Now free for the world to see on the CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty DigÂiÂtal Library are some treaÂsures from the library’s ChiÂnese colÂlecÂtions. Fire up that time machine called the InterÂnet, and you can start perusÂing:
The oraÂcle bones (pieces of ox shoulÂder blades and turÂtle shells used for divÂinaÂtion in ancient ChiÂna) which imporÂtantÂly bear the earÂliÂest surÂvivÂing examÂples of ChiÂnese writÂing. They’re over three thouÂsand years old.
A 14th-cenÂtuÂry banÂknote. AccordÂing to CamÂbridge, “Paper curÂrenÂcy first appeared in ChiÂna durÂing the 7th cenÂtuÂry, and was in wide cirÂcuÂlaÂtion by the 11th cenÂtuÂry, 500 years before its first use in Europe.”
Made in 1633 in NanÂjing, the ManÂuÂal of CalÂligÂraÂphy and PaintÂingis noteÂworÂthy partÂly because “It is the earÂliÂest and finest examÂple of mulÂti-colour printÂing anyÂwhere in the world, comÂprisÂing 138 paintÂings and sketchÂes with assoÂciÂatÂed texts by fifty difÂferÂent artists and calÂligÂraÂphers.” And partÂly because “The bindÂing is so fragÂile, and the manÂuÂal so delÂiÂcate, that until it was digÂiÂtized, we have nevÂer been able to let anyÂone look through it or study it – despite its undoubtÂed imporÂtance to scholÂars,” says Charles Aylmer, Head of the ChiÂnese DepartÂment at CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty Library.
Begin your digÂiÂtal tour of the 388-page ManÂuÂal here (or see a few samÂples above) and be among the first to lay eyes on it.
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It does seem posÂsiÂble, I think, to overÂvalÂue the sigÂnifÂiÂcance of a writer’s library to his or her own litÂerÂary proÂducÂtions. We all hold on to books that have long since ceased to have any pull on us, and lose track of books that have greatÂly influÂenced us. What we keep or don’t keep can be as much a matÂter of hapÂpenÂstance or senÂtiÂment as delibÂerÂate perÂsonÂal archivÂing. But while we may not always be conÂscious curaÂtors of our lives’ effects, those effects still speak for us when we are gone in ways we may nevÂer have intendÂed. In the case of famous—and famousÂly controversial—thinkers like HanÂnah Arendt, what is left behind will always conÂstiÂtute a body of eviÂdence. And in some cases—such as that of Arendt’s teacher and oneÂtime lover MarÂtin HeiÂdegÂger’s glarÂingÂly anti-SemitÂic Black NoteÂbooks—the eviÂdence can be irrevÂoÂcaÂbly damnÂing.
In Arendt’s case, we have no such smokÂing gun to subÂstanÂtiÂate arguÂments that, despite her own backÂground, Arendt was anti-JewÂish and blamed the vicÂtims of the HoloÂcaust. DurÂing the so-called “EichÂmann wars” in the mid-twenÂtiÂeth cenÂtuÂry, a torÂrent of critÂiÂcism bomÂbardÂed Arendt’s EichÂmann in Jerusalem, the comÂpiÂlaÂtion of disÂpatchÂes she penned as an observÂer of the Nazi arch-bureaucrat’s triÂal. These days, writes Corey Robin in The Nation, “while the conÂtroÂverÂsy over EichÂmann remains, the conÂtroÂverÂsialÂists have moved on.” The debate now seems more cenÂtered on Arendt’s book itself than on her motiÂvaÂtions. What do Arendt’s obserÂvaÂtions reveal to us today about the logÂic of totalÂiÂtarÂiÂanÂism and genoÂciÂdal state actions? One way to approach the quesÂtions of meanÂing in EichÂmann, and in her monÂuÂmenÂtal The OriÂgins of TotalÂiÂtarÂiÂanÂism, is to examÂine the sources of her thought—and her use of those sources.
