Cocktails for Five (or Fifteen...or Seventeen...)
I saw this idea at Acidman's blog. He got it from the Straight White Guy, who got it from the Paratrooper Of Love.
I'll do my version a bit differently. I want a larger crowd, but not so large that people get tucked into corners and forgotten. So, five authors, five bloggers and five historical figures, from anytime in history. That plus me makes for a nice party.
The problem is, I share a lot of my picks with Acidman. I guess he & I admire the same sorts of people. With that in mind, it's not plagiarism, it's just a coincidence!
The Authors
James Burke - This man's books on history's "Connections" have greatly influenced the way I look at the world. Clear, concise and wonderfully thought out.
Stephen Jay Gould - Gould was a paleontologist by trade, and a philosopher by nature. His essays from Natural History magazine have been compiled in over 20 books. For me, Gould is often not an easy read. He is light years ahead of me in reasoning and intellect, and often I find myself poring over one of his more esoteric essays with a science textbook on one side of me and a notepad full of "look this up" scribbles on the other. I think it's worth the effort. Spoon-fed knowledge is never as rewarding as that you've hunted down yourself.
Robert Anson Heinlein - No single author has influenced me as much as Heinlein. From the accidental discovery of "Orphans Of The Sky" on my parent's bookshelf on a stuck-in-the-house-snowy-day at age 9 came a lifelong fascination with science fiction and the germination of libertarian thought. Literary references scattered throughout his novels expanded my horizons, (no pun intended!) and he instilled a desire to always question authority. This guest's actually a two-fer, 'cause I doubt you could ever get The Master to accept an invitation to cocktails without including his wife Virginia.
Neil Stephenson - Does for historical fiction what Gould did for paleontology. His books are enormous works of intricate plotting and superb characters. Like Gould, his books are not an easy downhill slide, you need to make an effort to keep up. The results are worth it!
William Shakespeare - The Bard beat out Mark Twain by just a smidgen. Twain-the-Man comes through pretty well in his writings. Not so with Shakespeare. I just want to know how much of his writings is actually Shakespeare, and how much is collaborations with Marlowe, Jonson and Fletcher, et al. Besides, he can recite sonnets when we all get squiffy and want to relax for a bit.
The Bloggers
Kim & Connie du Toit - This one's another two-fer. Kim's blog is guns & wimmen and anti-idiotarian invective. The Mrs. is a bit more subtle in presentation, but IMHO is the deeper thinker. Together they are a formidable pair that need not take a backseat to anyone.
Sheila O'Malley - This is one blogger I can't quite get my head around. One one hand, she's fantastically well-read, and writes like she was born to it. On the other hand, at times she goes on these obsessive flights of fancy that make you wonder if life in the Big Apple warps everyone quite a bit. It seems there's nothing that intimidates her. (except for die furchtsamen octenleggen) At any rate, out of all the bloggers I read, Miss O'Malley would get the most blog-mileage out of a gathering like this, so she gets a Golden Ticket.
Charles Johnson - For fighting the good fight, and not ever backing down. I'll bet he & Churchill get along great!
Bill Whittle - Best essayist in Blogdom. Author of a collection of said essays that you should toddle off and buy Right Now! Plus, he provides his own aerial transportation!
Acidman - Hell, all this was his idea! He deserves a spot at the table. Besides, under that rawboned Jawja Cracker exterior lies a pretty bright and articulate man. He'd be an asset at any gathering.
The Historical Figures
Teddy Roosevelt - IMHO, best president ever. We'll never see his like again.
Jimmy Stewart - Everyone needs a hero. Jimmy Stewart was mine. The 'aw shucks' demeanor couldn't conceal the brave spirit within. War hero, gifted actor and superb human being. I miss him still.
Cecil Rhodes - How many men singlehandedly build an empire? The man'll have some stories to tell, and I want to hear them all. On a side note... Boy, I bet that must've irked Shrillary, knowing her ticket to the White House was partly educated courtesy of the profits "stolen" by an opressive imperialist!
Winston Churchill - A true statesman. To be able to listen to Churchill for an evening would be a treasure beyond reckoning.
T.E. Lawrence - Another product of a bygone era. My copy of 'The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom' is getting tattered and dog-eared. I have so many questions for this man...
OK, that's it! Final tally, 17 guests and one host. If the cosmic roll of the Probability Dice ever makes this occur, I'll be sure to record the evening and sell y'all copies! It would surely be an evening to remember!
