music commercially successful.

Author: Richard J. Evans
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190459662
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
Eric Hobsbawm's works have had a nearly incalculable effect across generations of readers and students, influencing more than the practice of history but also the perception of it. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, of second-generation British parents, Hobsbawm was orphaned at age fourteen in 1931. Living with an uncle in Berlin, he experienced the full force of world economic depression, and in the charged reaction to it in Germany was forced to choose between Nazism and Communism, which was no choice at all. Hobsbawm's lifelong allegiance to Communism inspired his pioneering work in social history, particularly the trilogy for which he is most famous--The Age of Revolution, The Age of Capital, and The Age of Empire--covering what he termed "the long nineteenth century" in Europe. Selling in the millions of copies, these held sway among generations of readers, some of whom went on to have prominent careers in politics and business. In this comprehensive biography of Hobsbawm, acclaimed historian Richard Evans (author of The Third Reich Trilogy, among other works) offers both a living portrait and vital insight into one of the most influential intellectual figures of the twentieth century. Using exclusive and unrestricted access to the unpublished material, Evans places Hobsbawm's writings within their historical and political context. Hobsbawm's Marxism made him a controversial figure but also, uniquely and universally, someone who commanded respect even among those who did not share-or who even outright rejected-his political beliefs. Eric Hobsbawm: A Life in History gives us one of the 20th century's most colorful and intellectually compelling figures. It is an intellectual life of the century itself.

Author: Rough Guides
Publisher: Apa Publications (UK) Limited
ISBN: 0241343933
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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Discover Prague with the most knowledgeable and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to explore the hidden gems of the Old Town, sightsee by tram or simply enjoy the best beer in the world, The Rough Guide to Prague will show you ideal places to sleep, eat, drink, relax and shop along the way. Inside The Rough Guide to Prague - Independent, trusted reviews written in Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and insight, to help you get the most out of your visit, with options to suit every budget. - Full-colour maps throughout - navigate the winding cobbled streets of the Old Town as well as the metro, tram and bus systems without needing to get online. - Stunning, inspirational images - Itineraries - carefully planned, themed routes to help you organize your trip and see the very best of the city. - Detailed coverage - whether negotiating the twisting lanes of the centre or on a day-trip to the magnificent Karlštejn Castle, this travel guide has in-depth practical advice for every step of the way. Areas covered: Hradcany, Malá Strana, Staré Mesto, Josefov, Nové Mesto, Vyšehrad and the eastern suburbs, Holešovice and the western suburbs, day-trips to Melník, Terezín and Kutná Hora, Konopište chateau, Karlštejn Castle and Lidice. Attractions include: Wenceslas Square, astronomical clock, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square) Obecní Dum, Trade Fair Palace, UPM, Petrín. - Listings - a rundown of the best accommodation (from budget to luxury), cafés and restaurants, pubs and bars, plus clubs and live music, the arts, shopping and sports. - Basics - essential pre-departure practical information including getting there, local transport, a new city tours section, the media, festivals, entry requirements, public holidays and more. - Background information - a Contexts chapter devoted to history, Prague personalities, and books, plus a handy language section and glossary. Make the Most of Your Time on Earth with the Rough Guide to Prague

Author: Rough Guides
Publisher: Rough Guides UK
ISBN: 1848362471
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 462

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Book Description
The Rough Guide to Czech Republic is the ultimate travel guide, with detailed coverage of all the best attractions the Czech Republic has to offer. Discover the magnificent art galleries and museums in the Czech Republic, visit one of the Czech Republic's world-class concerts or festivals, view Prague's spectacular architecture on a walking tour, or taste the flavours of Czech cuisine, while exploring all the corners of the enchanting Czech Republic with clear maps and stunning photography. Fully updated and expanded, with descriptions and recommendations of the best hotels in Czech Republic and the best restaurants and bars throughout the Czech Republic. Whether you're looking for expert tips for exploring the Czech Republic's varied landscapes, an authoritative background on the history of the Czech Republic, or the low-down on the Czech Republic's sensational festivals, The Rough Guide to Czech Republic is the definitive guide to this enchanting region. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to the Czech Republic!