Arendt’s library—much of it on view online thanks to Bard colÂlege—offers us a unique opporÂtuÂniÂty to do just that, not only by givÂing us access to the speÂcifÂic ediÂtions and transÂlaÂtions that she herÂself read and saved (for whatÂevÂer reaÂson), but also by offerÂing insight into what Arendt conÂsidÂered imporÂtant enough in those texts to underÂline and annoÂtate. In Bard’s digÂiÂtal colÂlecÂtion of “Arendt MarÂginÂaÂlia”—selecÂtions of her annoÂtatÂed books in downÂloadÂable PDFs—we see a politÂiÂcal phiÂlosÂoÂphy informed by ArisÂtoÂtle (see a page from her copy of NicoÂmachean Ethics above), PlaÂto, and Kant, but also by conÂserÂvÂaÂtive GerÂman politÂiÂcal theÂoÂrist Carl Schmitt, a memÂber and active supÂportÂer of Nazism, and of course, by HeiÂdegÂger, whose work occuÂpies a cenÂtral place in her library: in GerÂman and EngÂlish (like his EarÂly Greek ThinkÂing above, inscribed by the transÂlaÂtor), and in priÂmaÂry and secÂondary sources.
While it may go too far to claim, as promiÂnent scholÂar Bernard WasserÂstein did in 2009, that an examÂiÂnaÂtion of Arendt’s sources shows her interÂnalÂizÂing the valÂues of Nazis and anti-SemiÂtes, the preÂponÂderÂance of conÂserÂvÂaÂtive GerÂman thinkers in her perÂsonÂal library does give us a sense of her intelÂlecÂtuÂal leanÂings. But we canÂnot draw broad conÂcluÂsions from a curÂsoÂry surÂvey of a lifeÂtime of readÂing and re-readÂing, though we do see a parÂticÂuÂlarÂly ArisÂtotelian strain in her thinkÂing: that the indiÂvidÂual is only as healthy as his or her politÂiÂcal culÂture. What scholÂars of Arendt will find in Bard’s digÂiÂtal colÂlecÂtion are ample clues to the develÂopÂment and evoÂluÂtion of her phiÂlosÂoÂphy over time. What lay readÂers will find is the outÂline of a course on the sources of Arendt-ian thought, includÂing not only Greeks and GerÂmans, but the AmerÂiÂcan poet Robert LowÂell, who wrote a glowÂing proÂfile of Arendt and conÂtributed at least four signed books of his to her library.
I say “at least” because the Bard digÂiÂtal colÂlecÂtion is yet incomÂplete, repÂreÂsentÂing only a porÂtion of the physÂiÂcal media in the college’s physÂiÂcal archive of “approxÂiÂmateÂly 4,000 volÂumes, ephemera and pamÂphlets that made up the library in HanÂnah Arendt’s last apartÂment in New York City.” What we don’t have online are books inscribed to her by JewÂish scholÂar and mysÂtic GerÂshom Scholem, by W.H. Auden and RanÂdall JarÂrell, and many othÂers. NonetheÂless the “Arendt MarÂginÂaÂlia” gives us an opporÂtuÂniÂty to peer into a writer and scholar’s process, and see her wresÂtle with the thought of her preÂdeÂcesÂsors and conÂtemÂpoÂraries. The full Arendt colÂlecÂtion gives us even more to sift through, includÂing priÂvate corÂreÂsponÂdence and recordÂings of pubÂlic speechÂes. The digÂiÂtiÂzaÂtion of these sources offers many opporÂtuÂniÂties for those who canÂnot travÂel to New York and access the physÂiÂcal archives to delve into Arendt’s intelÂlecÂtuÂal world in ways preÂviÂousÂly only availÂable to proÂfesÂsionÂal acaÂdÂeÂmics.
