Peter Murmann

Books, Fiction, Movies, Phantasy

RIP Eric Carle - The very hungry caterpillar

Eric Carle made beautifully illustrated books. Here is his most famous one made into a beautiful short film of 6 minutes. Click on picture below to play the film.

Books, Fiction

Amazing Short Story by Philip Roth

I came across the podcast by the Paris Review entitled Making Light. In it is a wonderful short story by Philip Roth. It is one of the best writing ever. Period. I was glued to my chair. The podcast version of the story is superb. The story starts around minute 10 of the podcast. But I suggest you listen to the entire podcast. It is a treat.

Listen to Making Light.

Printed Story

Diary

Summer 2021

Beautiful meadows courtesy of Robert Kallaschek

Movies, Documentary

Three Identical Strangers

Imagine one day you run into someone who looks just like you, whose voice sounds like yours, and whose behavior seems to be a carbon copy of you. If you live in the greater New York area and are between 60 and 70, this is a real possibility, as we learn in the intriguing documentary Three identical strangers. Around 1960, an experiment was made to separate twins given up for adoption. The experimenters did not tell the adopting parents or the children about the existence of the other twins.

Movies, Drama

White Tiger

I loved Slumdog Millionaire and Liondepiction of India. I was particularly moved by the scenes when Lion was lost in India.  When novels work well, they depict real social problems and injustices and mobilize us to action. After seeing White Tiger I felt paralyzed rather than mobilized. Charles Dickens’ novels created in the hearts of many people the desire to change the awful working conditions in 19th century Britain. I was disgusted by the murder that the protagonist committed, making me more outraged about the poor storytelling than about social conditions in India.  This was not how the writer and filmmaker intended it. I felt that they exaggerated so strongly and came across as so assured that their viewpoint is the correct one that I was turned off. I also did not learn anything new about India or became more sympathetic to the challenges for this gigantic country. Two thumbs down.