2009 was a huge year for me. Not only were there some serious personal considerations being dealt with (still being dealt with), but intellectually I was challenged more than I have in any other previous year. No doubt this was largely due to finishing my undergrad (at a small private college in Southern Cali) and starting my postgrad program at the University of Nottingham. So, I figured it might be fun to take note of some highlights of ’09. And what better way to do so than with some short LISTS!!
Best Books Read in ’09 (Not necessarily newly published):
1. Being and Nothingness/Transcendence of the Ego – Jean-Paul Sartre (had to put them as one considering the former is a consummation of sorts of that which was begun in the latter)
2. The Riverside Milton – John Milton; Ed. Roy Flannagan (“Il Penseroso” inspired some body art!!)
3. Christ in Postmodern Philosophy – Frederiek Depoortere
4. I See Satan Fall Like Lightning – Rene Girard (Thanks for the recommendation Troy!)
5. The Paris Lectures – Edmund Husserl (My first real intro to Phenomenology)
Best Movies Watched in ’09 (Not necessarily newly released):
1. “Inglorious Basterds”
2. “Zizek”
3. “In Bruges”
4. “Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo”
5. “Lars and the Real Girl”
Best-Worst Political/Celebrity Moments:
1. Palin – Ever heard of “foot-in-mouth syndrome”???
2. The Glenn Beck March on Capitol Hill – One of my favorite signs read, “You can keep your Kool-aid. I drink TEA!”
3. Obama Nobel Peace Prize – Was this simply a move to get people to actually care about the Nobel Committee?
4. “Personal Ordinariates”
Best New Beer Tasted:
1.Guinness in England! Nuff said…
Troy (and anybody else for that matter), what say you?
Jon said:
Not a fan of Depoortere’s book.
In Bruges was fantastic though!
Austin said:
Well, I guess we can’t agree on EVERYTHING ;)
Troy Polidori said:
You have a good memory, dude (and a morbid fascination with the American right-wing!).
Books:
1) Quentin Meillassoux’s “After Finitude”.
2) Eberhard Jungel’s “God as the Mystery of the World”.
3) Hegel’s “Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, Vol. III”
4) Slavoj Zizek’s “First as Tragedy, Then as Farce”.
5) Peter Sloterdijk’s “Critique of Cynical Reason” and “God’s Zeal”.
Movies:
1) Let the Right One In
2) Inglorious Basterds
3) District 9
4) Thirst
5) Moon
Note: I have yet to see “A Serious Man”. Seeing as I’m a die-hard Coen Bros. fanatic, I figure it merits at least a mention.
TV Shows:
1) Sons of Anarchy
2) Breaking Bad
3) Battlestar Galactica
4) Always Sunny
5) Metalocalypse
Albums:
1) Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
2) Mastodon – Crack the Skye
3) Baroness – Blue Record
4) Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
5) Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Austin said:
I completely forgot to mention albums!!!!
1. Thrice – Beggars
2. Alexisonfire – Old Crows/Young Cardinals
3. City and Colour – Bring Me Your Love
4. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
5. The Beatles – Discography (Not new, but I finally got most of their recorded works… that was exciting!!)
Troy, I had no idea you were a SOA fan! I loved the first season but have yet to start the second. I’m assuming it’s pretty badass?
Also, A Serious Man does look good. I almost included Avatar for considerable mention. From what I’ve heard/seen it’s supposed to be pretty sick.
Troy Polidori said:
The second season of SOA was totally and completely badass! The first season was okay, but nothing compared to the Shakespearean awesomeness of the last few months. Trust me, it is truly epic.
Also, when do you fly in?