We’ve told you about the Great CoursÂes Plus (now called WonÂdriÂum) before–a new video subÂscripÂtion serÂvice that lets you watch free coursÂes (about 8,000 lecÂtures in total) across a wide range of subÂjects, all taught by some of the best lecÂturÂers in the counÂtry. The topÂics covÂer everyÂthing from HisÂtoÂry, PhiÂlosÂoÂphy, LitÂerÂaÂture, and EcoÂnomÂics, to Math, SciÂence, ProÂfesÂsionÂal DevelÂopÂment, CookÂing, and PhoÂtogÂraÂphy. And you can binge-watch entire colÂlege coursÂes in a matÂter of days by watchÂing videos on your TV, tablet, lapÂtop and smart phone, with the help of apps designed for Apple, Google Play, KinÂdle Fire, and Roku.
InterÂestÂed in tryÂing out this serÂvice? Right now, the Great CoursÂes Plus/WonÂdriÂum is offerÂing a speÂcial deal for Open CulÂture readÂers. If you click here, and sign up for a free triÂal, you can use this serÂvice for 30 days … for free. And then, if you would like, you can conÂtinÂue to subÂscribe and pay their norÂmal prices. If you have time on your hands, this is a great way to keep your mind engaged and stream what PC MagÂaÂzine has called “an excelÂlent library of colÂlege-levÂel lecÂtures.”
Note: The Great CoursÂes is a partÂner with Open CulÂture. So if you sign up for a free triÂal, it benÂeÂfits not just you and Great CoursÂes Plus. It benÂeÂfits Open CulÂture too. So conÂsidÂer it win-win-win.
This is usuÂalÂly what hapÂpens when I write a piece for Open CulÂture: As I drink an overÂpriced cofÂfee at my local cofÂfee shop, I research a topÂic on the interÂnet, write and edit an artiÂcle on Microsoft Word and then copy and paste the whole thing into WordÂPress. My ediÂtor in Open CulÂture’s gleamÂing interÂnaÂtionÂal headÂquarÂters up in Palo Alto gives it a look-over and then, with the push of a butÂton, pubÂlishÂes the artiÂcle on the site.
It’s soberÂing to think what I casuÂalÂly do over the course of a mornÂing would require the effort of dozens of peoÂple 40 years ago.
Until the 1970s, with the rise in popÂuÂlarÂiÂty of comÂputÂer typeÂsetÂting, newsÂpaÂpers were printÂed the same way for nearÂly a cenÂtuÂry. LinoÂtype machines would cast one line at a time from molten lead. Though an improveÂment from handÂset type, where printÂers would assemÂble lines of type one charÂacÂter at a time, linoÂtype still required numerÂous skilled printÂers to assemÂble each and every newsÂpaÂper ediÂtion.
The New York TimestranÂsiÂtioned from that venÂerÂatÂed proÂducÂtion method to comÂputÂer typeÂsetÂting on SunÂday, July 2, 1978. David Loeb Weiss, a proofÂreadÂer at the Times, docÂuÂmentÂed this final day in the docÂuÂmenÂtary Farewell — Etaoin ShrdÂlu.
The title of the movie, by the way, comes from the first two lines of a printer’s keyÂboard, which are arranged accordÂing to a letter’s freÂquenÂcy of use. When a printÂer typed “etaoin shrdÂlu,” it meant that the line had a misÂtake in it and should be disÂcardÂed.
WatchÂing the movie, you get a sense of just how much work went into each page and how printÂers were skilled craftsÂmen. (You try spotÂting a typo on a page of upside down and backÂwards type.) The film also capÂtures the furiÂous enerÂgy and the cacophÂoÂny of clinks and clanks of the comÂposÂing room. You can see just how much physÂiÂcal work was involved. After all, each page was printÂed off of a 40-pound plate made of lead.
The tone of the movie is underÂstandÂably melanÂcholy. The workÂers are bidÂding farewell to a job that had existÂed for decades. “All the knowlÂedge I’ve acquired over my 26 years is all locked up in a litÂtle box now called a comÂputÂer,” notes one printÂer. “And I think most jobs are going to end up the same way.” SomeÂone else wrote the folÂlowÂing on the comÂposÂing room’s chalkÂboard. “The end of an era. Good while it lastÂed. CryÂing won’t help.”
