(My) Photo of the day, Or Apart from politics and political passion, his was an empty life and was strangely lightweight and lightly discarded
Here is a shot taken this afternoon right outside my building. I liked the mix of colour in the sky, the iron work of the lamp and the sandstone building. So I have posted it for your ocular gratification.
On another tangent, I have been reading a remarkable little book from the late 1970s titled The Meaning of Hitler, by the terribly interesting Sebastian Haffner. It is a brisk read and offers a broad analysis of the life, work and meaning of Adolf Hitler in a calm, rational and neutral manner. This is not something always associated with work around such a notorious figure. Without wanting to make a song and dance about it, I would recommend it to anyone interested in a first-class, accessible exploration upon a theme not easily entered into.
In the words of David Beckham, “It makes you fink, ya know?”
Comments
Today at work, 2 twentysomethings asked me what the "story" was, about the "nazis" - ???!!!
I love William Shatner's Rocket Man.
Thanks for commenting on my blog, I appreciate it! Tasmania looks like a neat island. So far away though. My wife runs a flower shop and she often sells "Tasmanian violets" Viola banksii (syn. V. hederacea) (Violaceae) – a really popular plant.
I haven't read the book you talk about, but it sure sounds interesting. I'm also curious about Norman Mailer's last book, "The Castle in the Forest" which tells the story of the young life of Adolf Hitler, his origins and his immediately family tree. Have you read it?
Now for some trivia about "Sebastian Haffner", in the event that you don't already know this. "Sebastian Haffner" was the pen name of Raimund Pretzel (!).
Pretzel had taken up an anti-Hitler pen and fled Germany to Britain where he took up the assumed name to protect family still in Germany. The name was cobbled together from the middle name of Johann Sebastian Bach and Mozart's 35th Symphony, "the Haffner". The name is also a play on the German saying (sometimes attributed to the Swiss/German theologian Karl Barth): "Wenn der Herr Gott im Himmel sienen Engeln Musik für ihr zu spielen, spielen sie immer Bach. Aber wenn sie Musik für sich selbst spielen, Spielen sie immer Mozart. (When God in Heaven commands His angels to play music for him, they always play Bach. But when they play just for themselves, they play Mozart.)
"Louis" thanks you for visiting San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.
But about Hitler--he has popped up in Israel's papers the last week, something about the wax museum in Berlin and a re-issue of Mein Kampf.
Sorry, I can never get a href to work in the comments. So here:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212659698346&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
and
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3553333,00.html
I love Louis' comment.
Fredrik, good to hear the violet is going well. The Haffner book is a great read, I haven't read the latest Mailer but I know that it got good reviews. I am still recovering from The Gospel According to the Son, which I didn't like very much.
Louis, thanks for the info. I have been so impressed by the casual brilliance of Haffner's prose that I've done a little digging into his background and he was a fascinating man. I hadn't seen that quote, but I like it.
Mo, it is well worth it!
Dina, I had seen that story about the wax works. I agree with the second article there. Hitler existed, nowhere is that more known than Israel. Indeed, the existence of Israel is a telling riposte the fellow. To not talk about him and his legacy would do far greater harm that having him around as a talking point.
On the topic of embedding links in comments, here is a sneaky little page that will help you do that.
Bill, glad that the eyes are happy!