I'll do my version a bit differently. I want a larger crowd, but not so large that people get tucked into corners and forgotten. So, five authors, five bloggers and five historical figures, from anytime in history. That plus me makes for a nice party.
The problem is, I share a lot of my picks with Acidman. I guess he & I admire the same sorts of people. With that in mind, it's not plagiarism, it's just a coincidence!
The Authors
James Burke - This man's books on history's "Connections" have greatly influenced the way I look at the world. Clear, concise and wonderfully thought out.
Stephen Jay Gould - Gould was a paleontologist by trade, and a philosopher by nature. His essays from Natural History magazine have been compiled in over 20 books. For me, Gould is often not an easy read. He is light years ahead of me in reasoning and intellect, and often I find myself poring over one of his more esoteric essays with a science textbook on one side of me and a notepad full of "look this up" scribbles on the other. I think it's worth the effort. Spoon-fed knowledge is never as rewarding as that you've hunted down yourself.
Robert Anson Heinlein - No single author has influenced me as much as Heinlein. From the accidental discovery of "Orphans Of The Sky" on my parent's bookshelf on a stuck-in-the-house-snowy-day at age 9 came a lifelong fascination with science fiction and the germination of libertarian thought. Literary references scattered throughout his novels expanded my horizons, (no pun intended!) and he instilled a desire to always question authority. This guest's actually a two-fer, 'cause I doubt you could ever get The Master to accept an invitation to cocktails without including his wife Virginia.
Neil Stephenson - Does for historical fiction what Gould did for paleontology. His books are enormous works of intricate plotting and superb characters. Like Gould, his books are not an easy downhill slide, you need to make an effort to keep up. The results are worth it!
William Shakespeare - The Bard beat out Mark Twain by just a smidgen. Twain-the-Man comes through pretty well in his writings. Not so with Shakespeare. I just want to know how much of his writings is actually Shakespeare, and how much is collaborations with Marlowe, Jonson and Fletcher, et al. Besides, he can recite sonnets when we all get squiffy and want to relax for a bit.
The Bloggers
Kim & Connie du Toit - This one's another two-fer. Kim's blog is guns & wimmen and anti-idiotarian invective. The Mrs. is a bit more subtle in presentation, but IMHO is the deeper thinker. Together they are a formidable pair that need not take a backseat to anyone.
Sheila O'Malley - This is one blogger I can't quite get my head around. One one hand, she's fantastically well-read, and writes like she was born to it. On the other hand, at times she goes on these obsessive flights of fancy that make you wonder if life in the Big Apple warps everyone quite a bit. It seems there's nothing that intimidates her. (except for die furchtsamen octenleggen) At any rate, out of all the bloggers I read, Miss O'Malley would get the most blog-mileage out of a gathering like this, so she gets a Golden Ticket.
Charles Johnson - For fighting the good fight, and not ever backing down. I'll bet he & Churchill get along great!
Bill Whittle - Best essayist in Blogdom. Author of a collection of said essays that you should toddle off and buy Right Now! Plus, he provides his own aerial transportation!
Acidman - Hell, all this was his idea! He deserves a spot at the table. Besides, under that rawboned Jawja Cracker exterior lies a pretty bright and articulate man. He'd be an asset at any gathering.
The Historical Figures
Teddy Roosevelt - IMHO, best president ever. We'll never see his like again.
Jimmy Stewart - Everyone needs a hero. Jimmy Stewart was mine. The 'aw shucks' demeanor couldn't conceal the brave spirit within. War hero, gifted actor and superb human being. I miss him still.
Cecil Rhodes - How many men singlehandedly build an empire? The man'll have some stories to tell, and I want to hear them all. On a side note... Boy, I bet that must've irked Shrillary, knowing her ticket to the White House was partly educated courtesy of the profits "stolen" by an opressive imperialist!
Winston Churchill - A true statesman. To be able to listen to Churchill for an evening would be a treasure beyond reckoning.
T.E. Lawrence - Another product of a bygone era. My copy of 'The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom' is getting tattered and dog-eared. I have so many questions for this man...
OK, that's it! Final tally, 17 guests and one host. If the cosmic roll of the Probability Dice ever makes this occur, I'll be sure to record the evening and sell y'all copies! It would surely be an evening to remember!
posted by El Capitan | 9:47 PM
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