Jonathan Crow is a Los AngeÂles-based writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow him at @jonccrow. And check out his blog VeepÂtoÂpus, feaÂturÂing lots of picÂtures of vice presÂiÂdents with octoÂpusÂes on their heads. The VeepÂtoÂpus store is here.
As we highÂlightÂed a few days ago, recent findÂings by South African sciÂenÂtists sugÂgest that William ShakeÂspeare may have smoked pot, posÂsiÂbly comÂposÂing some of his celÂeÂbratÂed plays while under the influÂence. Their research is sure to spark conÂtroÂverÂsy among ShakeÂspeare scholÂars and hisÂtoÂriÂans alike, but it’s cerÂtainÂly a more interÂestÂing conÂtroÂverÂsy than the tired debate about whether ShakeÂspeare wrote his plays at all. PerÂhaps even more interÂestÂing than ShakeÂspeare’s drug of choice for lovers of his lanÂguage are debates about what ShakeÂspeare’s plays might have soundÂed like to his origÂiÂnal audiÂences. In othÂer words, high or not, what might ShakeÂspeare, his actors, and his audiÂence have soundÂed like when they spoke the lanÂguage we call EngÂlish.
Of course they called the lanÂguage EngÂlish as well, but we might not recÂogÂnize some words as such when hearÂing ShakeÂspeare’s accent aloud. On the othÂer hand, it might be surÂprisÂing just how much the Bard’s origÂiÂnal proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion sounds like so many othÂer kinds of EngÂlish we know today.
In a post two years ago, we quotÂed ShakeÂspeareÂan actor, direcÂtor, and writer Ben CrysÂtal on ShakeÂspeare’s origÂiÂnal proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion, which, he says, “has flecks of nearÂly every regionÂal U.K. EngÂlish accent, and indeed AmerÂiÂcan and in fact AusÂtralian, too.” HearÂing ShakeÂspeare’s EngÂlish spoÂken aloud, CrysÂtal remarks, is hearÂing a sound that “reminds peoÂple of the accent of their home.” You can test this theÂoÂry, and hear for yourÂself the sound of ShakeÂspeare’s EngÂlish with the video and audio highÂlightÂed here, showÂcasÂing CrysÂtal’s perÂforÂmance of the plays in origÂiÂnal proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion (OP).
At the top, see CrysÂtal recite an excerpt of HamÂlet’s “to be or not to be” speech in a video proÂmoÂtion for a 2011 KickÂstarter camÂpaign to fund a film verÂsion of HamÂlet in OP. And above, we have two audio clips of Richard III and King Lear, respecÂtiveÂly, both from an OP ShakeÂspeare CD CrysÂtal recordÂed with sevÂerÂal othÂer actors. CrysÂtal came by his verÂsion of origÂiÂnal proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion honÂestÂly, and from a very repÂutable source, who also hapÂpens to be his father, David. The elder CrysÂtal is perÂhaps the most highÂly-regardÂed linÂguist and scholÂar of the EngÂlish lanÂguage alive today, and in addiÂtion to pubÂlishÂing sevÂerÂal books both scholÂarÂly and popÂuÂlar, he has worked with the Globe TheÂatre on proÂducÂing plays in OP since 1994. Learn more about CrysÂtal’s process at our preÂviÂous post on his work. Below, in an excerpt from a much longer talk, see Ben CrysÂtal describe and demonÂstrate the difÂferÂences between “Received Pronunciation”—the “propÂer,” generÂic form of British English—and ShakeÂspeare’s proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion. He then disÂcussÂes with his audiÂence the ways ShakeÂspeare’s EngÂlish seems to roam all over the map, hewÂing to no parÂticÂuÂlar British region or class.
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the sciÂence ficÂtion author best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, startÂed writÂing at the end of World War II and the beginÂning of the nuclear age, a time when techÂnolÂoÂgy promised to bring untold benÂeÂfit to humanÂiÂty and had the potenÂtial to utterÂly destroy it. So he wrote sciÂence ficÂtion with some actuÂal sciÂence in it, tales about space travÂel, alien encounÂters and human evoÂluÂtion.
The future was a conÂtinÂuÂing object of fasÂciÂnaÂtion for Clarke. He proved to be uncanÂniÂly accuÂrate at makÂing divÂinaÂtions about the course of techÂnolÂoÂgy. Back in 1964, he preÂdictÂed virÂtuÂal surgery, 3D printÂers and the interÂnet. Of course, he also preÂdictÂed that we would have an army of monÂkey serÂvants to cater to our every whim. You can’t always be right.
But thanks to the magÂic of one of his preÂdicÂtions – the interÂnet – you can lisÂten to Clarke read two of his most acclaimed works – Childhood’s End and “The Star.”
The forÂmer tale, writÂten in 1953, is about a mysÂteÂriÂous alien race that brings the Cold War to a screechÂing halt and kick starts human evoÂluÂtion. But at what cost? StanÂley Kubrick was reportÂedÂly interÂestÂed in develÂopÂing the book until he setÂtled on 2001. LisÂten to Clarke read long excerpts from Childhood’s End at the top of this post.
The latÂter stoÂry, pubÂlished in 1955, might very well be the best sci-fi ChristÂmas stoÂry ever. It was adaptÂed into a TwiÂlight Zone episode that thorÂoughÂly freaked me out as a kid. LisÂten to “The Star” just above.
Jonathan Crow is a Los AngeÂles-based writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow him at @jonccrow. And check out his blog VeepÂtoÂpus, feaÂturÂing lots of picÂtures of vice presÂiÂdents with octoÂpusÂes on their heads. The VeepÂtoÂpus store is here.
With the posÂsiÂble excepÂtion of John Gray’s Straw Dogs, few works of phiÂlosÂoÂphy conÂfront the barÂrenÂness of human life in the modÂern world in bleakÂer terms than Theodor Adorno’s MinÂiÂma Moralia. TakÂing its title from Aristotle’s Magna Moralia, or “The Great Ethics,” Adorno’s book subÂverts the clasÂsiÂcal idea of the good life as a realÂisÂtic aspiÂraÂtion in a world domÂiÂnatÂed by totalÂiÂtarÂiÂan sysÂtems of conÂtrol and inexÂorable, grindÂing logÂics of proÂducÂtion and conÂsumpÂtion. “Our perÂspecÂtive of life has passed into an ideÂolÂoÂgy which conÂceals the fact that there is life no longer,” writes Adorno in his DedÂiÂcaÂtion. The indiÂvidÂual has been “reduced and degradÂed” by capÂiÂtalÂism and fasÂcism, flatÂtened to mere appearÂance in the “sphere of conÂsumpÂtion.”
Adorno’s book—a philoÂsophÂiÂcal memÂoir of his expeÂriÂence as an “intelÂlecÂtuÂal in emigration”—reflects his pesÂsimism not only in its title but also in its subÂtiÂtle: ReflecÂtions from DamÂaged Life. How litÂtle he could have suspected—and how much he likeÂly would have despised—the kinÂship between his own postÂwar angst and the neuÂrotÂic anger of the AmerÂiÂcan hardÂcore punk genÂerÂaÂtion to come some thirÂty-five years latÂer.
Right now look at me now Look at me now Just shadÂows I’m just shadÂows of what I was I just want anothÂer thing I don’t even get by for that
One might make the case that Black Flag lyrics—and those of so many simÂiÂlar bands—play out Adorno’s theÂsis over and over: to quote a much less angry pop band from a latÂer genÂerÂaÂtion: “ModÂern Life is RubÂbish.”
SeizÂing on these pesÂsimistic parÂalÂlels between punk rock and critÂiÂcal theÂoÂry, filmÂmakÂer and artist BriÂan J. Davis recordÂed an EP of readÂings from five chapÂters of Adorno’s book, set to blisÂterÂing hardÂcore drums and guiÂtars. (AnyÂone hapÂpen to know who is on vocals?) Above, hear “They, The PeoÂple,” and “This Side of the PleaÂsure PrinÂciÂple” and below, we have “UNmeaÂsure for UNmeaÂsure,” “JohnÂny Head-in-the-Air,” and “Every Work is an UncomÂmitÂted Crime.”
As you’ll note, Adorno’s titles allude to well-known works of art, polÂiÂtics, folk song, and theÂoÂry and—as the publisher’s note in my VerÂso ediÂtion puts it— “involve irony or inverÂsion,” priÂmaÂry rhetorÂiÂcal methÂods of his “negÂaÂtive dialecÂtic.” The hardÂcore punks who picked up, howÂevÂer unconÂsciousÂly, on Adorno’s disÂafÂfectÂed criÂtique may have eschewed his self-conÂsciousÂly litÂerÂary approach, but they were no less masÂters of irony, even if their tarÂgets hapÂpened to be much more pop-culÂturÂal.
For a much more seriÂous look at Adorno and music—a subÂject he wrote pasÂsionÂateÂly and conÂtroÂverÂsialÂly about—check out this post on his own avant-garde comÂpoÂsiÂtions, which turn out to be much less punk rock than one might expect givÂen his social alienÂation and desponÂdenÂcy.
Even by the stanÂdards of UnitÂed States PresÂiÂdents, Barack ObaÂma has led a pretÂty unusuÂal life. His earÂly expeÂriÂences includÂed a childÂhood plunge into interÂnaÂtionÂalÂism in the form of not just his Kenyan father but his IndoneÂsian stepÂfaÂther, to whose homeÂland the famÂiÂly moved when ObaÂma was six years old. For the next four years, the young future ComÂmanÂder in Chief attendÂed local schools in JakarÂta, and the lanÂguage he picked up then has stuck with him today. It cerÂtainÂly served him well when he returned to IndoneÂsia as PresÂiÂdent to give the speech above, in which he talks about his love for that counÂtry and his belief in its imporÂtance to the future, speakÂing bits and pieces in IndoneÂsian throughÂout — and drawÂing great applause each time.
Even if you don’t plan on becomÂing PresÂiÂdent, you may still have plenÂty of reaÂsons to learn IndoneÂsian. With its familÂiar alphaÂbet and simÂple gramÂmar withÂout tensÂes, genÂder forms, noun casÂes, and the like, it ranks as one of the very easÂiÂest lanÂguages in which to attain fluÂenÂcy. I know an AmerÂiÂcan colÂlege proÂfesÂsor in South Korea who conÂstantÂly urges his stuÂdents to study IndoneÂsian, since it offers the “goldÂen tip” of a wedge into the rest of Asia: masÂter it, and you’ll have built up momenÂtum to learn the othÂer, more comÂpliÂcatÂed lanÂguages of the region, from ManÂdarin to CanÂtonese to JapanÂese and beyond — all of which you can also begin studyÂing at, of course, our Free LanÂguage Lessons page.
If your linÂguisÂtic interÂests slant toward Europe rather than Asia, don’t worÂry, we’ve still got your back: our lists include learnÂing resources for lanÂguages of that conÂtiÂnent as major as SpanÂish, French, ItalÂian, RussÂian, EngÂlish, and GerÂman to niche lanÂguages like CataÂlan, Finnish, HunÂgarÂiÂan, and SerÂbo-CroaÂtÂian. If you notice we’ve missed any lanÂguage you’ve harÂbored a burnÂing desire to learn, drop us a line so we can start gathÂerÂing podÂcasts, videos, and PDFs on it. In the meanÂtime, sureÂly the Free LanÂguage Lessons page offers you someÂthing to start on and get that incomÂpaÂraÂble feelÂing of breakÂing into a new lanÂguage for the first time. Semoga berunÂtung, as we say in JakarÂta!
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